Removing lower wishbones/ball joints
Discussion
Argh!! This is infuriating!
Hopefully somebody can help me! I want to remove and repaint my wishbones and fit new bushes whilst they're off. I was also considering changing the ball joints whilst it's all apart.
I've loosened the wishbone mounts on the chassis end and the three nuts which bolt the lower ball joint onto the lower wishbone. But I cannot remove those three bolts. One bolt moves if I whack it with a hammer, but the other two are stuck fast and will not budge. I've heated them, whacked them as hard as I can with a FBH, tried to turn them (unsuccessfully) but they won't budge.
The heas of the bolt is right up against the ball joint, which means I can't get a ring spanner on the heads, only an open ended, which isn't good enough. Ive been hitting the loosened nut from below, but they won't shift up. I've also tried hitting a chisel up through the circular hole in the wishbone and onto the ball joint to try and shift the whole thing, but again, it won't move.
Any other ideas? I was thinking of splitting the ball joint so I could remove the wishbone and ball joint in one, and then maybe press it out, but I was worried about possibly damaging the wishbone with the press and i also can't split the ball joint! I have a ball joint splitter, the type with the bolt which you tighten and it compresses on the thread of the ball joint causing it to split, but I can't get it in there as the hub is in the way. Presumably I need a fork type which you just smash in with a hammer? Is that correct?
Any help with this would be much appreciated. I thought removing the wishbones would be easy!!
Hopefully somebody can help me! I want to remove and repaint my wishbones and fit new bushes whilst they're off. I was also considering changing the ball joints whilst it's all apart.
I've loosened the wishbone mounts on the chassis end and the three nuts which bolt the lower ball joint onto the lower wishbone. But I cannot remove those three bolts. One bolt moves if I whack it with a hammer, but the other two are stuck fast and will not budge. I've heated them, whacked them as hard as I can with a FBH, tried to turn them (unsuccessfully) but they won't budge.
The heas of the bolt is right up against the ball joint, which means I can't get a ring spanner on the heads, only an open ended, which isn't good enough. Ive been hitting the loosened nut from below, but they won't shift up. I've also tried hitting a chisel up through the circular hole in the wishbone and onto the ball joint to try and shift the whole thing, but again, it won't move.
Any other ideas? I was thinking of splitting the ball joint so I could remove the wishbone and ball joint in one, and then maybe press it out, but I was worried about possibly damaging the wishbone with the press and i also can't split the ball joint! I have a ball joint splitter, the type with the bolt which you tighten and it compresses on the thread of the ball joint causing it to split, but I can't get it in there as the hub is in the way. Presumably I need a fork type which you just smash in with a hammer? Is that correct?
Any help with this would be much appreciated. I thought removing the wishbones would be easy!!
TJC46 said:
Best bet will be to use a fork type splitter on the ball joint, then remove both the wishbone and ball joint.
You have a better chance of removing the 3 bolts with the wishbone on the bench.
With the work involved, you may as well renew the bottom ball joints and refit new bolts.
That's the plan. You have a better chance of removing the 3 bolts with the wishbone on the bench.
With the work involved, you may as well renew the bottom ball joints and refit new bolts.
Are you talking about how you get the ball joint apart?
My mate showed me the 'old school' way and it works brilliantly.
Get a substantial and long lever. I have a 6ft pry bar I used.
Put it in a place so when you put pressure on the end it is levering the ball joint in the direction it will split.
Undo the top nut of the balljoint but don't fully remove it.
Get someone to apply pressure to the lever
With a hammer smack the rounded side of the balljoint really hard. REALLY HARD.
It should ping apart with just a couple of smacks.
Be careful when you are swinging the hammer, it's easy to catch the wing edge.
Have a couple of light practice goes so you get yourself in the most comfortable position and know the arc of the hammer.
My mate showed me the 'old school' way and it works brilliantly.
Get a substantial and long lever. I have a 6ft pry bar I used.
Put it in a place so when you put pressure on the end it is levering the ball joint in the direction it will split.
Undo the top nut of the balljoint but don't fully remove it.
Get someone to apply pressure to the lever
With a hammer smack the rounded side of the balljoint really hard. REALLY HARD.
It should ping apart with just a couple of smacks.
Be careful when you are swinging the hammer, it's easy to catch the wing edge.
Have a couple of light practice goes so you get yourself in the most comfortable position and know the arc of the hammer.
Edited by Barreti on Saturday 6th December 12:22
Having properly read your post I now realise I'm barking up completely the wrong tree with my advice on how split a balljoint. Apologies to the OP and good luck getting that joint out of the wishbone.
I did mine a few years ago but I'm buggered if I can remember how I got them apart now.
I did mine a few years ago but I'm buggered if I can remember how I got them apart now.
My solution to this problem was to get the wishbone off the chassis, ball joint still attached and then gently place the whole thing in the bin.
I then purchased new wishbones and ball joints.
The 3 bolts you refer to holding the ball joint to the wishbone were completely corroded solid, nothing was going to shift them. Fortunately i did need new wishbones.
Good luck.
I then purchased new wishbones and ball joints.
The 3 bolts you refer to holding the ball joint to the wishbone were completely corroded solid, nothing was going to shift them. Fortunately i did need new wishbones.
Good luck.
I've just done the same and had exactly the same issue. I solved it by using a wood chisel and gently tapping it between the lower wishbone and ball joint at the junction between the two. Once the seal was broken I was able to get the lower wishbone off and then remove the bolts.
Maybe not the most scientific of methods but it worked!
Maybe not the most scientific of methods but it worked!
without pictures is technical English a bit difficult to understand, but I have in my garage 3 sorts of splitters, could always come in handy and don't cost that much 
those 3 types I have and about 4 or 5, 3 leg pullers also, I also would like a good 2 leg puller, but those are expensive...
I guess you mean something like this? hm...thats a bit different...best get the whole arm of
and lots of wd40 to soak in overnight or a few hours and then in the work bench some good key on them?
or cut them of and buy new ball-joints + screws.
those 3 types I have and about 4 or 5, 3 leg pullers also, I also would like a good 2 leg puller, but those are expensive...
I guess you mean something like this? hm...thats a bit different...best get the whole arm of
and lots of wd40 to soak in overnight or a few hours and then in the work bench some good key on them?
or cut them of and buy new ball-joints + screws.
Edited by GTRene on Saturday 6th December 20:31
GTRene said:
without pictures is technical English a bit difficult to understand, but I have in my garage 3 sorts of splitters, could always come in handy and don't cost that much
those 3 types I have and about 4 or 5, 3 leg pullers also, I also would like a good 2 leg puller, but those are expensive...
I guess you mean something like this? hm...thats a bit different...best get the whole arm of
and lots of wd40 to soak in overnight or a few hours and then in the work bench some good key on them?
or cut them of and buy new ball-joints + screws.
Yep, they're the wishbones and ball joints. I have the second splitter in your pictures. Although I've just bought the first one which I'll try next week. The one I had wouldn't even get in there. those 3 types I have and about 4 or 5, 3 leg pullers also, I also would like a good 2 leg puller, but those are expensive...
I guess you mean something like this? hm...thats a bit different...best get the whole arm of
and lots of wd40 to soak in overnight or a few hours and then in the work bench some good key on them?
or cut them of and buy new ball-joints + screws.
Edited by GTRene on Saturday 6th December 20:31
I'll try to split the ball joint and get the whole thing on the bench. I'll assume I need new ball joints, so more fire and hammer action is required.
Thanks for the tips guys.
Don't suppose anyone knows the bolt length?
Would mean I can order them up before stripping the old stuff out.
Can't understand why they don't supply you new bolts with parts. Woukd think that most people really don't want to go through all the work removing the old one, to re-use rusted nasty old nuts and bolts. For the sake of a few quid too.
Don't suppose anyone knows the bolt length?
Would mean I can order them up before stripping the old stuff out.
Can't understand why they don't supply you new bolts with parts. Woukd think that most people really don't want to go through all the work removing the old one, to re-use rusted nasty old nuts and bolts. For the sake of a few quid too.
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