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Stupid ball joint!!

D

dmack976

New member
I am trying to switch out my CV Axle with no luck. I am stuck on getting that stupid ball joint away from the knuckle. I used a pickle fork to help that was no good. (my boot was already torn on the ball joint, will change when I have the money) So do I need a large crow bar then? I have already bent a jack handle. Any advice. I have also tried hitting it with hammer and no luck there either. I heard no popping sound when using the pickle fork.I need to have this job done by Monday




 


Wedge a big pry bar between the subframe and control arm and push it down, get it down far enough to push the knuckle out of the way.

The ball joint wont just pop out on our cars.
 
Yeah I bent my pry bar. (really was not a pry bar but a jack handle) I need to go and get one from autozone or something.
 
If it helps when I did mine and a Buddy's CV joints on his 03 gp I didn't take the ball joint out...I popped the two knuckle to strut bolts cause I don't have a tool to remove the ball joints without risking damaging them
 
marines542 said:
If it helps when I did mine and a Buddy's CV joints on his 03 gp I didn't take the ball joint out...I popped the two knuckle to strut bolts cause I don't have a tool to remove the ball joints without risking damaging them
Click to expand...

I agree. This would be the best way to do it. Sometimes you need to remove the tierod from the knuckle too but that is no big deal.
 
Removing the 2 strut/knuckle bolts is exactly how I've done at least 3 axles now on my 2 cars. I did knock the outer tie-rod out just for some extra room. Then just stick a prybar into the a-arm and pull down while pushing the axle backwards out of the hub and out she goes.
 


a pickle fork needs to be pounded in pretty much, most of the time they tear the dust boot off the joint tho.

is hitting the knuckle while prying down not working?

taking the 2 bolts off the strut also works, but you may want to get the car re aligned when done.
 
I just take the strut to knuckle bolts out saves a lot of time comapred to beating the **** out control arms to get the ball joint free.
 
well my older brother came over and used a jack at the tie rod and took some of the pressure off caused by the spring. So i got it out... by the way my cv axle was snapped. That would explain the vibration and the shaking at speed of 45-60. hope this fixes the issue. I will be changing the wheel bearing too.


 


Next time try putting the pry bar in place and using a lot of pressure, and while holding it smack the part of the knuckle the ball joint goes into with a big mallet. That's what finally made mine pop out, I refused to mess up my alignment more than I had to.
 
that was my main concern to. I did not want to mess my alignment up. the fun part is when i get the money I have to replace that ball joint. I think whoever changed the hubs the first time ripped the boot. So i will have to replace that a-arm in the near future
 


dmack976 said:
well my older brother came over and used a jack at the tie rod and took some of the pressure off caused by the spring. So i got it out... by the way my cv axle was snapped. That would explain the vibration and the shaking at speed of 45-60. hope this fixes the issue. I will be changing the wheel bearing too.
Click to expand...

FYI, your CV isn't snapped. The clamp is all that holds that end together. You just pulled it apart.

Also I NEVER use a pickle fork. All you need is a heavy hammer and some juevos. All you have to do is smack the knuckle where it goes over the ball joint a few times and it pops right out.
 
Yeah you should not have to remove the ball joint, strut or tie-rod to change the cv, just turn the wheel and pop out the transmission side first.
 
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