Ball Joint Q's

[mitymerc]

I harvested '92 uca's & '99 spindles last weekend. It was getting close to closing time & I couldn't get the upper ball joints on the '99 to separate (even with a BMFH & pickle fork), so I cut the "arms" they are mounted in as well as the sway bar links. Upon reflection, I think I may need that part....the '92's are still there albiet w/the uca's removed, tires still on & sitting on the ground.

How can they be removed from the spindle in the yard? (no jacks or torches allowed).

Remove the nut, pound a chisel in to separate the slot?

I am going back on Sat morn. I will not be able to go junkin' for at least a month after that, so Sat. is the day.....

Side note, I broke a craftsman 12 pt 12 mm 1/2 drive socket on the pinion flange. I also tried a box wrench & hammer to shock it loose & failed, (due to a damaged arm & not enough room to swing the hammer).

My cordless impact also gave it's life that day.

All suggestions are welcome.....

[1987cp]

Those sound like lousy conditions to work under. How much does the yard want to harvest the stuff for you?

[packman]

Sounds like some of the yards in eastern PA. Like 1987cp said; you might want to see if they will pull it for you. Would a balljoint press (rented or bought) be able to overcome the joining forces (for lack of a better term) of the spindle, if positioned correctly? And yeah, separating UCA and LCA's from the spindles are a PITA.



Packman

[mitymerc]

It is a u pull it yard. If you get them tp pull it for you it is 50$ PER ITEM!I have a buddy who has a muff & brake shop. He showed me a diagram that shows the bj as a unit w\the "arm" I was trying to harvest. I guess I'll get new ones......Thanks guys....

[turbo2256b]

Had to remove the bolt and used a screw driver or small chissel to spread the gap along with some penitrate tapped the pin of the ball joint out.

[turbo2256b]

You dont need the sway bar if you have the bar that is attacheted to your lower control arm on your car now.


What do you mean by pinion flange?

[gadget73]

1992+ upper arms would have the pinch bolt. You did remove that right? There is a smallish bolt and nut through the spindle that has to come out in order to release the upper ball joint. Its just a slip fit once that bolt is out. If its rusted fast, it should come apart pretty easy if you whack it. Not quite sure what part you're after here. The complete 92 upper arm assembly with the pivot shaft you want, and the complete 99 spindle you want. The upper ball joint really should be replaced but you do not need the 99 upper control arms or any of that unless you want to do extra work for no particular gain. The 96+ upper arms are slightly differently shaped than 92-95 parts, but there is no functional difference once on the car. 96+ cars have one ball joint that fits both sides, 92-95 have a left and right ball joint. You can actually use either of these for a big brake swap, and sometimes you'll even find aftermarket 92-95 parts that are the same on both sides. Its actually just the 96+ ball joint.



I'm guessing he was trying to pull the flange on the rear diff. Thats the only pinion flange on the car I can come up with, and the only spot I know of that uses a 12mm 12pt bolt. Those things are an SOB to remove sometimes without heat. They have loctite on them from the factory, and you really are supposed to heat the bolts to make the locker release.

[mitymerc]

Pinch bolt = ignorance, I saw a blown up diagram & now under stand how it works, must remove bolt DUH as well as nut........ I have built many fox cars, but am new to this type suspension...

Pinion flange, I was trying to remove al drive shaft.....

Sway bar, had to be disconnected to remove spindle....

12mm Socket, S/K brand, never had an issue, have broken a socket before & was swapped no questions asked.... My wife went to shop & found out they were bought out by Alice? and the buttwipers no longer honer their "lifetime" warranty. She was trying to help & purchased a 6 point Performance Tool socket w/a "lifetime" warranty. I wonder if lifetime means until they change their mind?....

Thanks Everybody,

Heading to JY now.......

[1987cp]

No more lifetime warranty on S&K? That'd seriously suck ... I wanted a 12mm/12pt wobble socket specifically for driveshaft bolts and mail-ordered a S&K from Sears because they were the only affordable one I could find.

[mitymerc]

Got the backing plates/brackets off the rear. Took the park cables from backing plates to the connector near the park brake pedal. Do I need that part of the cable? The floor was full of water & I wasn't going to lie in it to figure out how to remove it. Then the drizzle turned into pouring rain, so I never got to the ball joints.....I won't be able to return for several weeks.....I think I have everything to do the job but the u & l joints, tires & hose adapters....

[packman]

I notriced that my replacement balljoints for the lower control arms have the boot attched to them. The boot seems to be molded into the ball joint as it won't budge if I try to remove it. Am I supposed to install the LCA balljoints with the boot attached? I don't remember the boot being attached to the LCA balljoints that I pressed out.



Packman

[1987cp]

Yeppers. I don't recall removing the boots when I did the lowers on either of my '87s, either with the BFH method or the big-C-clamp-press method. I did take the boots off the uppers the last time around, but they were good used units that came with the civvie uppers Scott sent me and needed some cleaning.

[packman]

Thanks 1987cp! I remember during the LCA assembly on Putter Project that I had to remove the boots to install them. Though of course, it was a Chevy.

I just have to finish drilling out one of the UCA balljoints. I ran out of drill bits before I could remove it.



Packman

[1987cp]

Yeah, you want to use a grinder or cutoff wheel on those if you can. They say to drill out the rivets if yours are original, but they're hella difficult to drill through successfully.

[gadget73]

use an air chisel or a grinder. You'll burn up drill bits till you're blue in the face.


if the boot doesn't pop off the ball joint, and its not wider than the metal pressed-in part of the ball joint, then it must go in the way it is. If the rubber is wider than the metal, its gotta come off. I've seen them both ways, I guess the molded together design may be a better seal against dirt vs the kind where the rubber condom just slips on there.