Lower ball joint stuck in place!!! HELP!!!

[zach1990]

Ok so I've been replacing the front end components on my truck the last 2 days and I just can't get the last ball joint out. The passenger side lower ball joint just refuses to separate from the steering knuckle! I've hammered with a pickle fork for hours now. Is there a better way to do this???

 

 

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[Carder09]

Sledge it.

[gmtech4]

loose the upper ball joint,let the knuckle tilt however it wants ,(it will lean outward ),,,loose the nut and rethread it 2 turns (just to stop the knuckle from falling off when ball joint lets go)

 

now look below the lower control arm by the ball joint where it goes into the knuckle ,rotate the knuckle so its on the hammer side ,that part of the knuckle is what you need to nail with a hammer ,it will shock the ball joint out of the knuckle,

 

its hard to explain actually lol

Edited September 24, 2013 by govtech4

[zach1990]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm one tie rod and an idler arm away from being done with this project

 

 

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[aflesch]

 

This isn't your knuckle but yours will have a spot just like that. Hit it as hard as you can with a 3-5# hammer. The ball joint is a taper fit and by hitting it that hard you will actually oval the hole and it will pop the taper loose.

[Jack Miner]

Thanks to @aflesch, I found that knob to whack it loose. I made a video showing the process.