Ball joint removal

[savage1987]

What's a ball joint removal tool and can I use anything else to remove the ball joint? Gregorys manual says that any other attempt to remove the ball joint will damage the lower control arm.. Is there any way I can do this myself? I'm trying to change my front suspension from standard to King springs superlow and Koni adjustable shocks.

Any help appreciated.
Sam

[nathans1987]

the one i have is a big fork looking thing with a wedge shape. ig goes bewteen the balljoint and strut and you it the end with a hammet and it levers the joint free. unless you mean from the actuall arm to put a new one in you need a press or somthing, the first one i did i used a oxy heated it up then hit it out with a hammer. i didnt see any damage.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Put an axle stand under the control arm as close to but not touching the ball joint. With the strut out of the way, smack the top of the ball joint with a hammer, not the shaft, but the actual bit the ball is in. It should pop out of the bottom of the control arm. To put it back in, if it has a grease nipple, take it out, put the axle stand under the ball joint with it loosely fitted in the control arm, let some vehicle weight down on it and smack the top of the control arm with a hammer knocking it down over the ball joint. Hit it evenly all around it until it is seated all the way. Sometimes it may be necessary to have a short piece of pipe or a large socket up against the bottom of the ball joint to make it sit square.

[savage1987]

Too bad. Couldn't get it out, it got too late in the day to have any hope of doing both sides before it gets dark.. I gave up and put it all back together and put the wheel back on. That's the worst feeling ever, when you work all sunday on something it turns out you can't ****ing do anyway. I just spent a whole day and all I got done is the rear springs.

[nathans1987]

you can change springs with in on i am pritty sure, just undo the top maybe? i have a feeling that i did it but cant really remember. so i probably couldnt.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Too bad mate. I hate it when that happens.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I misunderstood what you were doing. I thought you were changing the ball joints. You can change the springs and strut cartridges with them still in the car but you have to empty the oil out of the strut if they are still original. To separate the strut from the ball joint, undo the nut and hit the strut with the ball end of a ball peen hammer 3 or 4 times hard right at the spot where the ball joint goes into strut. Put a lever over the radius rod through to under the chassis and lever down. The ball joint should pull out of the strut.

[savage1987]

It's all good. It's probably for the best anyway, I'm not sure if I'm meant to adjust these Konis before I put them in, and I really don't want to blow a $400+ set of front shocks. I'll get Wilkinson Suspension Centre to do them for me, they do these all the time.
Thanks anyway
Sam