Ball Joint seperation

[sierradmax]

I'm in the process of rebuilding a set of dana 44 axles to a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I cannot separate the passenger knuckle from the lower ball joint. I used a pickle fork, heat, 3 lb. hammer, a jack on the bottom stud, ball joint separator, you name it. I simply cannot separate it. I've hit the knuckle so hard that the upper ball joint actually came loose and out of the axle.

Do I have any other option? Has anyone cut the ball joint to separate and press stud out of knuckle?

And yes, I have the castle nut off.

 

[ex-x-fire]

Is this what your working on? Do you have the upper separated? Axle out?

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

8 or 10 lb hammer usually only takes a smack or two.
I use a 3x6ish scrap of 1/2" plate as a pad /riser, you don't want to bend any of the sensitive bits.

or wedge it apart and hit the knuckle on both sides of the taper of at the same time with 2 hammers. its easier if they are the same size, as the timing must be exact.
You can back one side with something heavy, and hit the other, but it doesn't work as well.

 

[Bondo]

3 lb. hammer,

Ayuh,.... I agree with Ole Slewfoot, get a real BFHammer,....

A 3 lber is for drivin' thumb tacks,.....
My usual BFHammer for front end work is my 20 lber,...

 

[sierradmax]

Is this what your working on? Do you have the upper separated? Axle out?

Yup, that's what I'm working on. Axle shafts are out.

I first placed a pickle fork at the upper ball joint between the axle inner "c" and the knuckle to give a little pressure. I whacked both sides of the lower knuckle to break the seat from the ball joint but no luck. Then, I proceeded to whack the knuckle down with the lower ball joint stud on a floor jack. I was hitting the knuckle so hard that the upper ball joint came loose. I did the same thing while applying heat to the knuckle.

 

[rlitman]

The lower has a larger taper, that takes more force to break than the upper.

Did you loosen the nut on the upper? I'm not sure how you managed to knock it loose.

Yes, if the 3lb hammer isn't doing it, you need a bigger hammer (and a better swing).

 

[Chevy-SS]

How much heat did you use? A propane torch isn't usually enough for jobs like this. You need oxy/acet and then heat up (until glows a little bit red) the area surrounding the ball joint taper.

Sometimes heating can be tricky, as other nearby parts may absorb heat and become damaged. But it looks like you have a clean shot to apply a lot of heat in that area and not damage anything..

 

[theoldwizard1]

"Hit what the ball joint stud goes though."

 

[rlitman]

"Hit what the ball joint stud goes though."

That can help. Smacking a taper fit on the side can help break it loose.

 

[jonesg]

I'm in the process of rebuilding a set of dana 44 axles to a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I cannot separate the passenger knuckle from the lower ball joint. I used a pickle fork, heat, 3 lb. hammer, a jack on the bottom stud, ball joint separator, you name it. I simply cannot separate it. I've hit the knuckle so hard that the upper ball joint actually came loose and out of the axle.

Do I have any other option? Has anyone cut the ball joint to separate and press stud out of knuckle?

And yes, I have the castle nut off.

I had success with lisle Pickle Fork that fits in the air impact hammer. $34

 

[royesses]

place a hammer opposite the striking hammer. This deforms the knuckle enough to release the taper. Using only one hammer without a backing on the other side just transfers the force to the entire assembly. I've been doing that since 1960 and it has never failed.

 

[zmotorsports]

Wow, that's crazy, as many of those axles that I've built, I have never had one that hasn't popped loose by simply using a large prybar to apply some pressure then 2-4 smacks on the knuckle didn't take care of it. Personally I'm not much of a fan of the actual pickle forks as the above method is so much faster and non-intrusive to the ball joint.

 

[Hugemoose]

How much heat did you use? A propane torch isn't usually enough for jobs like this. You need oxy/acet and then heat up (until glows a little bit red) the area surrounding the ball joint taper.

Sometimes heating can be tricky, as other nearby parts may absorb heat and become damaged. But it looks like you have a clean shot to apply a lot of heat in that area and not damage anything..

What he said. I recently did a rebuild on the entire front end of my Tundra, and the upper ball joints were original, so about 17 years old. The only thing that got them out were lots of heat from a Oxy/Act torch, and a press. I removed the entire spindle an a press made short work of it.

I know you don't have the press option, but maybe a good ball joint separator and and cherry red all around it might work. Just wear gloves....

 

[Shadowdog500]

A good air hammer makes all the difference when doing suspension work.
A Harbor Freight air hammer wont cut in. I use a Snap on 5030 air hammer, or you could get the "Big Nasty" from Astro. I do use the Harbor Freight pickle fork that attached to my air hammer.

Chris

 

[rlitman]

A good air hammer makes all the difference when doing suspension work.
A Harbor Freight air hammer wont cut in. I use a Snap on 5030 air hammer, or you could get the "Big Nasty" from Astro. I do use the Harbor Freight pickle fork that attached to my air hammer.

Chris

I've got a CP717. It's no weaker than the Big Nasty (and with .498 tooling, easily overpowers the SO). All it did when trying to knock the knuckles off my Jeep was make metal dust where it was hitting. My persuading hammer did the trick, almost like magic. I only have sharp tools on my bigger pneumatic rivet buster, so I didn't want to risk using it on the knuckle (it would be sure to do damage).

Lots of small impact isn't going to get a tight taper to move. This takes a HARD hit. Just one good one should do the trick. Once it breaks free, it's flying! So I strongly advise you to not remove the ball joint nuts, but leave them on, at the ends of the threads.

 

[Shadowdog500]

I've got a CP717. It's no weaker than the Big Nasty (and with .498 tooling, easily overpowers the SO). All it did when trying to knock the knuckles off my Jeep was make metal dust where it was hitting. My persuading hammer did the trick, almost like magic. I only have sharp tools on my bigger pneumatic rivet buster, so I didn't want to risk using it on the knuckle (it would be sure to do damage).

Lots of small impact isn't going to get a tight taper to move. This takes a HARD hit. Just one good one should do the trick. Once it breaks free, it's flying! So I strongly advise you to not remove the ball joint nuts, but leave them on, at the ends of the threads.

Try a pickle fork attachment on a strong air hammer. You may be surprised.

Chris

 

[crewchief888]

Ayuh,.... I agree with Ole Slewfoot, get a real BFHammer,....

A 3 lber is for drivin' thumb tacks,.....
My usual BFHammer for front end work is my 20 lber,...

my favorite persuasion device is an 8lb with a short handle. it's broken loose nearly everything ive hit with it...

including the index finger and thumb (more than once) of my left hand...

 

[tonyprovo723]

Make sure to have a nut loosely in place or the knuckle *******. You don't want to break it free and screw up one of the caliper ears or something.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[Sommech7498]

Try a pickle fork attachment on a strong air hammer. You may be surprised.

Chris

This ^

 

[sierradmax]

Here's how I managed to separate...