Ball Joint Removal?

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by hunds02

Can anyone comment on whether you need a special tool to press them in there, or will the torx screws be enough to press it in there?

Mine slid in by hand. No press required.

[bcredliner]

should be pressed in

[Lamby]

I can only second oldskewel, as I used Lemfoerder parts. Make sure the inside of the knuckle is free of rust and clean. PB or WD40 the hell out of it then copper grease the backside of the ball joint housing and the lugs where the torx slot through. Lets be safe on this one as its about to have 2 tons pressing it in until I have to change it out and likelyhood is it will be stuck in there like last time even with all my prep to make sure it doesnt. I need to switch my arms out as I want to install Powerflex blushings. Means that I will have to take off control arms and I am not so sure that I will not damage the ball joints so I am getting a couple of them from Europarts as they have a sale on.

[hunds02]

Mine did as well, just slid right in! At least the press kit is a free rental.

Here's how I removed the BJ's

https://youtu.be/RLUjKoP62l4

[richardb]

This is the ball joint tool I use:

[upallnight]

That won't work for removing the lower ball joint out of the upright.

[Lamby]

Yeah that tool is no good for the lower ball joint removal as its pressed into the knuckle of the wheel hub. This might be useful as a press to install the new ball joint but as I say, if you clean all the rust out of the knuckle, PB/WD40 the heck out of it, then copper grease/anti seize compound all around the top of the ball joint not forgetting the lugs where the torx go through then when you need to get them out again, should be okay. Now the reason I do all this prep is that I installed mine 18 months ago and now I have a Powerflex bush kit to install on the control arm. So I bought some new Lemforder ball joints as they are on sale at Euros and the likelyhood of me splitting the boot on the ball joints when I remove the existing is hight. For £70 bucks I can fit new ones for peace of mind I get new parts in and don't have to worry about being really careful. I will update you all at the weekend if all my prep to make the ball joint easy to come out works for if its a total SOB again.

[Lamby]

Right, ball joints out with a bit of a fight at the weekend. Not nearly as bad as before, no cutting required but I did have to hit it with a BFH about 50 times. so... Unscrew torx bolts which secure them on to the knuckle, then used a blunt chisel on lugs, after about 5 mins of hammering it slowly began to rotate, then from above I used 20mm socket on a extender bar and pounded on it with BFH and it came free. The anti seize had done its job but still they are in there real tight. Also I fitted my Powerflex bushes and I can report they are very very good. Its stopped my clunking, although my bushes had gone and the steering is much more dampened and tight under breaking. It used to dart a bit left and right quickly. Now it is solid and comes to a stop with no vibration. I am very happy. I know that these are not cheap parts and you have to press the old ones out and the new kit is an easy assemble in, but its now done for life.

[rogerkiu]

I just found two slide hammers look like in the attached pics. Wonder if they are good for pulling out the ball joint or which one is better?

[MINIz guy]

I think #2 with the box would be good for the ball join in the knuckle. That is, if the hole in that box is big enough for the ball joint thread to go through