Ball Joint Removal?

[rogerkiu]

Originally Posted by 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

Thanks for the reply! Just checked that the diameter of the hole is 24mm. I think that the hole is too big as the nut size is just 22mm. Any solution?

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by rogerkiu

Thanks for the reply! Just checked that the diameter of the hole is 24mm. I think that the hole is too big as the nut size is just 22mm. Any solution?

A couple of big washers to prevent the nut from going through the hole. Washers have to be thick enough to absorb some of the poundings from the slide hammer.

[stiubhartach]

The slide hammer might work. The BMW dealer tool is a slide hammer with an end that screws on the ball joint. I couldn't find a generic one that fit. The box looks like it might with the washer idea. Keep us posted!

[X5only]

On my 2005 4.4, both ball joints (never replaced before) came out easily (without using any special tools) after thoroughly spraying liquid wrench all around the ball joints a day earlier and a couple of hours before attempting to remove them. The driver side popped off just by tugging side to side the still connected arm. The passenger side required two light blows on a screw drive placed on top of the ball joint and it popped off right away. Leave the arm still connected to provide leverage.

As a couple of others have pointed out, I would say the critical factor is to apply liquid wrench well in advance of the project. The ball joints were rusted on and thus I think it would have been extremely difficult to remove them without thorough lubrication. You have to give ample time for the liquid wrench to seep through the joint. I was surprised how easy they were to remove.

[StephenVA]

Rust, water and salted roads make steel and aluminum bind into a one unit mess. Good luck guys.

[StephenVA]

Meanwhile when new the process was real simple, as everything was not frozen in place. BMW Service manual procedures....

Necessary preliminary tasks:
• Remove integral link.
• Support wheel carrier with universal jack.
• Detach shock absorber at pivot arm.

Remove circlamp (1).
Assemble special tool 33 4 191 / 33 4 192 / 33 4 193 and 33 3 010 as illustrated. Slotted side of special tool 33 4 191 must point to the wheel carrier.
Pull out ball joint by twisting the nut on the special tool 33 3 010 .
Installation note:

Install new circlamp (1).

Push in new ball joint (1) until limit position using special tools 33 4 191 / 33 4 192 / 33 4 194 and 33 3 010 .

[Rosssavage]

Except we’re talking about the front balljoints!!

Good pics though - have done my rears too, using hydraulic pullers to get the old one out and standard ball joint tool (like the BMW one shown..) to push the new ones in.

[andrewwynn]

The trick I've seen used (and will likely be using myself soon) is to apply pressure with a long crowbar to pretension the bolt to come out then smack the arm sideways to make it "ring" like a turning fork. The vibration works the beveled post free.

Wouldn't hurt to get some liquid wrench into the joint first.

I remember changing the front thrust bushings and one of the arms just wound not come out. A good workout with the 3# hammer and my persistence paid off but I didnt learn the trick above until later.

[Rosssavage]

Except we’re talking about removing the balljoint from the knuckle, not the control arm from the balljoint.

Ringing works though, and is a time honoured method - usually using two hammers simultaneously either side of the taper to be freed and “ringing” it off.

[andrewwynn]

You have to put the control arm back on to have something to hit. Not sure if you did that. A pickle fork concept will work in that case. Since you already got the control arm off the "big duh" is to use the bolt from the ball joint to pull it out.

Set up with something akin to a donut of steel around the ball joint threades rod, put the arm on with just a few threads make sure it's loose on the top and when you tighten the big bolt, the donut gets tight on the knuckle before the ball stud gets into the control arm. Get that tight and if it doesn't pull out just from tension hit it with a hammer to ring the part it should pop out.