Ball Joint Removal?

[tankowner]

Does anyone have experience in removing the front (upper control arm) ball joint from the steering knuckle? I have both the bolts that hold it in removed, now I need to figure out how to drive it out. It is pretty blocked from above by the CV axle boot. Curious if anyone else has done this and how they got the old ball joints out. (2001 X5 3.0).

Thanks

[Junkycosmos]

hi tankowner

I just went through this with my 2005. I found those two ball joints were a chore.

In researching what I came across were these tid bits that others posted as help:
*soak it with PB Blaster overnight
*use pipe wrench to twist the ball joint base within the knuckle by grabbing it from the bottom
*use an air chisel to impact rattle lose
*find right sized puller that can grab ball joint's nut shaft and pull downward
*remove the steering knuckle and then attack
*careful not to damage the ABS sensor, bearing etc, so no torch heating

Perhaps others here will have some other suggestions or tricks

I also found that a lot of posters here talk about all of the front end suspension parts being really easy to change but when you probe for details often they re-use the ball joints. I would agree that other parts on the front end were reasonable to change but the ball joints coming out of the knuckles were chore.

I will admit that it is the one thing in years that I took my car to a local small indy shop for. In the end he used an air rattler (like an air chisel with a u shape attachment) with 3 minutes of impacting to rattle them loose while pulling them downward. Took him 30mins per each ball joint to remove. The longer I watched the better I felt about paying a bit.

Hoping yours might come easier than mine (90K miles). I will say that changing out the ball joints was worth it. I had roughly a week with all new bushings and the old ball joints. Once I had the new ball joints in there the X tracks like a car again and the rattle which I could hear over speed bumps which dealer and previous owner never could find are fully fixed now.

[tankowner]

Originally Posted by Junkycosmos

hi tankowner

I just went through this with my 2005. I found those two ball joints were a chore.

In researching what I came across were these tid bits that others posted as help:
*soak it with PB Blaster overnight
*use pipe wrench to twist the ball joint base within the knuckle by grabbing it from the bottom
*use an air chisel to impact rattle lose
*find right sized puller that can grab ball joint's nut shaft and pull downward
*remove the steering knuckle and then attack
*careful not to damage the ABS sensor, bearing etc, so no torch heating

Perhaps others here will have some other suggestions or tricks

I also found that a lot of posters here talk about all of the front end suspension parts being really easy to change but when you probe for details often they re-use the ball joints. I would agree that other parts on the front end were reasonable to change but the ball joints coming out of the knuckles were chore.

I will admit that it is the one thing in years that I took my car to a local small indy shop for. In the end he used an air rattler (like an air chisel with a u shape attachment) with 3 minutes of impacting to rattle them loose while pulling them downward. Took him 30mins per each ball joint to remove. The longer I watched the better I felt about paying a bit.

Hoping yours might come easier than mine (90K miles). I will say that changing out the ball joints was worth it. I had roughly a week with all new bushings and the old ball joints. Once I had the new ball joints in there the X tracks like a car again and the rattle which I could hear over speed bumps which dealer and previous owner never could find are fully fixed now.

Thanks, Junky! I appreciate the feedback; these are good tips.

I've done the lower control arms and the tie rods and, as you say, they weren't that bad. I was hoping these ball joints wouldn't be bad either, but I can see now that it won't be easy. I've done these before on other vehicles where I had to take the knuckle off and then drive the ball joints out with a big punch and sledge hammer. Those were pressed in ball joints, so I was hoping these ones would not be quite as bad. But, with all the crud and rust in there, I guess I am probably having to go the same route here. If anyone else has any good ideas, feel free to chime in. I will let you all know what eventually ends up working out.

[Kristophe]

I replaced both my ball joints last Fall when I also replaced the thrust arm bushings. I finally got around to replacing my control arms a couple of weekends ago and all combined make a huge improvement. Fortunately for me both ball joints didn't require any extra ordinary measures to remove. The "end" of the ball joint is open along the bottom ridge of your steering knuckle (just underneath where the CV axle mates to your hub). There you can spray generously WD-40 or PB and allow to soak. With a small pipe wrench fastened on the base of the ball joint, try to turn and break it loose. Another application of PB may be necessary. Once loose you should be able to twist and pull the ball joint out of the knuckle.

Good luck.

[tankowner]

Originally Posted by Kristophe

I replaced both my ball joints last Fall when I also replaced the thrust arm bushings. I finally got around to replacing my control arms a couple of weekends ago and all combined make a huge improvement. Fortunately for me both ball joints didn't require any extra ordinary measures to remove. The "end" of the ball joint is open along the bottom ridge of your steering knuckle (just underneath where the CV axle mates to your hub). There you can spray generously WD-40 or PB and allow to soak. With a small pipe wrench fastened on the base of the ball joint, try to turn and break it loose. Another application of PB may be necessary. Once loose you should be able to twist and pull the ball joint out of the knuckle.

Good luck.

Thanks, Kristophe!

This pipe wrench approach sounds like it is worth a shot before I go through the trouble of pulling the knuckle.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Sarek]

Air hammer .....brrrrrrrrp

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Sarek

Air hammer .....brrrrrrrrp

[Rosssavage]

Reviving an old (but very useful!) thread.

Currently have both my spindles out lying on the garage floor (01 3.0 140kmiles).

There is NO WAY those ball joints are coming out while the spindle is still on the car!!

Got one ball joint out so far - I needed two days worth of presoak in penetrating oil, heat, and BFH. Beat the absolute hell out of it with the BFH and a punch and it finally went, got the other one to do tomorrow.

I also managed to snap both inner etorx boots on both sides (the drilled through bolt, thankfully not the blind hole one). The corrosion holding the bolts in was stronger than the bolts themselves! Got those to drill out now too.

[Supra]

Originally Posted by Rosssavage

Reviving an old (but very useful!) thread.

Currently have both my spindles out lying on the garage floor (01 3.0 140kmiles).

There is NO WAY those ball joints are coming out while the spindle is still on the car!!

Got one ball joint out so far - I needed two days worth of presoak in penetrating oil, heat, and BFH. Beat the absolute hell out of it with the BFH and a punch and it finally went, got the other one to do tomorrow.

I also managed to snap both inner etorx boots on both sides (the drilled through bolt, thankfully not the blind hole one). The corrosion holding the bolts in was stronger than the bolts themselves! Got those to drill out now too.

Did you manage to do it Ross?

Am struggling with both sides on mine. Tried the hammer and chisel approach and even managed to bend the bolt hole lug/ears on one so thought it waws going to go but didnt. Going to spray well this evenng and have another go at the weekend. Thinking of making a puller as described earlier in the thread using some threaded rod and steel plate, was a bit concerned about stripping the threads but then thought about cutting the ears off and winding a washer and nut up the thread so the force isnt applied to the thread but rather the knuckle. Sadly, I am doing it on axke stands too so a slide hammer isnt going to work as dont have enough height.

[Rosssavage]

Yup, both sides done...but...I had to remove the entire hub carrier/ knuckle / spindle - whatever you want to call it to do it.

Placed the knuckle on two blocks of wood either side of the balljoint, and beat the ball joint out with a 4kg lump hammer and drift from above.

There is absolutely no way I could do it with the knuckle still attached to the car - the force I applied was tremendous and percussive..you’ll never pull it out if they’re as stuck as mine were.

If I had to do it again, I’d just bite the bullet and get the knuckle off and onto a bench straight away, and not mess about with it still attached to the car - I think that saves time in the long run.

Good luck!!