Steering Knuckle to ball Joint

[Andrew Morris]

What,s the best tool to remove the Steering Knuckle Hub assembly from the lower ball joint. Came off easily on the top joint but the bottom one wont shift. Its not seized or rusted just the tapers are a good fit.

[1972nail]

There are various tools, from a tapered wedge type chisel thing to a ball joint screw down clamp thing. But I've always successfully used the method that my late father-in-law taught me as a 16 year old lad.

Assemble the top joint loosely and loosen the bottom joint nut a so that the nut is about half off the threads. Place a jack under the hub and lift it slightly to put upward pressure on the taper. Swivel the hub assembly round on the steering to gain access to the joint and smack the suspension upright adjacent to the joint at an angle of about 120 degrees to the line of the suspension arm with a decent sized hammer.

A couple of reasonable smacks usually releases it sometimes it takes one big thump. The angle is important as is the upward pressure. The partially removed nut keeps everything from springing apart uncontrollably.

Once released, move the jack and place it under the suspension arm to raise it a bit and allow the weight of the car to compress the spring slightly. You can then remove the nuts completely and remove the hub assembly. If you have removed the shock prior to this you can slowly drop the suspension arm down completely and remove the spring as well.

[Andrew Morris]

There are various tools, from a tapered wedge type chisel thing to a ball joint screw down clamp thing. But I've always successfully used the method that my late father-in-law taught me as a 16 year old lad.

Assemble the top joint loosely and loosen the bottom joint nut a so that the nut is about half off the threads. Place a jack under the hub and lift it slightly to put upward pressure on the taper. Swivel the hub assembly round on the steering to gain access to the joint and smack the suspension upright adjacent to the joint at an angle of about 120 degrees to the line of the suspension arm with a decent sized hammer.

A couple of reasonable smacks usually releases it sometimes it takes one big thump. The angle is important as is the upward pressure. The partially removed nut keeps everything from springing apart uncontrollably.

Once released, move the jack and place it under the suspension arm to raise it a bit and allow the weight of the car to compress the spring slightly. You can then remove the nuts completely and remove the hub assembly. If you have removed the shock prior to this you can slowly drop the suspension arm down completely and remove the spring as well.

Thanks ,will give that a try,

[Andrew Morris]

There are various tools, from a tapered wedge type chisel thing to a ball joint screw down clamp thing. But I've always successfully used the method that my late father-in-law taught me as a 16 year old lad.

Assemble the top joint loosely and loosen the bottom joint nut a so that the nut is about half off the threads. Place a jack under the hub and lift it slightly to put upward pressure on the taper. Swivel the hub assembly round on the steering to gain access to the joint and smack the suspension upright adjacent to the joint at an angle of about 120 degrees to the line of the suspension arm with a decent sized hammer.

A couple of reasonable smacks usually releases it sometimes it takes one big thump. The angle is important as is the upward pressure. The partially removed nut keeps everything from springing apart uncontrollably.

Once released, move the jack and place it under the suspension arm to raise it a bit and allow the weight of the car to compress the spring slightly. You can then remove the nuts completely and remove the hub assembly. If you have removed the shock prior to this you can slowly drop the suspension arm down completely and remove the spring as well.

Thanks for that and confirm it worked Now have to fit the new joint with limited space to put in. Splines look a bit tight, is it a bash or a ball joint press?

[1972nail]

I'm glad it worked for you, my late father in law would have been happy that his technique was still being used effectively.

Clean the splines very carefully and very well then coat them is some copper grease. Select a socket or length of pipe big enough to support the ball joint on it's outer edge to act as a drift. Support the ball joint and the drift on something very solid and tap the suspension arm down onto it squarely. Make sure it's fully inserted and then fit the spacer and circlip.

You may find that the splines on the arm are rusted away and when the joint is fitted it is slack and rattly. You have 4 choices, find a better lower arm, machine out the old splines and get a new insert welded, tack weld the new joint in place or, as I have done in the past, fit the joint with a very slim copper foil packer. Don't try to use aluminium as it will corrode away very quickly and electrolytic action will rust the arm out even more.