HELP! (upper control arm swap)

[Alarus]

well i got my right hand upper control arm off the car, now i just need to get it off the spindle....right now im concidering about getting a block of c-4 and blowing it apart...for the life of me i cant get it off the spindle...dose any one know any tricks that will get it off???
I dont know if the threads are just stuck or what but its pissing me off....ive been at it for like an hour....please help and thx

 

[Jester67]

It would have been easer if you would have separated them before removing them form the car. What you have to do is loosen the crown nut but don’t remove it completely. Clamp the UCA to a bench or something so the spindle is hanging from the ball joint. Place a large hammer on one side of the spindle where the ball joint goes through and hit the other side with another big hammer. http://www.mustangsplus.com/tech/shockandfall/shockfall1.htm

 

[krash kendall]

You generally remove the spindle before the control arms by hitting around the ball joint with a mallet untill they fall loose. I've had it take near an hour to break them free before. With it off the car you may need some heat and a really BFH to drive the ball joint stud out.

 

[krash kendall]

Hey Jester I was just going to look for that picture!

 

[Alarus]

STUPID! ok now ill have to try this agin (at least i know now for the other side)

 

[yeloxr7]

If you're replacing the ball joint, a pickle fork (ball joint separator) and a BFH will do the job.

 

[darkness falls]

You generally remove the spindle before the control arms by hitting around the ball joint with a mallet untill they fall loose. I've had it take near an hour to break them free before. With it off the car you may need some heat and a really BFH to drive the ball joint stud out.

screw that, it took me 5 minutes, I just unscrewed the nut, and hit the ball-joint directly with a hammer. A couple wacks later it became free. I tried hiting wit with a mallet, but it was a no go.

However, I didn't have plans on reusing the ball joints, but they look fine and there isn't anything wrong with them. If your going to spend the money on a pickle fork which can mess up stuff too, why not just buy new ball joints and hit them out with a real hammer. Just unscrew and hit the dam thing directly til it goes threw

 

[krash kendall]

Uh, not all mallets are made of rubber or wood. I'm talking 5 lb steel mallet. And yes I wes reusing the ball joints, I was changing the coils that time. A pickle fork just bends the crap out of the pressed steel lip on the UCA so I don't find them effective on ball joints.

 

[limey66]

Just use a ball joint separator - it's like the pickle fork, but it has a lever and bolt...The pickle fork goes in the usual place between the parts to be separated, and, with the ball joint nut backed off, the lever part of the separator presses onto the ball joint nut (protecting the thread). As you tighten the bolt, it just presses the ball joint right out, easy as pie.

http://www.dingocroft.co.uk/Tools and Equipment/FRA033.htm

You must be able to get them on your side of The Pond...?

 

[cardude]

I just did this (in car though) and the BFH works great.

 

[jst6]

well mine were really stuck. since i was replacing the ball joint anyway i used a pickle fork and an air hammer. i tried the bfh tool, after 3DAYS of pounding i borrowed the neccessary air hammer and air compressor. took 5 seconds each joint!

 

[Edbert]

My opinion...If you ever replace an arm, do the ball joint while you are there. The job is big enough to not want to do it all over again later.