Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Lower ball joint STUCK and thread indentations in upper ball joint ear?


  Email This Post



dev20tx
New User

Jul 23, 2019, 2:07 PM

Post #1 of 3 (1207 views)
Lower ball joint STUCK and thread indentations in upper ball joint ear? Sign In

DIY guy, not a professional mechanic.

2008
Jeep Wrangler X
3.8L
111,000 miles

Jeep has never had the ball joints or u joints replaced. I am unequipped with air tools and most things you'd see around a shop. I do have a nice ball joint press from advanced auto, a breaker bar & an electric impact wrench (plug in type) that might as well be thrown in a lake. I had no problems with the driver's side ball joints. They came out easily and went in easily. For some reason the passenger side has more rust and everything has been more difficult to get off.

What I have tried:

Last night I applied PB Blaster and have let it sit. I hit around the ear with a 4lb hammer while it was under compression...nothing. To top it off the threads at the top of the the ball joint press (going through upper ball joint space) created thread indentations from the press in the inside of the ear. I couldn't get the press to press in completely straight so the threads kept rubbing.

Can the ear where the threads hit be filed down to smooth again or did I really mess it up (I don't want a loose ball joint)?

Have any tips for removing this lower ball joint?

threads issue:



Lower ball joint:




(This post was edited by dev20tx on Jul 23, 2019, 2:16 PM)


Sidom
Veteran / Moderator
Sidom profile image

Jul 23, 2019, 3:37 PM

Post #2 of 3 (1170 views)
Re: Lower ball joint STUCK and thread indentations in upper ball joint ear? Sign In

Some ball joints come out harder than other ones. I have a long breaker bar and 5' piece of pipe I use on really tight ones (a cheap press won't hold up to that), if that still doesn't do it, then the knuckle needs to be removed and the BJ removed with a hydraulic press.

As far as scoring the knuckle where the upper BJ goes, don't even worry about that, just press the new BJ, those marks won't affect anything.... If anything, it will just help hold the BJ in place...


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 23, 2019, 4:57 PM

Post #3 of 3 (1155 views)
Re: Lower ball joint STUCK and thread indentations in upper ball joint ear? Sign In

I don't know what you have available for tools but if you have access to an acetylene torch set you can use the press to apply plenty of pressure and then heat the front edge of the knuckle. Just don't overdue it. Just enough to release it. You don't want to stretch that hole out so much the new joint will be too loose.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap