Ball Joints...... Some Helping Advice Please - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

RaDiAn · 02-15-2004, 07:06 PM

93 Chevy Blazer 4x4 4.3V6 Vortec

Sorry this is so long.......I wanted to fully explain the details

I've only had this thing about a year, It started out with a simple brake job last weekend. 45-60mins tops OK right. As I'm taking out the caliper bolts they had been really tight kinda odd, I sprayed them with pen oil before I started . I finally got the first one out and it had this funny spring on it...O no Helicoil all but one on both front brake calipers.... DAM. My options, I talked to a couple of people....some said find some donor parts, another said take steering knuckles off and have it machined, have a plug inserted and retapped. I researched oversized bolts one place (autozone) had them in the computer but couldn't order them for some stupid reason or another. I could use the over sized ones due to the helicoil ID is larger than the Oversized bolt. Now what....

I will have to take off the steering knuckle, and considering the ball joints are bad (well almost) I would like to replace them all while I'm putting the effort into ripping everything apart.

I had a hard time just getting the lower one to release, and the top forget it. I've used a air pickle fork, manual and both, I've heated the ball joint and tried. Someone told me with the bottom on off I should be able to get the CV out of the way and get the top to get the steering knuckle off.

I 've had the jack in pushing up on the bottom A to help move it in different places so I could try remove the bottom ball joint, as it had been replaced before so it had bolts inplace instead of factory hardware. I havn't had a lot of time to work on it, maybe a couple of hours, as I'm very busy and I have another car to drive for now. I'm just having a hard time getting these ball joints out and the steering knuckle off..........Thank You!

Peryn · 02-16-2004, 10:12 PM

I dont know your specific car, so im speaking in generics here.

You know where the balljoint attaches into the knuckle? Well the knuckle is one solid peice, at the joint too. Get a BFH. Big Freakin Hammer. Smack the knuckle with it. Not the balljoint, dont try and compress the two together with the hammer. Just hit the solid part of the knuckle with the hammer on the side of it. A few good smacks and it should be able to come out.

Might wanna check with someone else first, as its been a while since i learned/did this stuff. Cant remember if you suposed to let the suspension hang or not for the upper joints. Im pretty sure (since its got torsion bars i think) you can just jack the car up, put a jack under the lower arm (just above the full hanging position, for safety - just in case), and smack away. Dont think you hafta do anything special to take the load off those joints.

For the lower joints, im pretty sure you hafta compress the suspension (by sticking a screw jack, or floor jack if ya hafta, under the A arm). Once its compressed, then ya can smack the hell outta the knuckle.

Again, im not positive, so try and double check it if ya can before i get ya killed

RaDiAn · 02-18-2004, 06:11 PM

I was suprised to see only one reply......Owell Thanks for the reply Peryn. I was able to get them off. The second one was much easier. I was able to leave the supspension hang. I used a ball joint tool with made it much easier to disconect it from the knuckle. I went for the bottom first and then the top. I remove all the nuts on ball joints and removed tie rod from the knuckle. Little help from the jack the new tool ,and a air hammer pickle fork, and it "flew off"

I was also not happy with the Hyanes manual it was very generic with the details.

Thanks again........ I will be putting back together this weekend!

WarWagon · 02-18-2004, 07:11 PM

Just saw this post, the ball joints on my wagon were stubborn as hell too, but I managed to get them off with the pickle fork. Pitman arm was the same way. Sorry you had such a rough time!

RaDiAn · 02-19-2004, 05:35 PM

Steering knuckles are at the machine shop....... I have access at work and some good machinists. The thread 7/16 -20 is long gone with the heilcoil being in there. They talked of possibly drilling it out to about 5/8" and inserting an insert with 7/16-20 threads. I consider myself a "Shade Tree Machinist" LOL, and it sounds like a good idea to me. I just hope I have enough meat on the knuckle for the 5/8" hole + insert........... will see!

02-15-2004, 07:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
RaDiAn Addict	Ball Joints...... Some Helping Advice Please 93 Chevy Blazer 4x4 4.3V6 Vortec Sorry this is so long.......I wanted to fully explain the details I've only had this thing about a year, It started out with a simple brake job last weekend. 45-60mins tops OK right. As I'm taking out the caliper bolts they had been really tight kinda odd, I sprayed them with pen oil before I started . I finally got the first one out and it had this funny spring on it...O no Helicoil all but one on both front brake calipers.... DAM. My options, I talked to a couple of people....some said find some donor parts, another said take steering knuckles off and have it machined, have a plug inserted and retapped. I researched oversized bolts one place (autozone) had them in the computer but couldn't order them for some stupid reason or another. I could use the over sized ones due to the helicoil ID is larger than the Oversized bolt. Now what.... I will have to take off the steering knuckle, and considering the ball joints are bad (well almost) I would like to replace them all while I'm putting the effort into ripping everything apart. I had a hard time just getting the lower one to release, and the top forget it. I've used a air pickle fork, manual and both, I've heated the ball joint and tried. Someone told me with the bottom on off I should be able to get the CV out of the way and get the top to get the steering knuckle off. I 've had the jack in pushing up on the bottom A to help move it in different places so I could try remove the bottom ball joint, as it had been replaced before so it had bolts inplace instead of factory hardware. I havn't had a lot of time to work on it, maybe a couple of hours, as I'm very busy and I have another car to drive for now. I'm just having a hard time getting these ball joints out and the steering knuckle off..........Thank You!

02-16-2004, 10:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
Peryn Junkie Location: San Diego, CA.	I dont know your specific car, so im speaking in generics here. You know where the balljoint attaches into the knuckle? Well the knuckle is one solid peice, at the joint too. Get a BFH. Big Freakin Hammer. Smack the knuckle with it. Not the balljoint, dont try and compress the two together with the hammer. Just hit the solid part of the knuckle with the hammer on the side of it. A few good smacks and it should be able to come out. Might wanna check with someone else first, as its been a while since i learned/did this stuff. Cant remember if you suposed to let the suspension hang or not for the upper joints. Im pretty sure (since its got torsion bars i think) you can just jack the car up, put a jack under the lower arm (just above the full hanging position, for safety - just in case), and smack away. Dont think you hafta do anything special to take the load off those joints. For the lower joints, im pretty sure you hafta compress the suspension (by sticking a screw jack, or floor jack if ya hafta, under the A arm). Once its compressed, then ya can smack the hell outta the knuckle. Again, im not positive, so try and double check it if ya can before i get ya killed __________________ Dont cry kid, It's not your fault you suck.

02-18-2004, 06:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
RaDiAn Addict	I was suprised to see only one reply......Owell Thanks for the reply Peryn. I was able to get them off. The second one was much easier. I was able to leave the supspension hang. I used a ball joint tool with made it much easier to disconect it from the knuckle. I went for the bottom first and then the top. I remove all the nuts on ball joints and removed tie rod from the knuckle. Little help from the jack the new tool ,and a air hammer pickle fork, and it "flew off" I was also not happy with the Hyanes manual it was very generic with the details. Thanks again........ I will be putting back together this weekend!

02-18-2004, 07:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	Just saw this post, the ball joints on my wagon were stubborn as hell too, but I managed to get them off with the pickle fork. Pitman arm was the same way. Sorry you had such a rough time!

02-19-2004, 05:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
RaDiAn Addict	Steering knuckles are at the machine shop....... I have access at work and some good machinists. The thread 7/16 -20 is long gone with the heilcoil being in there. They talked of possibly drilling it out to about 5/8" and inserting an insert with 7/16-20 threads. I consider myself a "Shade Tree Machinist" LOL, and it sounds like a good idea to me. I just hope I have enough meat on the knuckle for the 5/8" hole + insert........... will see!