GOR1LA

iTrader: (1)

This weekend i was home moving my parents ****, since they sold the house. Thought i'd tackle the springs and shocks. I found the how to on LS1. SOOO i figured i would start with the hardest one first, front passenger. Start tearing into her and broke the sway arm bolt. ( When i had it aligned the guy broke it and said nothing, so when i tore into it i broke it clean off again) So a quick stop at autozone and i was back at it. Started on the upper ball joint and i can't remove it from the spindle arm, its stuck in there!! How do i remove?? The how to, said to use a pickle fork?? which i have no idea on what that is, so I tried to pry it a bit but she is welded in there good from 10 years of driving. Other then this minor problem which i have no idea on how to fix it. everything is ready to come out. Hopefully someone has had this problem and can tell me what to do, to get this off?

Any thoughts would be a big help
Thanks guys

bigj2717

iTrader: (15)

Ball joints and the tie rods will not just pop out they are tapered to be pulled into the spindles. I left the nut on the end of the ball joint and gave it a couple of taps with a bfh and they came right out. Sometimes if they are really stuck you can heat up the spindle to help

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Go to Auto Zone and tell the dude you need a pickle fork. I'm pretty sure you can rent them through their tool program.

GOR1LA

iTrader: (1)

thank you kind sirs. Ill be renting a pickle tool this weekend and finish the job.

Wesmanw02

iTrader: (4)

Do not use a pickle fork unless you are replacing the ball joints. The pickle fork will most likely destroy the ball joint grease boot, which in turn will end up ruining the ball joint.

They sell a separate set just for separating ball joints and tie rod ends. Its should look like this:

dave70

iTrader: (2)

where the end goes through the spindle take a small hammer and whack the crap out of it a couple of times it will pop right out.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Good point...get this tool if they have it available. I tore a couple of rubber boots on the ball joints, but I was replacing them at the time, so I didn't really care.

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

>>where end goes through the spindle, whack the spindle,<<
x 2, easy to get apart
Johnny

neutron82

iTrader: (26)

don't hit the bottom of the balljoint where it goes through the spindle or you will mushroom the head of the stud then you won't be able to get the nut back on... and as said above, don't use a pickle fork to avoid tearing up the dust boots on the balljoints... if you are replacing the balljoints then it won't matter, but honestly the easiest way to get it loose is to whack it with a bfh a few good times right on the spindle and it will pop out everytime... a little pb blaster might help and make sure to put a jack or something under the brake rotor to support it when the balljoint comes loose or the spindle will hang by the brake line

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

pickle fork......you need new ball joints anyway