I should learn, my machinemart balljoint separator decided to commit suicide on the last balljoint I have to disassemble. It was one of >> these <<. One of the forks broke off.

The hammer technique didn't want to move it either, so I will need to replace it with something more reliable. Any recommendations? Do the pickle fork style ones work well?

I have one that the bolt pushes on the balljoint thread and the body hooks around the otherside of the upright. Wind on some tension then clout with a big hammer, works every time and has had a lot of use.

Like this:


David

as an old landrover owner, I've done a lot of ball joints in my time, The type above is the one I've used for years.

Never used anything more than a pry bar and 2 meduim hammers, 100% success rate

Never failed with smacking both sides with a hammer at the same time and it's non destructive if you want to use the joint again, or hold a club hammer against one side while you welt the other, 3 hits does it unless you are a bit girly

I also use the hammer method, never fails. balljoint separators are for girls

Ian, I've got one of these somewhere :-




http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=040214998&r=2076&g=111

That you can borrow if you like.

Mike

Those long handled fork types shown by Guinness, in my experience, bugger the rubber boot, as does a pry bar. I've been on the receiving end of a "botched" job using this kind of kit, when I didn't have the time to do the job myself. Of course the garage concerned were proud to have used a "effin long bar to separate the joint" but vehemently denied causing the split to both boots in question. They were replacing both drive shaft gaiters and needed to separate the joint temporarily to do it.

The Flak Monkey type are great if you can get them in position, but the best ones I've seen, are the scissor type that act in the same way, and can get into more confined spaces.



The synchronised hammer solution is good if you get plenty of practice and can stand under the car on a lift, but lying on the floor under the car is more the norm, in which case a "tool" is the only way for me

in the past, ive used a nut to help protect the thread and then just whacked it out with a hammer.

quote:

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Originally posted by Peteff
Never failed with smacking both sides with a hammer at the same time and it's non destructive if you want to use the joint again, or hold a club hammer against one side while you welt the other, 3 hits does it unless you are a bit girly

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Probably easier to demonstrate than to tell how hard to hit . my trusty 1.5lb hammer gets used 99 times out of 100

Yes, I don't own a splitter so the technique comes in handy. Use the 1.5lb ball pein as mentioned and hit it as hard as you can. If you slacken the nut off a few turns and leave it on you can see when it drops. It works if you can only hold a hammer firmly to the other side of it as it's the shock that breaks the taper. It works on track rod ends as well.