Stuck upper control arm bolt

[FieryBronco]

How do you Get the upper control arm bolt out? It won’t budge. I have hammered at the bottom many times. At a loss now.

Sponsored

 

[Felix808]

That would be a broken ball joint my friend.
Use PB Blaster and a hand sledge if you don't have an air hammer

edit: A "C" clamp style ball joint press should work as well.

 

[RallyGorgo]

WOW!!! That’s NOT good!!! If I had that issue I’d be be considering pulling the knuckle off and using a balljoint tool to put some pressure on it while beating on the knuckle with a 5-lb hammer. The balljoint tool looks like this:

If you can put the tool on and still have room to swing thd hammer you may not need to pull the knuckle. Be careful that you don’t swing the knuckle out too far as you can pull the cv-joints apart unintentionally, then you’ll have more work ahead of you.

 

[Felix808]

WOW!!! That’s NOT good!!! If I had that issue I’d be be considering pulling the knuckle off and using a balljoint tool to put some pressure on it while beating on the knuckle with a 5-lb hammer. The balljoint tool looks like this:

If you can put the tool on and still have room to swing thd hammer you may not need to pull the knuckle. Be careful that you don’t swing the knuckle out too far as you can pull the cv-joints apart unintentionally, then you’ll have more work ahead of you.

I don't think that tool is going to be of much help as the head of the ball joint went bluetooth
you need a "c" clamp style with the cup

 

[RallyGorgo]

Either tool will work as long as you know how to use them.

 

[Felix808]

Either tool will work as long as you know how to use them.

I see it now

 

[FieryBronco]

Ordered the C-Clamp with the cup. I tried stacking an impact socket over the the top with a nut on the bolt on the bottom with a regular clamp, got sketchy pretty quick.

 

[Fordified1]

You’re supposed to smack the side of the knuckle to get it to release from the taper.

 

[Felix808]

You’re supposed to smack the side of the knuckle to get it to release from the taper.

Yeah but if there is no pressure from the upper control arm pulling up on it, it makes it a whole lot harder for that technique to work

 

[Fordified1]

Yeah but if there is no pressure from the upper control arm pulling up on it, it makes it a whole lot harder for that technique to work

Yes I meant while using one of the separation tools. Or if there was someway to smack the side and from the bottom at the same time, which would be really hard to do.

 

[Felix808]

In a rust free state, you can usually just smack the knuckle when the ball joint is in tact & they will release without having to use a puller. I can't speak to our salted road friends

 

[Snacktime]

Time to up size the hammer. I say a 5lber is about right.

 

[FieryBronco]

I don't think that tool is going to be of much help as the head of the ball joint went bluetooth
you need a "c" clamp style with the cup

This tool worked! I had to use my foot against a wrench to really turn it.

 

[Felix808]

This tool worked! I had to use my foot against a wrench to really turn it.

Glad you got it done

 

[je1279]

Did the ball break off during a suspension install? If so, what happened?

Sponsored