Steering Knuckle Ball Joint Removal

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I’d of took the staked nut off and leave the driveshaft on the car, but unless you have a rattle gun you’ll struggle to remove the nut now as the shaft will turn.
 
Stevehh said:
I am at the point where the four bolts connecting the hub to the steering knuckle are removed, the ABS cable disconnected and free, calliper and back plate off.
Rave talks about removing the drive shaft nut, which looks a bitch as the nut is peened over into a recess. Can this be left on and the hub and drive shaft pulled as a complete unit? If so looking at the Oz You tube video "Replace Ball Joints" he removes something from the top of the hub before pulling it off. Is this the ABS sensor bolt? Rave says do not do this.
So am It the point where with the 4 main bolts off and the hub nut still on is it just a matter of breaking the rusty seal and pulling it out as a unit?
Are there any tricks to getting the hub off at this stage?
Click to expand...
nut been staked is no issue, stake will straighten it self as nuts undone,its best removed
 
Stevehh said:
I am at the point where the four bolts connecting the hub to the steering knuckle are removed, the ABS cable disconnected and free, calliper and back plate off.
Rave talks about removing the drive shaft nut, which looks a bitch as the nut is peened over into a recess. Can this be left on and the hub and drive shaft pulled as a complete unit? If so looking at the Oz You tube video "Replace Ball Joints" he removes something from the top of the hub before pulling it off. Is this the ABS sensor bolt? Rave says do not do this.
So am It the point where with the 4 main bolts off and the hub nut still on is it just a matter of breaking the rusty seal and pulling it out as a unit?
Are there any tricks to getting the hub off at this stage?
Click to expand...
Pulled mine as a unit.
 
No need to remove the hub, it comes out as one unit giving more room to take the steering knucle off. Makes changing the oil seal easier too. May as well do this as it's off.
I used a slide hammer to remove my drive shaft as it was well fixed :)
Where abouts are you?
Griff
 
Landmark2 said:
No need to remove the hub, it comes out as one unit giving more room to take the steering knucle off. Makes changing the oil seal easier too. May as well do this as it's off.
I used a slide hammer to remove my drive shaft as it was well fixed :)
Where abouts are you?
Griff
Click to expand...
I'm in Malmesbury Wilts. Yep, you are right the hub is well rusted on and impossible to move. Cant undo the hub nut either. It is normal anticlockwise and not a left hand thread?
 
Stevehh said:
I'm in Malmesbury Wilts. Yep, you are right the hub is well rusted on and impossible to move. Cant undo the hub nut either. It is normal anticlockwise and not a left hand thread?
Click to expand...
Landmark2 said:
No need to remove the hub, it comes out as one unit giving more room to take the steering knucle off. Makes changing the oil seal easier too. May as well do this as it's off.
I used a slide hammer to remove my drive shaft as it was well fixed :)
Where abouts are you?
Griff
Click to expand...
I am pleased to report progress. The hub parted company with the steering knuckle with the judicious use of a reasonably sharp cold chisel. Both ball joint nuts have been removed and the top ball joint freed with the use of a large clump hammer. The bottom ball joint is so far resisting all attempt to break the taper with same hammer. Odd but there seems to be another nut under the steering knuckle at this point??? I think this is the "tension collet", does it have to be removed before the bottom ball joint taper will break and the steering knuckle removed?
 
Stevehh said:
I am pleased to report progress. The hub parted company with the steering knuckle with the judicious use of a reasonably sharp cold chisel. Both ball joint nuts have been removed and the top ball joint freed with the use of a large clump hammer. The bottom ball joint is so far resisting all attempt to break the taper with same hammer. Odd but there seems to be another nut under the steering knuckle at this point??? I think this is the "tension collet", does it have to be removed before the bottom ball joint taper will break and the steering knuckle removed?
Click to expand...
No leave other nut alone
 
johnlad said:
No leave other nut alone
Click to expand...
Well this is well stuck. I have heated the knuckle and belted the living daylights out of the ball joint, but the taper joint won't break. Maybe I will have to cut it off and remove the knuckle to the vice to belt it out. However I am worried about having enough of the remaining ball joint to attempt its removal from the axle joint when the ball joint remover is delivered
 
Stevehh said:
Well this is well stuck. I have heated the knuckle and belted the living daylights out of the ball joint, but the taper joint won't break. Maybe I will have to cut it off and remove the knuckle to the vice to belt it out. However I am worried about having enough of the remaining ball joint to attempt its removal from the axle joint when the ball joint remover is delivered
Click to expand...
OK well you cannot cut the lower ball joint off, the steering knuckle is shaped such as you cannot get a blade or disc cutter all the way through. So that's that idea stuffed. So looks like I will have to invest in the proper puller (more expense). Any recommendations for a puller that stands a chance of doing the job please?
 
Thanks the Mad Hat Man, yep I have a
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pc-Bal...m=263826408602&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851 waiting in the wings to push the damn ball joints out of the axle casting.

What I cannot get off is the steering knuckle, the lower ball joint is still resisting all attempts to break the taper. I have tried the two hammer technique, and heat. I may have to revert to the Chinese copy of the right tool: LRT-54-027 and am looking at this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pc-Bal...m=263826408602&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
Comments greatly appreciated
 
Stevehh said:
Thanks the Mad Hat Man, yep I have a
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pc-Bal...m=263826408602&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851 waiting in the wings to push the damn ball joints out of the axle casting.

What I cannot get off is the steering knuckle, the lower ball joint is still resisting all attempts to break the taper. I have tried the two hammer technique, and heat. I may have to revert to the Chinese copy of the right tool: LRT-54-027 and am looking at this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pc-Bal...m=263826408602&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
Comments greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
one big hammer and some serious hits will break the taper,it has to be big enough to stretch the taper hole fractionally
 
Stevehh said:
Thanks the Mad Hat Man, yep I have a
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pc-Bal...m=263826408602&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851 waiting in the wings to push the damn ball joints out of the axle casting.

What I cannot get off is the steering knuckle, the lower ball joint is still resisting all attempts to break the taper. I have tried the two hammer technique, and heat. I may have to revert to the Chinese copy of the right tool: LRT-54-027 and am looking at this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pc-Bal...m=263826408602&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
Comments greatly appreciated
Click to expand...

This might be the complete address for the Puller kit:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6pc-Fron...m=132708519501&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
 
jamesmartin said:
one big hammer and some serious hits will break the taper,it has to be big enough to stretch the taper hole fractionally
Click to expand...
I have 4lb clump hammer, it is seriously marking the steering knuckle. The top one popped easily, but the bottom one is resisting all attempts. I think a splitter with pressure on then further banging is called for. :eek:)
 
Stevehh said:
I have 4lb clump hammer, it is seriously marking the steering knuckle. The top one popped easily, but the bottom one is resisting all attempts. I think a splitter with pressure on then further banging is called for. :eek:)
Click to expand...
ive done a lot and most are difficult but not had one fail yet,you are hitting as near the taper and toward the taper as possible and not downwards
 
Yes, I have been hitting the steering knuckle right at the ball joint taper. The knuckle has to move downwards off the ball joint tapers once they are freed, so hitting the knuckle arm downwards as well is correct?
 
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