lbj help!!!!

[thrice4life44]

ok kinda new to this how n the hell do you get the lower ball joint detached from the spindle?? i have a mallet and the bitch wont break free......any ideass???

[Ilikemice]

From the spindle? You want a ball joint puller thing. It's like a clamp thing that pushes the ball joint out of the spindle. I'm sure you can find one at a tool rental place. I tried smacking it out with a big hammer but it wouldn't budge. That tool only took an easy 1/4 turn with s spanner and it fell out.

[purplepassion]

mine popped out of the spindle with a couple good whacks with a 3ld sledge. but i had the stock springs in, so they were putting pressure on it by pushing the lca down. to get them out of the lca, i had to use the bj tool

[terryl]

Big hammer and hit that sweet spot. Works every time.

Taken from AVTekk's how-to:

Get a large hammer and smack the crap out of the spindle right next to each ball joint. The shock of the hit will break them loose. I use at least a 3lb hammer and have no trouble with this method at all. It also saves your ball joint boots, because the 'proper' tool, a pickle fork, loves to tear into them. The nut on the ball joint will also keep the control arms from flying apart and smacking you in the face.
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[shftat6]

I beat on one of my spindles for what seemed like forever before it popped free. Just keep at it.

[gadget73]

Use a ball joint press, it will come right out without risking damage to the control arm or yourself. You need one of these to install the ball joint anyway, so you might as well make full use of the tool.

[MikeInCtown]

For taking it out of the LCA he will need the press. For popping it loose from the spindle, you don't use the press.

If you are going to replace the LBJ, use a $6 BJ seperator and beat it in from the side. if you need to re-use, then get the tool referenced further up so you don't tear the boot.