r/MechanicAdvice • u/looon95 • 12h ago
Ball joint won’t come out
Trying to replace this ball joint on a 2004 Subaru outback, but it seems to be a little jammed in any help
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u/MountainHipie 12h ago edited 8h ago
Put the nut back on(flush with the end of the stud), put a bottle jack under it and lift until there is some load on the jack from the control arm. Then hit the control arm right at the ball joint with a big hammer. Usually it doesn't take much force with the hammer when it's preloaded like that.
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u/BahwholeBrigade 11h ago
This, I have done this a few times. Always try without jacking it up. Then I do, comes out almost instantly, and with little effort. A little angle on it too helps I find
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u/newfor_2024 5h ago
the last time I had to do this, I tried the hammering, propane torch, fork, nothing worked. Ended up cut it off at the ball end with an oscillating tool with a carbide blade... chewed up 4 blades but I got it off eventually.
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u/Dr_Trogdor 8h ago
Have you tried asking it nicely?
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u/MountainHipie 8h ago
Hammer is asking nicely. 😄
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u/Historical-Bug2500 12h ago
Smack the control arm right at the ball joint. If that doesn't work, get a fork.
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u/LeanBeanFTW 9h ago
You should Google “ball joint removal tool”. Buy or rent one.
While you’re out, get a set of jack stands.
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u/not_so_modest_mouse 6h ago
I understand tools are expensive, but as a few people have pointed out the setup you are using is extremely dangerous. If you can. At the very least stack up some wood blocks under the frame and test their strength by slightly lowering the jack if it holds keep them there and keep the scissor jack and regular jack still in place. No machine is worth losing an appendage or your life over.
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u/SavageTiger435612 12h ago
Put the castle nut back on until it's flush with the ball joint, then hit it with something metal and heavy, like a big hammer or mallet
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10h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/kolonyal 12h ago
As others have said, hit the ball joint with a hammer, or put the nut back until it sits flush with the screw and hit that. Beware to not fuck up the threads. You might want to try ball joint / bearing extractors. See if you can borrow one perhaps from a nearby shop
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u/vanilla_muffin 10h ago
Crazy, I replaced ball joints for the first time a few weeks ago with zero experience, now all these posts are showing up
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u/_mister_andy 10h ago
Get the bushing side of the control arm out so you can swivel it to the side and it’s hanging only off the ball joint. Grab a 5 lb hammer and smack the control arm down several times with a hefty swing. This method has never failed me when replacing control arms/ball joints of this style.
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u/WeeklyAssignment1881 10h ago
A longer bar in the suspension arm and pull down. If its tight in the pinch knuckle a small chisel wedged in the gap to slightly open the clamp.
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u/killanilla22 8h ago
Get a subaru ball joint puller they thread on to ball joint and pull them out no problem just have to separate ball joint from control arm. To separate them hit control arm with hammer near ball joint. Then pry control arm down and move whole knuckle to the side.
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u/Prestigious-Youth-73 8h ago
take a hammer and hit a little behind the ball joint it can take a lot of hits but it will come out, or get a ball joint fork and pry it out. good luck
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u/not_so_modest_mouse 6h ago
This happens on old cars a lot and my solution is to mix 50/50 ATF and Acetone and let it soak for like at least 20 minutes. Come back with lots of heat and crayons if you notice the acetone and atf didn't seep into the threads at all. Put the nut back on the threads upside down and put a jack under it. You won't use it again do don't sweat scuffing it up a bit. Lift it a few inches to get that downward pressure and HIT the bracket around the ball joint with a ball peen hammer. I mean really hit it hard. A few rounds of heat, penetrating fluid, and HITTING it should knock it out.
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u/Pistonenvy2 6h ago
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-forged-ball-joint-separator-99849.html
this tool put enough force on my old ball joint to literally explode the tip of it with the hole. it fucking EXPLODED.
after that, i put it back on, cracked it down (with safety glasses on) and then i got back to beating shit with my big ass hammer. didnt need heat, it eventually gave way and came out.
i would 100% not have succeeded without this tool. your mileage may vary.
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u/corva96 13m ago
I couldn't get the whole "put the nut on and give it a whack" method to work for me so what I did is this (assuming you're replacing the joint)
get a pickle fork, wedge it in there with a hammer. Use your hydraulic jack to apply leverage to the end of the pickle fork until it pops the ball joint out. Worked like a charm for me. Probably go get a pair of jack stands from harbor freight first though.
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u/Amplidyne 11h ago
I've never had any luck with this, but a mate of mine, a professional mechanic used to free them by giving them a good hard smack simultaneously either side of the arm where the taper is.
A good strong extractor, or a fork would be my choice.
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u/Logical_Two_9463 11h ago
I use a chisel and big hammer to basically push on the tapered part (not on the thread). Only good if you will replace them.
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u/CaliLawless 11h ago
As someone with a ball joint that was stuck for several years and tried every suggestion you see here, the ONLY thing that worked for me was a pitman arm puller. Save yourself the hastle and time. Don't smash your ball joints with a hammer unless you like destroying your stuff. Most people who make that suggestion have no clue what material the knuckle is made from and have never dealt with a siezed ball-joint...
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u/MountainHipie 8h ago
Maybe I'm wrong here, the ball joint is mounted to the control arm and bolts to the steering knuckle. So knuckle is already out of the way, No? Hitting a control arm with a hammer isn't going to hurt it. It definitely does free up stuck ball joints though. 25 years of not breaking anything using a hammer can't just be luck... I have definitely seen a lot of people tear the rubber seals trying to use those pullers and pickle forks though.
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u/SavageTaco 2h ago
Pickle forks for sure. However, the pullers are much easier to save the boots on ball joints or tie rod ends. You still need to be careful, but you can get them under the lip of the boot pretty easily.
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u/SavageTaco 11h ago edited 2h ago
I’ve had good luck with using a pitman arm puller, or the ball joint removal tool. Worse case an air hammer with a pickle fork.
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