Cannot get the wedge pin out during ball joint replacement

[Emission]

I have read nearly every thread on this site dealing with ball joint replacement (well, maybe not all of them) in preparation for this task. There was some great advice!

I cleaned everything. Then I soaked everything in Liquid Wrench overnight. As suggested, I hit the castle nuts with a high-powered 1/2" air tool (and a large socket that I found at AutoZone that is 90% the Porsche part at 35% the cost) and they both spun off within seconds without any damage. I thought it was all downhill.

Tonight, I removed the wedge pin nut and washer, and then I hit a wall. I cannot get the wedge pin out (it has been there 22 years, I am sure). I hit it with a hammer. I hit it with a sledge (and a punch, of course). Nothing. Nada.

I have brand-new wedge pins, washers, and nuts, so I don't care what type of damage I do to the old parts. I just want them out.

How hard can I hit them? Will it damage my tie rods (they are new, so I am paranoid)?

As always, thanks in advance.

- Mike

[KFC911]

I know some folks like the BFH approach, but at some point, I'm leery about freeing up 20 year old stuff this way. BTDT a few years ago with them stinkin' pins . Are you at a point where your struts are easily removed? If so, you could "press" the pins out with a bench vise, etc. (keep a nut on the threaded end for protection against bending, no matter which approach you use). I think I used a "rig" I fashioned using a C-clamp to "press" mine out instead of whacking away. One other caution...my car was on jackstands, and the pins weren't budging despite the penetrating oil, BFH, etc. The amount of force required to "whack" them out was beyond my comfort level, so I took a more elegant approach imo... and it worked .

[70SWT]

BTDT and I concur with the above - rigging up some method of pressing it out is better than potentially mangling it and/or nearby item$ with excessive BFH efforts...I think I used a makeshift rig using a gear puller...may require some garage engineering. I bet someone here has an elegant approach.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by RSflared72E

...I think I used a makeshift rig using a gear puller...may require some garage engineering. I bet someone here has an elegant approach.

Thinking back...I seem to recall the C-clamp didn't work, and I ended up rigging something up with a gear puller also. Might not have been that elegant, but effective "redneck engineering" seldom is

[kucharskimb]

i might have suggested removing the pin while the lower control arm was still connected. right now you have things swinging all over the place. why not put the control arm and castle nut back on past hand tight (no need to completely torque down), then try driving it out again. if the threads will accept the nut (not likely now), put it back on, too.

with the c-clamp idea, you could put a socket on the large end of the pin to give the pin relief as it is exiting. otherwise, i would just go back to your hammer.

you can shoot some more pb blaster in there, too, from the stud side.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by kucharskimb

...with the c-clamp idea, you could put a socket on the large end of the pin to give the pin relief as it is exiting...

Yep, with either the c-clamp, or gear puller technique, you'd use a socket on the large end for clearance as it exits.

[Emission]

You guys are good.

I tried the C-Clamp last night with a socket on the large end (great minds think alike!). Funny we had the identical thoughts. Needless to say, my C-Clamp is too wimpy and it slid off. I may buy a jumbo C-Clamp today and try again.

Good point about the car being on jacks... and smashing with a sledge in direction to knock it off. I will put a few more jack stands under it and block the wheels. I'd look stupid knocking my own car off the stands.

Let me get back to cussing and swearing (oh, I mean working on the car) and report later...

[morrisjm1]

Mike,

I got mine out with copious amounts of Aerokroil; big brass drift and my 3# jeweler's hammer; socket and stoutest C-clap I could find; and very careful application of heat (propane). On the left side, I even used the geologic method--pressure over time--I tighten the C-clap until I was pretty sure it would break if I tightened it anymore and went to bed. The next morning I gave it more Aerokroil, heat and it came out with one blow.

Mike

[gigem75]

There is a "sweet spot" on the ball joint. If you hit it in just the right place it will pop right off. Trick is knowing where it is so you don't spend all day hammering on it.

[john walker's workshop]

when all else fails, i grab the air hammer. put a nut on it flush with the end in an attempt to save the threads. sometimes you just have to kill it to get it out. i've had even airhammers fail to budge it. next step is to drill out the fat end, leaving a thin shell that collapses and makes the pin lose it's grip. have a new pin handy.

[Dennis Kalma]

Try using a punch that is smaller than the diameter of the threads, idea is that you do not want to make a mushroom of the threaded end. Give it a good sharp whack with the hammer.

Second attempt is to try to whack the back side (wide end) of the wedge pin. For some reason, it sometimes pays to drive it IN a couple of times, maybe it breaks the corrosion or something.

Last thing, they are not expensive....just whack it until it surrenders. Go buy a new one....

Dennis

[JP911]

This has worked well for me:
C-clamp + socket and then HIT the C-clamp with a BFH.

[Won]

Recently did this. One side came out easily with a BFH. The other side required the same BFH with nearly a week of PB Blaster treatment, drilling the large side (as per JW), and some heat around the bottom of the strut.

[paulgtr]

any photos of what you guys are working on?
I love reading these threads but pictures are always a huge help when trying to learn wht you are working on

[burgermeister]

As JW suggested, make sure you have a nut threaded flush onto the wedge bolt when you hammer away, even if you plan to destroy it. You will be able to hit it quite a bit harder with the nut in place, and you won't use up any of the blow in deforming the stud. I'd also put the control arm back in to support the beating. Mine took about 5 minutes of constant hard hitting with a 2# hammer. Ball joints then took a pickle fork.

[Moke81]

PB Blaster, heat, hammer and a punch should do it,
______________
1981 SC Coupe

[Superman]

When you're using a BFH, one of the most important principles to observe is to make sure the item is really secured first. In other words, you are far better off doing this with the strut out of the car than with it still attached to the a-arm. Because the a-arm absorbs much of the shock. The a'arm is mounted in rubber. The rubber absorbs the shock. If you could set a three-ton anvil against the other edge of the strut, then the hammer blows will be truly focused on the pin. With the strut out of the car, I think I'd secure it in a BFV (large vise) that is sitting on a concrete floor.

Whacking tie rod ends works the same way. Sharp blow with a steel hammer on the steering knuckle will release a tie rod end, and it helps a great deal of you hold another hammer against the back of the knuckle. It focuses the blow.

A final story: I was once pounding the piss out of a kingpin trying to get it out. Not working. Old far comes by and says no matter how many times I whack it, it's not going to come out unless I secure the suspension piece with something better than a floor jack. He said the floor jack was absorbing the blows. I set the suspension down onto something rigid and the kingpins came out with one whack.

[HelmetHead]

My wedgepin came out with only a few taps...but I still can't get the strut loose from the ball joint.... 8(

[burgermeister]

Originally Posted by HelmetHead

My wedgepin came out with only a few taps...but I still can't get the strut loose from the ball joint.... 8(

If all else fails, Picklefork will work. Unfortunately destroys the rubber boot (not sure where to get replacements) and possibly the balljoint as well.

A light hammer swung fast needs much less backup than a heavy hammer swung slow. The momentum of the impact is similar, but the higher velocity of the lighter hammer can use the inertia of the part being hit as its backup. Also, the lighter hammer swung faster probably has more energy stored up - energy goes up linear with mass but with the square of velocity.

But it's hard to beat a heavy vise sitting on a concrete floor.

Ha! A rafter of Turkey outside my window! Such a weird sight ... slight reimbursement for the crappy weather.

[red83911]

Originally Posted by paulgtr

any photos of what you guys are working on?
I love reading these threads but pictures are always a huge help when trying to learn wht you are working on

This can be a little so & so to get out after 20 years or so being left undisturbed. Mine came out with some persuasion from a bfh, a steel drift, release oil and a bit heat.