Separating Strut from Ball Joint - need help!

[Kemo]

I am in the process of installing a few upgrades to my 78 SC.

Where Im at now is trying to get the A-Arms off so I can replace the stock torsion bars with stiffer ones. I also have some new bushings and seals for the bar ends.

Anyway, I removed the height adjustment screw and cover, then the front t-bar mount. I even removed the strut retaining bolt at the base of the strut. (ruined it of course)

Now here is the tough part. it appears that my Ball joint is in good shape. The rubber is nice, no tears or cracks. I was under the impression that the strut assembly should now slide right off the ball joint (or the ball joint should slide down). But it seems to be stuck. Is there a way to remove the strut base from the ball joint without damaging the ball joint?

[Superman]

My car has the Bilstein struts. There is a locking pin, near the bottom of the green strut tube.

Tie rod ends can be coaxed loose with a hammer. It momentarily deforms the conical mating surface between the shaft and the bore, and the tie rod end pops out. It works especially well of you hold a second hammer at the back of the tie rod end. Don't know how well this might work for ball joints, but it works like a charm on tie rod ends.

A pickle fork will most likely tear your boot.

If those ball joints have quite a few miles on them, they are probably worn. Suspension work should really be done all at once.

[IROC]

The ball joint is secured to the strut using a funky tapered-pin. Once you get the pin out (not easiest thing sometimes), then the strut and ball joint separate. That's only in theory, though. On most of our cars, the strut and the ball joint have enjoyed a cozy relationship for years (decades?) and are perfectly happy to remain that way. It often requires violence to end the relationship. And then new ball joints...

YMMV. Good luck.

[jmohn]

Perhaps I'm missing something here ... but I don't think you need to remove the A-arms just to replace the torsion bars.

Jerry M
'78 SC

[Fast Corners]

The A-arms need to be separated from the car in order to replace the bushings. I'm not sure about replacing the torsion bars w/out removal of the A-arm (never tried it since it is not very hard to remove the arms).

The other posts are correct. There is a double taper pin just above the ball joint where the strut body and ball joint come together. If it has never been out. Soak it with PB blaster then use a Hammer and a brass drift punch to dislodge the double wedge pin. The threaded portion of the pin is an M8. When the pins are tough to get out the threaded portion tends to deform. This causes the pin to become tough to re-thread the nut back on it after re-installation. Additionally the pin may be weakened by rust or the beating it takes during the removal process.

Do yourself a favor, buy two new pins from our host and put anti-seize on them when you install them. This way the next time they will come out relatively easy.

[Kemo]

Ok...ill give it another shot tonight. I have placed an order today replacing the strut pins. Ill take the advice and re-install with anti-seize. hopefully, I can get the ball joint off without destroying it in the process.

if I have to get real rough with it, where should I be pounding?

[dtw]

Tricks for dislodging the wedge pin (after requisite penetrating fluid treatments): Loosen the nut one full turn, exposing one thread between the nut and strut body. Hammer out the pin until no thread visible. Repeat. This always works for me. Keeping a nut on the threads and exposing only a little bit of thread at a time, prevents deformation of the pin.

Removing a-arm from strut after removing wedge pin. Big drift placed on a-arm, and a biiiiig hammer (I use a 4-lb sledge). I do it with the a-arm and strut still bolted to the car, just seems to make it less awkward.

[RWebb]

"The A-arms need to be separated from the car in order to replace the bushings."

- Is this true? Couldn't you just leave the A-arms attached at the ball joints?

[Kemo]

Originally Posted by RWebb

- Is this true? Couldn't you just leave the A-arms attached at the ball joints?

thats a good question...it appears as if I will have to remove the strut from the top of the ball joint to pull the a-arm out of the rear area. I guess I could probably undo the brake lines, pull the tie rods off and remove the unit with the strut still attatched to the a-arm. might be a bit awkward to handle, but I guess it could be done.

[Travis Neff]

Take out the wedge pin for the ball joint, get the car up on jackstands. Put a floor jack under the hub then take a hammer (dead blow hammers with the lead shot work good) and beat the A-Arm off the strut. Couple smacks and it's free.

[EarlySport]

Originally Posted by Travis Neff

Take out the wedge pin for the ball joint, get the car up on jackstands. Put a floor jack under the hub then take a hammer (dead blow hammers with the lead shot work good) and beat the A-Arm off the strut. Couple smacks and it's free.

X2. And your balljoints will be fine.

You can replace T-Bars just by loosening the a-arm front bolts, and dropping the crossmember a tad. This allows the bars to come out underneath the floorpan.

If you're replacing A-Arm bushings though you'll need the arms off the car.

[blk911]

Kemo,

I just did this on my 79SC, if you need some help, let me know, I'll be glad to come over and lend a hand.

If you are just replacing the T bars, just loosen the bolts that fix the aluminum carrier to the chassis a bit and the front A-Arm mounts also a bit. That should allow enough room to drop the rear of the assembly to allow the T bar to be extracted towards the rear.

On my car, one ball joint separated with just one light whack from a hammer, the other sustained repeated violent blows with a BFH, Mapp torch and all to no avail.
You might check out the rent a tool program at Autozone, free rent on tools and they have a pretty good front end kit with various pullers.

Let me know if you need help, send PM.

Mike

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by EarlySport

If you're replacing A-Arm bushings though you'll need the arms off the car.

I'm still not understanding this. Why can't the A-arm just hang (or be partly supported by) the ball joint?

[Kemo]

RWebb,

Looking at it all, I could probably dangle the a-arm from the ball joint and change out the bushings with the shock intact. I would prefer to pull the a-arm out so I could clean it up and paint it black.

[Joe V]

Kemo,

I'm in the middle of doing my bushings and I was right there where you are now. After having removed the control arms and taking the bushings off, I can tell you that it will not be an easy task while you are contorted with very little leverage under your car. Remember that those busings have been attached to the car for 24 years, so they're not just going to fall off. You will find that they are on there very tightly, my friend. If they are the original ball joints, you are better off replacing them. Mine seemed fine, but upon closer inspection, I saw a small tear in the boots on both of them. A $10 pickle fork and $150 in ball joints from our host is my suggestion. And by the way, don't try to save $20 and get the cheaper ones from the other p-car part suppliers. I called to confirm they were Lemfoerder's, and they told me they were Hamburg Technic made in Germany.

Joe

[Kemo]

Mike,

I have a friend comming over saturday morning to help me get the ball joint off..he has pullers and pry thingys and other things he says.

If you would like to swing by and offer advice, shoot me a PM!