here a write up I did - it might help....

Write up - Ball Joints & Lower Control Arm Bushings & Tool Review (PICS!)

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~shell
As of 2/2010:
2001 CLK55 0o\=*=/o0
13.6 @ 106mph
10K mi
1984 300SD
260K mi and going and going...
97 S600
46K miles
1991 Sentra SE-R (extremely dorked with)
www.se-r.net

from this post dated to '02
"p/n lower control arm joint boot repair kit A116 586 04 33
upper A116 586 05 33

factory list is 9.25 & 7.00 respectively. Wholesale is 7.50 and 5.75. "

I was qouted aprox $23/ea @ my dealership this spring, same PN.

i ordered lemforder joints for $27/ea

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

This is how I removed the Lower Ball Joint from the LCA as the local Auto Zone had no Ball Joint Separator for rent. Also I did not remove the Upper Control Arm and left it hang on the Steering Knuckle.
Back the Lower Ball Joint nut out so that about 1/4 inch of threads are exposed (you are going to need a new self locking nut if you do it this way).

How I supported the LCA.


If is still will not come out wrap the Lower Ball Joint in at least 4 layers of Aluminum foil to prevent the heat from burning the Boot. Point the flame away from the Ball Joint and heat the arm in the area approximately where the Jack is touching in the picture. Let the heat conduct to the Ball Joint on its own and keep the flame away from the Ball Joint area.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Just as well. A press would be an incredibly poor substitute for a separator.

Bad choice of words I will correct it and change to separator.
By the way I did this today and the replacment LCA and other parts are back where they are supposed to be. Will finish up tomarrow.
I am waiting for my Caster/Camber Gauge to arrive and will attempt to align it myself.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

A proper picture's worth a 1000 words.

Although hoping for, I didn't think the UCA could come out that way. (while still hooked to the spindle)
Great shot......Thanks

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83 300D 328k mi (623) Light Ivory - daily driver
82 300D 166k mi (881) Thisle Green - fixer upper
82 300D 282k mi (473) Champagne - parts

It will, but it's about three times easier to separate the guide joint.

In my case when I removed the UCA from the Steering Knuckle previously the only rental available at the Local Autozone was a Tie Rod Separator. The Tie Rod Separator was too wide to work but I made a sort of U shaped plate to slide in with a slot in going down the middle.
Even with that plate I found it tore up the UCA Boot (and a Pickle Fork is guaranteed to tear the Boot).
If you notice in my pic the UCA is brand new and I had no interest in trying to separate it and damaging the boot so I left it on the Steering Knuckle.
In the future I hope I have better tools to do the job; but for now I try to use what I have available.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Nice writeup. Lots of good material. Thanks for the link.

Please excuse my short responses. I have limited wireless where I'm at.

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83 300D 328k mi (623) Light Ivory - daily driver
82 300D 166k mi (881) Thisle Green - fixer upper
82 300D 282k mi (473) Champagne - parts

For what it's worth, I agree complete with #12 above that the correct way to take apart a ball joint is by opposed hammers. Much quicker and less damage than with pickle forks.
The only comment I'd add is that you're using two hammers, one as a hammer, the other as a dolly. The dolly should be held firmly against the back side of the ball joint before you hammer the front. If you're doing it right, the dolly will "buck" away when the hammer strikes.
My advice is to use a dolly that weights twice as much as the hammer. More energy is contained in the part being hammered.
This system works based on the elasticity of the steel parts, and is really very elegant. If you have any doubts, try it on a wreck first.
SEO

I think I will try this the next time I do the job!

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Does this mean you could change LCA bushings with this method? Seems like you have loosened the spring..

in that pic it looks like the spring is compressed up into the body.

so, no- you still need to compress the spring to do LCA bushings.

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1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

I had a lower ball (support) joint replaced at a local indy shop, they did it without removing the spindle.

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83 SD

84 CD

I was mainly showing how I removed the Lower Ball Joint from the LCA without a Seperator.
I do not see how someone can get buy without compressing the spring when removing the LCA.
Compressing the spring is a homemade Sprig Compressor; 1"-14 threaded rod and 2 plates with holes in the center, several 1" inch washers to act as spacers and 2 1"-14 nuts.
The 1" threaded rod may be thicker than is needed but I have another project I need the unused thread rod for.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel