Well, if I tell you seperating the lower ball joint from the lower control arm can be areal PITA, I won't be telling you anything new. But, you know what, it really is. Nevertheless, I managed to do it - finally. (Now on to getting the ball joint out of the steering knuckle! )

Anyway, I wanted to share how I finally managed to get them seperated. Actually, I got the idea from here: Lower Ball joint - A real pain Please read

I believe it is post # 9 on that thread where William Rogers talks about using a pickle fork to get the job done. The problem with using a pickle fork on this job is that: 1) the tines can be a little too long and 2) the width of the fork isn't quite enough to really seperate these two. So, what Will brilliantly suggested (it's one of those, I can't believe I didn't think of that moments ) was inserting an open end wrench (about 1" wide) in between the ball joint and LCA and THEN pounding in the pickle fork.

Oh man, that was all it took. I had read about the two hammer method and had used a floor jack underneath the LCA while pounding down on the ball joint stud (if you try that screw on the old nut first). Those are both great ideas, but I just couldn't get them to work. Regarding the two hammer method - I just couldn't really get at the end of the LCA with both hammers (its stuck back in the knuckle there and is real hard to get at). With the floor jack under the LCA method - I was getting too much bounce when I smacked the ball joint stud, so the force wasn't really being focused like it needed to.

But then I read Will's idea and I realized that it was going to work. To be fair, the method that is going to work for you is probably dependant on what stage of disassembly you are at. To get wrench/pickle fork method to work for me, I completely removed the steering knuckle with LCA still attached. Then I placed the rotor face down (wedged between two section of 4"X4" wood) so and held the LCA up (perpendicular to the ground) - that way I could wedge the wrench and pickle fork DOWN in between the LCA and ball joint and smack on it with my 8lb sledge. I was actually able to just use one hand on the hammer and with about six whacks they popped apart.

Just thought I would share since it worked well for me. Now on to removing the ball joint from the knuckle .

__________________
'95 E300D ("Tank") - 231,000 miles
'79 240D ("Biscuit") - 197,250 miles (Sold)
'83 240D ("Ding-Ding") - 217,000 miles (Death by deer)
______________________________________

"Back off, man. I’m a scientist” ~ Peter Venkman

Use a socket or drift and pound the joint out of the LCA. It comes out pretty easy.
Use this tool to remove the upper ball joint, screw the nut up to protect the threads:
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-forged-ball-point-joint-separator-99849.html

There are plenty of posts on how to use the Autozone rental to insert the new ball joint.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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I suspect that you mean "steering knuckle" instead of "LCA."

Pretty sure he means LCA

__________________
1998 E300 +310,000K
1996 E300 +460,000K

um, the ball joint in question has already been disconnected from the LCA, now the joint needs to be removed from the steering knuckle... the ball joint on MB cars are pressed into the knuckle, not the LCA...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

That varies by model. But, reading between the lines, the OP appears to be talking about his W123. My comments are based on that assumption.

Yeah, I know. I just rebuilt the front end on my SDL this Monday. Sounded to me like he was reiterating how to remove the steering knuckle from the car, since he was talking about removing the top ball joint. And you experienced guys all know the upper ball joint is never removed from upper control arm.

You do know that, right?

Why don't we wait for him to clarify, okay?

__________________
1998 E300 +310,000K
1996 E300 +460,000K

You are right; he might have meant LCA. But he should have said "steering knuckle."

If you think that pounding the ball joint out of the LCA with a socket is a recipe for success, you probably haven't tried it.

Did one Monday (third 126 complete front end rebuild I've done so far). One side popped out simply pounding on the threaded shaft of the balljoint. Driver's side I had to heat the control arm with a propane/oxy torch and wail on it like Thor with my pickle fork to get it separated.

So yeah, I've tried it.

__________________
1998 E300 +310,000K
1996 E300 +460,000K

good point, I also think it's the 240, not the E300 he is discussing...
good catch tango.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I was also trying to decide what car he was discussing, ... one of my (many) pet-peeves.

I'd assume the 123 since the '95 124 ball-joint should be welded to the a-arm.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

You are separating a ball joint taper correct? I usually rig up an anvil of sorts to support the lower control arm, with the nut on the stud ( to protect and not mushroom the stud), hit it with a 5 lb hammer and it always separate. I don't like to use pickle forks becasue it chews up the boot.

__________________
85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

The problem is that the LCA's tapered receiver end when still connected to the spindle is actually inside the "cup" of the spindle where it's all but impossible to get an anvil inside and then to simultaneously strike the side 180 degrees opposite!

Fortunately the factory tool makes this part of the operation literally a one minute task!

Agreed. I didn't find anything easy about getting a hammer in there. I didn't have the factory tool, so that was out. However, I didn't have to worry about the ball joint boot since I replaced the ball joint.

__________________
'95 E300D ("Tank") - 231,000 miles
'79 240D ("Biscuit") - 197,250 miles (Sold)
'83 240D ("Ding-Ding") - 217,000 miles (Death by deer)
______________________________________

"Back off, man. I’m a scientist” ~ Peter Venkman

Yeah absolutely! I think most of the time that's the circumstance where someone is doing this to replace the ball joint so destroying it the process isn't a concern.