I am stuck on R107 lower ball joint removal.

[Steve Gutman]

I am doing some front end work (R107) and find that I can only get a box end wrench on the lower ball joint nut because of the bracket for the brake line. I am afraid to really pound it with only 2 sides of the nut on the wrench. I can’t even slip on an open end (5 pointed).

It looks like if I unbolt the hub from the steering knuckle that I can get a socket on the nut. Can anyone tell me how to handle this? Thanks in advance,

[MikeTangas]

Typically you strip everything off the spindle, getting down to just the steering knuckle. I can't remember now if I was able to use a socket or if I had to use the box end of a wrench, either way the nut wasn't that terribly tight.