Well I am having the same problem on the drivers side as I did on the passengers, only worse. The tapered ball joint shaft will not come out of the lower control arm. I even broke the giant autozone type c clamp joint puller - cracked right through. I have pounded on the shaft with a sledge hammer for hours, carving 1/4" deep impression in my concrete garage floor with the jack stand supporting the lower control arm while I beat on it. I was thinking about packing the joint/arm in Dry Ice to try and shrink the joint enough to free it up - Do you think the dry ice would weaken the control arm and cause issues later on down the road?

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tgingrich
'83 300TD 282k
'83 300D 239k
'82 300SD 204k
DFW

I'm not sure what you tried in Chapter 1, but it sounds like you need to put some heat on it. Have you tried this? Are you going to end up replacing the joints. I seriously doubt that dry ice will hurt anything though. Or really do anything for that matter.

I have heated the arm with a propane torch, then hit the shaft with liquid wrench trying to flash cool it. Like the other side, I cut through the ball of the joint with a sawzall to get the spindle off and make room. All I have to do is get the tapered portion of the joint out of the lower control arm. Yeah, thats all. Right.

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tgingrich
'83 300TD 282k
'83 300D 239k
'82 300SD 204k
DFW

In your previous thread (Chapter 1), you said that you broke the "recommended tool from NAPA." Which tool was that?

Wow, sounds like an ordeal. Quickly off the top of my head and not seeing it, I would think that propane may not burn hot enough (you might try MAPP gas if your propane torch can use that). However, I think the proper way to heat it is too heat one side of the control arm right where the spindle is (I don't think you will overheat it with propane) and then immediately hit it with a very large hammer (this may be tough to do at weird angles to you could try using a long bar pivoted right near the joint to pop it off?) Don't spray it with liquid wrench though.

I sheared the pin in this one - I rigged it to work with another pin.

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__________________
tgingrich
'83 300TD 282k
'83 300D 239k
'82 300SD 204k
DFW

This one I cracked right though the bent arm

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__________________
tgingrich
'83 300TD 282k
'83 300D 239k
'82 300SD 204k
DFW

Sometimes loading the stud down with a puller and just letting it sit is helpful. Also, striking the eye of the control arm with medium sized hammer (while the stud is heavily loaded) can also break things loose. The idea is not to beat the stud out of the control arm, but to send a "deforming" shock wave through the eye so that it lets go of the stud. Another variation is to strike the eye on opposite sides at the same with a pair of hammers. Strike the eye perpendicular to the stud. (The idea is to deliver a sharp, ringing blow; not necessarily a hard blow.) Repeated strikes are usually required. And consider the trajectory of parts and tools when things break loose!!!

I have had good luck with this tool, which carries a lifetime guarantee:
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=SER&PartNumber=3916&Description=Ball+Joint+Separator

It sounds like you cut the shaft of the ball joint to separate the lower control arm from the steering knuckle, and now you are trying to remove the piece from the knuckle, right? Tangofox007 has the right idea, put some force on it, like a C-clamp, soak it with PB, and let it sit, overnight if you have to. Keep pressure on it and then tap with hammer all around. Make sure when you clamp it you are leaving room for the stud to move and come out. Should pop out. With the other end use a drill and drill holes all around the bottom, take a cold chiesel and connect holes, pop out that piece, drive bottom of ball joint out. Now take your sawzall and carefully cut into what is left of the ball joint in the LCA. Do this in 2-3 places use cold chiesel and knock out the pieces. Clean up the hole and press in new ball joint. Good Luck.

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If it ain't broke take it apart and find out why.

1983 300SD, 4 speed
1994 C280
1987 300TD wagon
1996 HD Road King

Ride in Peace Eric Peterson, Harley of Macon

This is the best technique I have found. It typically takes no more than 4 or 5 blows to get it loose.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The W123 is backwards from most cars. The base of the lower ball joint is press fit in the steering knuckle; the tapered stud fits in the control arm.

I believe the best technique is not to cut the balljoint. While it is still in one piece a long pry bar can be utilized to provide separating force while the control arm is struck with a large hammer or drift.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

waa!!! I have the bedeviled ball joint sitting on my desk... You guys are scaring me...

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Aquilae non capunt muscas! (Eagles don't hunt flies!)


1979 300SD Black/Black MBtex239000mi
1983 300TD euro-NA. White/Olive Cloth-MBtex 201000mi. Fleet car of the USA embassy in Morocco
1983 240D Labrador Blue/Blue MBtex 161000mi

Why not take the part ... since it is out of the car ... to a machine shop & get them to press it out with a big press?

Are you sure you're pounding in the correct direction?

Is the control arm off the car? Doesn't sound like it, given the mention of the control arm being supported by a jack stand.