[Conley]

Hey everybody.
I am trying to separate the drivers side front balljoint from its taper on my 89 Sentra, and it is a real pain in the ass. Do I really have to remove the halfshaft first, as the autozone repair manual says?
I have been whacking downwards on the control arm with a block of wood and a hammer, but it is not even budging the damn thing. I can't imagine a pickle fork is going to help either. Do they say to remove the halfshaft just for access to the top of the ball joint stud for hammering?

 

[Conley]

So. I just decided to try and unscrew the castle nut from the top of the balljoint and see if it would force the taper apart by pressing against the axle. And it worked! Very quickly! And i've got the control arm out and ready to press in a new ball joint. As soon as i get the old one out.

 

[nickdoof]

Just an FYI the separating fork works very well, I just did the ball joints on my sentra a month ago and it was a quick in and out with the fork

 

[sonicgundam]

Just an FYI the separating fork works very well, I just did the ball joints on my sentra a month ago and it was a quick in and out with the fork

yeah, if you're changing the ball join, who cares about keeping it pretty. use a pickle fork.

if you AREN'T changing the ball joint, and just need to knock it out, wrapping a chain around the control arm and putting a bolt through a couple links then pull the control arm down using a pry bar. if it doesn't work right away smack the steering knuckle hard with a hammer. do NOT hit the stud. put the castlated nut back on to keep you from accidentally hit it and mess up the threads.

 

[sonicgundam]

oops.

DP

 

[Conley]

My new problem with this is, I can't get the new ball joint into the control arm. I had a press (borrowed from autozone) to install it, but the ball joint's rubber boot seemed to be larger (in diameter) than the part of the ball joint that seats in the control arm. I put some oil on it, hoping it would just pop through the control arm but I merely succeeded in tearing the boot on the ball joint.

Can I remove the boot to install the ball joint and then reinstall a new one? Or should I just buy another ball joint (i've since seen one on the internet with a narrower boot) as they are only about $20-$25?