Struggling with rear suspension removal

Yet another "can't get this bl**dy thing off" thread from me

I need to remove the hub and driveshaft from the passenger side rear. Everything is undone but I cannot get two of the ball joints to split themselves from the hub (pics below). They've been soaked overnight in penetrating fluid, have tried hitting them hard with a hammer, even tried a g-clamp to try and break them, but they refuse to part company.

Any tips/tricks from anyone? Would it be easier to remove the whole lot with the upper and lower wishbone in place then split them while off the car?

As with the other side (another mammoth job), I imagine things have gotten rather frozen in place due to the cars history...

Get a big hammer and hit it there - http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j75/DannoSupra/Image062.jpg

if all else fails you need a balljoint splitter - http://gwl.rmsolo.org/hacks/suspension/images/PC050034.jpg or http://www.minisport.com.au/images/ball_joint_spliter.jpg

or if your really stuck - http://www.choiceful.com/prod_image/52052_m.jpg

but you will damage the gaitor, only use the fork if your replacing the balljoint

you need a ball joint slitter mate and go careful slit the rubber and you will have to buy new i did this a few weeks back now i am waiting for replacements

beat me to it

Get a big hammer and hit it there - http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j75/DannoSupra/Image062.jpg

 

if all else fails you need a balljoint splitter - http://gwl.rmsolo.org/hacks/suspension/images/PC050034.jpg or http://www.minisport.com.au/images/ball_joint_spliter.jpg

 

or if your really stuck - http://www.choiceful.com/prod_image/52052_m.jpg

but you will damage the gaitor, only use the fork if your replacing the balljoint

DONT JUST HIT IT. I done this with a hammer and i then needed to get the trask rod end (part in question) replaced bacause it buggered it. Get the tool that splits a ball joint. It is like a chisel but has a big V cut out of it.

you need a ball joint slitter mate and go careful slit the rubber and you will have to buy new i did this a few weeks back now i am waiting for replacements

beat me to it

I got mine from QSD performance on this forum (Jezz and Steve) for around £40 odd with next day delivery.

Have you tried a ball joint spliter?

oops, should have refreshed the page before posting,

You obviously hit the wrong part then didnt you... where i said to hit with a hammer its not part of the Ball Joint, so unless your aim is off, you hit the ball joint itself!!!

Talk about tell a mechanic how to do his job

Thanks guys (and for pointing out the obvious, it never occured there was a tool for this, even though knowing exactly what a ball joint splitter is )

Could do without damaging the ball joints so will pop into Halfords tomorrow and get the proper tool for the job.

If you hit the Hub Part - where i said, you wont damage it... saves you spending more money on stuff u dont need!!!

Dont use a ball joint splitter!! They f*kc the rubbers up. The best way is Danno's way, good few blows with a big hammer (I use a copper hammer) exactly where he points out in that picture, they'll just drop out. If they dont, find someone to put a little pressure and lever them whilst you're hitting with the hammer.

Thanks Jezz, good tip. I'll give it another try tomorrow as you and Danno suggested

This forum never fails to supply a good answer to problems

i've recently done my rear wheel bearing and had the same trouble.

I heated the knuckle part as opposed to the ball joint itself with a blow torch, couple of hits with a hammer and it poped out. Came apart very easily with heat just got to be carefull not to burn the rubbers or cook the grease.

Thanks Jezz, good tip. I'll give it another try tomorrow as you and Danno suggested

 

This forum never fails to supply a good answer to problems

Can you not remember me smacking sh*t out of that knuckle to get it off while you were looking around for 'screws'. Sucker came off though.

Can you not remember me smacking sh*t out of that knuckle to get it off while you were looking around for 'screws'. Sucker came off though.

All I remember was a lot of blue language coming from the back of a Supra

Danno is correct, but get a helper to hold a big lump hammer on one side of the hub casting, at the point the ball joint goes through it, whilst you put a HARD blow with the ball of a ball pein hammer directly opposite it. The blow literally momentarily deforms the taper in the hub, and the grip it has on the taper of the ball joint stem is relaxed and it pops loose. Ball joint splitters work, but you'll be needing a new arm, as the boots are not available separately, and it WILL split the rubber. Its the cast iron hub casting you hit, and opposite the hit point you press another hammer hard on. The other hammer adds inertia.

i'm about to tackle the same job to remove the upper arms, do you need to remove the driveshafts? or is there a way to work around not removing them?

M

You don't need to remove anything other than the wheel.

Get one of these from Halfords. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_216931_langId_-1_categoryId_165469

Work much better than the chisel type splitters - I've never split a rubber yet using one.

excellent i had checked the manual as wel and it says remove.didnt think i had to.cheers

id b lost without this forum lol

i managed to split 1 with a balljoint spitter, not a chisel, without splitting the boot... guess i got lucky?

homer did this last night pic 1, use a ball joint splitter not the v type but the other as posted in the link from trickTT...whilst its under pressure give the casting a tap with a copper hammer, should pop off with a bit of a bang if very tight.

Pic 2, i used a long bar and went under the top wishbone and levered against the rear sub frame, so one end is has a pivot point and the other was placed on a jack and then i jacked the whole lot up forcing the spring to compress a little end then got my persuading tool(hammer) and tap the casting on the hub around where the ball joint is...also comes off with a bit of a bang..best bit no damage and all rubbers ok...abit like measure twice cut once:-)

Thanks dude, but this thread is a year old, the problem was sorted the next day after using a basic ball joint splitter and following the advice from the folks that posted

Get one of these from Halfords. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_216931_langId_-1_categoryId_165469

Work much better than the chisel type splitters - I've never split a rubber yet using one.

Where is the "laser"?

Pah!

i brought it up again asking if i had to remove the driveshaft rather than making a new post and getting told to use the search button

cheers