ball joint removal press?? WTF

[bigm77]

ok well i went to auto zone and rented a ball joint removal tool... it looks like a C clamp.. i cant get it to fit or work on the steering knuckle to get the ball joint out of it for my control arms. Its such a pain in the ass.. i searched up everything before i went ahead and tried to do t..
OMG some nuts are soo hard to break the sieze.. it took me a good 20 min to break the seize on one nut..

in the end i was fed up, put everything back and probably gonna get it changed from my mechanic ..i called around and some guys want 400-500 dollars to change both upper and lower control arms in the front. I HAVE the parts.
This is soo sad.

The only hard time i was having was getting those stupid ball joints out and it seems like i wont be able to do it without a mechanic.

Anyone know a really good tool i can get at a store?

[Jason5driver]

You can buy the OEM bushing sleeve and adapter for around $50.
Then you can use it with a 3-jaw puller to press the bushing out.
http://www.beisansystems.com/procedures/thrust_arm_bushings_procedure.htm

Jaw Puller & Pipe Cap Press Technique
http://www.beisansystems.com/procedures/thrust_arm_bushings_procedure_files/image006.jpg
An at car thrust arm bushing press can be accomplished by utilizing a 3 arm jaw puller (gear puller), a heavy duty short pipe cap, and the BMW thrust arm bushing press sleeve (referenced above).

http://www.beisansystems.com/procedures/thrust_arm_bushings_procedure_files/image007.jpg
The jaw puller jaw teeth grasp the back perimeter of the thrust arm bore, while the jaw puller bolt pushes on the pipe cap which sits on the bushing metal sleeve. Tightening the bolt causes the pipe cap to press the bushing through the thrust arm bore.
http://www.beisansystems.com/procedures/thrust_arm_bushings_procedure_files/image008.jpg
The BMW press sleeve is inserted between the pipe cap and bushing and is pressed through the thrust arm bore to drive out the end portion of the bushing remaining in the arm bore.

[bigm77]

no no.. wellim changing the whole control arm, i need to press the ball joint out of the steering knuckle. thats whats pissing me off..

[Jason5driver]

no no.. wellim changing the whole control arm, i need to press the ball joint out of the steering knuckle. thats whats pissing me off..

Pickle fork, and a 3 lb hammer.

Also try using the Harbor Freight ball joint separator, or the ones sold at Sears.
Or, you can spend $300 on the OEM ball joint separator?
LOL!
"BlackBMWs" just finished replacing his front upper thrust arms.

[bigm77]

i got the pickle fork, so your telling me all i have to do is slide it in between it and bang at it?

i tried it a couple times, probably with not much force , and it didnt budge, the fork slowly starts to slide off a lil though.


I guess insted of spending the millions of dollars on a mechanic i might give this a shot again maybe tomorrow if weathers good.

[NNY528I]

You need a ball joint separator. The tool you got was a press for removing ball joints from their control arm bores on certain types of vehicles, It is not designed to separate the joints from the spindles.

You need to either get a pickle fork as suggested which would be a low cost choice as you are replacing the joints, another approach would be to loosen the castle nuts until they are flush with the end of the joint threads(you did know that there are cotter pins in the castellated nuts didn't you, which may explain your difficulties in removing them)

Once the nuts are flush a few smacks with a mini sledge will generally knock them right out of the bores.

Last choice is to get a pinch type separator which is the factory style, they are available for considerably less than what BMW charges but they may not fit properly so make sure you can return them if they don't fit.


i got the pickle fork, so your telling me all i have to do is slide it in between it and bang at it?

i tried it a couple times, probably with not much force , and it didnt budge, the fork slowly starts to slide off a lil though.


I guess insted of spending the millions of dollars on a mechanic i might give this a shot again maybe tomorrow if weathers good.


You need to use at least a three pound sledge, better a 5lb(regular old hammers are just not going to cut it here) and you will need to put some muscle behind it, make sure the nuts are loosened but do not remove them all the way, that will keep the joint from flying out of the joint and hitting something.

The fork will probably slide to one side or the other, the key is to make sure that one of the tines ends up wedged between the control arm and the spindle, you might even have to twist the spindle to one side or the other to find a good position where you can get a good wedge and still get a solid swing with the hammer.

Don't worry about braking anything, those joints and components are designed to support a 5000lb load operating under sever stress, you pounding on them with a hammer is a love tap.

[Jason5driver]

i got the pickle fork, so your telling me all i have to do is slide it in between it and bang at it?

i tried it a couple times, probably with not much force , and it didnt budge, the fork slowly starts to slide off a lil though.


I guess insted of spending the millions of dollars on a mechanic i might give this a shot again maybe tomorrow if weathers good.


That is right!
Use a pickle fork, since you are replacing the whole arm any ways.
Make sure it is good and tight, and give it a good wop!
Also try smacking the top of the bolt nut to help it break loose.
PB Blaster is your friend...
LOL!
Send a PM to BimmerFiver, and BlackBMWs!
Also search tie rod removal and these guy's names together.

I would do the search, but my wife jacked up my computer, and it is running at snail speeds...
LOL!

[Gid]

I've successfully used a fork. I did have to trim some of my fork's tip off to keep from running into the spindle housing as it is tight up in there.

[Reuben540i]

i used sheer brawn. It's a pain in the a$$ but it'll bust loose if you're not afraid to give it some force. Oh, and with the help of aforementioned pickle fork and hammer (the bigger the better)

[jnyost]

Yep, wrong tool for the job.

Did you get it loose?

[bigm77]

nah i didnt get it loose, im going to a buddy of mine who owns a midas...

I NO I NO its MIDAS but i told him ill be on his ass watchin wat he does and telling him what to do basicly..

im going to be carrying close to 400 lbs of TOP SOil in my car for the thightening of the bolts after its done.
=)

cause i dont think those guys would have anything there to weigh it down.. unless i could get the workers to sit in the car.

im pretty sure i could of gotten it unbolted but i basicly rammed my collar bone into something today and it hurts like a bitch soo
1) i needa go see a doc cuase its black and blue
2) i cant even close my door on my car w/o it hurting..

[cdb3113]

i got this tool from zdmak tools online. it JUST worked on the control arms, and it worked really well on the tie rod ends (pictured):
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/cdb3113/My%20BMW%20E39%201998%20540i/diy%20pics/righttieendwithtool2.jpg

[bigm77]

i saw that tool, but i need this done within the nxt day..(tomorrow) thats why i had to get something i can actually get my hands on NOW..

so i guess my buddy from MIDAS it is with my close supervision..

its funny how the i6 control arms are in the complete reversed order as yours.
the ball joint is pointing downward.

[cdb3113]

i saw that tool, but i need this done within the nxt day..(tomorrow) thats why i had to get something i can actually get my hands on NOW..

so i guess my buddy from MIDAS it is with my close supervision..

its funny how the i6 control arms are in the complete reversed order as yours.
the ball joint is pointing downward.
interesting. i have actually never looked under an I6!

honestly, the pickle fork is tried and true. brutal, but it works. i have used it in places the above tool doesnt fit.

[bigm77]

yea i should of gave it a couple more whacks.

heres the diagrams of the i6 and the v8 notice the difference.

[cdb3113]

yea i should of gave it a couple more whacks.

heres the diagrams of the i6 and the v8 notice the difference.
yeah, makes sense. the BIIIIIIIIIIG v8 squeezed all the suspension and steering components further down.

[jnyost]

Yep, v8 and i6 are reversed.

Your other option is to go buy an air hammer. That's what I used on mine.

[Critter7r]

http://i.s.shopwiki.com/i/data/140x140/8/720/983/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tYXR0c3Rvb2xzLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvc21hbG wvdG9vbHMvQ0hJSFM1MzQuanBn==.jpg (http://www.shopwiki.com/detail/?q=Sledge+Hammer+Fiberglass+Handle+3+lb&s=214612&o=134575254&d=3Lb+Sledge+Hammer+Fiberglass+Handle)

That's the only tool you need. If the steering knuckle is steel, anyhow. I don't remember on the 5Series if it is or not. Just smake the sh!t outta the knuckle right where the ball joint goes through, it'll pop out.

And if you're replacing the arm that points downward, that's called a thrust arm, and it's on a 45 degree angle to the perpendicular. The control arm is perpendicular to the travel direction of the car. Just so ya know.

P.S. I6 and V8 have different steering systems, too. i6 is rack and pinion, V8 is steering gearbox (recirculating-ball type).

[jnyost]

They are aluminum.

[bigm77]

YUP! got it done! and i was on them like a hawk.. the guy used a couple smacks against the steering knuckle to loosen the ball joint out. Literally like 4 smacks and the ball joint popped outa the steering knuckle.

I heard that greasing the bushings is a good idea so i told them to do that aswell.

After it all we all got into the car in a ramp and weighed it down to torque it.

Car rides up to 130 SMoothly not much noticable vibration. Its greatly decreased!!!
and guess wat
NO MORE CLUNK CLUNK THUD THUD !!! soo happy now..

lets hope they hold up for at least 2-3 years, and ill be happy.

[jnyost]

Next time buy the arms with the HD bushings.

[PragB]

Can you post the link to get them from your site please... Thanks!!

[blatant]

Can you post the link to get them from your site please... Thanks!!
http://eactuning.com/products/show/453/

Ill be buying mine this week

[PragB]

Thanks!! Ordered mine...

[CBi]

http://i.s.shopwiki.com/i/data/140x140/8/720/983/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tYXR0c3Rvb2xzLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvc21hbG wvdG9vbHMvQ0hJSFM1MzQuanBn==.jpg (http://www.shopwiki.com/detail/?q=Sledge+Hammer+Fiberglass+Handle+3+lb&s=214612&o=134575254&d=3Lb+Sledge+Hammer+Fiberglass+Handle)

That's the only tool you need. If the steering knuckle is steel, anyhow. I don't remember on the 5Series if it is or not. Just smake the sh!t outta the knuckle right where the ball joint goes through, it'll pop out.


:eek:

Sweet baby Jesus in Heaven do NOT HIT THE KNUCKLES WITH A HAMMER! The E39 suspension is made of aluminum. You can fatigue/damage the suspension components by striking them with a hammer.

BMW makes special tools for working on an E39's suspension (and all the newer cars with aluminum suspension components).

[Jason5driver]

I just had my bent wheel repaired/ smacked with a rubber mallet.
The wheel repair guy found extreme inner tire wear on the front tires after only 10k miles.
I know this can be caused by bad struts, but I am suspecting the front upper control arms even more, because if the ball joints start to fail in the control arms, it will cause the tires to sweep out, hence increased wear on the inner tires.

[jnyost]

http://eactuning.com/products/show/453/

Ill be buying mine this week

Thanks!!


Thanks!! Ordered mine...

Got the order. Thanks!

[viejo]

Okay, I'm frustrated to the point of giving up on the DYI. I've got an I6 E34. I'm trying to replace the whole Thust Arm just like the guy in the original post. The pickle fork didn't work for me, I couldn't get enough leverage to smash the crap out of it from under the car and I couldn't get room from the side to even try. I bought the forked ball separator, but it didn't budge it. Before I give up, does anyone have any other suggestions I can try? The whole point of this was to avoid going to the mechanic. HELP!!!

[ME264]

I spent 2 hours using the zdmak ball seperator. It didn't fit well and i had to both grind it down to make it fit, and adjust the steering wheel until it was in exactly the right location. I can tell you that it is possible, and that it will work. But, in order to get the fork where it needs to be i probably ground on it 15-20 times (marking the offending metal and then taking it to my grinding wheel). Keep at it!