Does an air hammer work most of the time to remove bj's?

[b*saint]

Wait you mean splitting a ball joint or removing it from the control arm?

[THE FEZMAN]

i just did the lower control arms on my 2001 330ci, i ended up having to use my air hammer the two hammer method a nice soaking of PB blaster and some heat to break the drivers side lowers loose. but the passenger side just popped with a quick whack with the air hammer and the pickle fork. i didn't care about the boot because i was changing the entire assembly.

[b*saint]

So I did the job today. The bj came out like butter with an air hammer.

[Axxe]

Two hammer method, with a 4lb and a ball peen.

[b*saint]

assuming he means this: http://www.etoolcart.com/bmwballjoin...olbmw3028.aspx
which is used to press the ball joints out of the actual control arm. from what i can tell, OP is trying to get the ball joint out of the steering knuckle on the strut.

Correct. And I dont have an air hammer but have other uses for it beside removing ball joints.

[///e30freak]

Just a tip, if you wack the side of the hole wear the ball joint goes into with a hammer, it will generally break loose a stuck ball joint. Basically the metal deforms slightly, then rebound back, so it breaks the surface to surface contact.

that works great, except for when it doesn't.

OP, just get a standard ball joint remover and be done with it.

[accident]

assuming he means this: http://www.etoolcart.com/bmwballjoin...olbmw3028.aspx
which is used to press the ball joints out of the actual control arm. from what i can tell, OP is trying to get the ball joint out of the steering knuckle on the strut.

[Atreus]

jlevie what tool are you talking about??

[b*saint]

Yea Im thinking the super duty snap on one.

[scottinAZ]

never had my air hammer NOT remove a stuck ball joint, tie rod end, control arm bushing....... get a good one (mine is snap-on) and dont worry about it.

[b*saint]

Yea I do that all the time. it works like magic.

[AndrewBird]

Just a tip, if you wack the side of the hole wear the ball joint goes into with a hammer, it will generally break loose a stuck ball joint. Basically the metal deforms slightly, then rebound back, so it breaks the surface to surface contact.

[b*saint]

Damn you REALLY love your BMW ball joint tool.

[jlevie]

That tool is a wimp compared to the BMW special tool for ball joints, I've yet to encounter a case where the BMW tool won't remove a ball joint.

[Adrian_Visser]

Having just spent several hours this weekend trying and failing to separate a VERY subborn balljoint using this tool:


I can say that heat, penetrant and a press tool aren't always enough. When I need to actually install my coilovers I will be doing it with an airhammer. My balljoint boot be damned..