Can't get outer Control Arm Ball Joint to release from the hub!

[Cloudbase]

I'm replacing my control arms. I've unbolted the sub frame bolt washer, CAB bolts, sway bar bolt and washer, and the outer ball joint bolt. The control arm is only attached to the vehicle by the outer ball joint bolt.

I let it soak with PB blaster, wedged a pitchfork on the underside to try to pry it out, and pounded on it with a mallet from every direction I can and it won't budge. What am I missing? It's like it's welded in place. I searched, but couldn't find anyone that had this problem...

[mightywhitey]

should come out for sure. Let that PB blaster soak another night and see what happens.

[KenC]

Bigger hammer. Bang the side of the strut where the ball joint goes through.

[Cloudbase]

So I've been using a sledge hammer with a 4 foot bar. I unbolted my brake dust shield so I could get the bar vertically on the control arm just inside of the bolt. It hasn't budged an inch.

I'm thinking about sawzawing the bolt underneath the strut housing and drilling the bolt out from below. What do you think about this? It sounds chancey...

[KenC]

Try a torch on it first.

[Cloudbase]

Off to pick up a torch...

[KenC]

Did you understand where I was telling you to hit it with the hammer? Not the balljoint, but the portion of the strut tube where the ball joint threads go through. You can usually get it to unseize that way.

[Cloudbase]

Yeah. I hammered it quite a few times from the rear side. I'm going to try heating it up and hammering it there again...

[KenC]

Yeah, whack the shit out of it from the sides, then down on the ball joint. Heat it up with the torch too.

[Cloudbase]

Worked like a charm!

[KenC]

Worked like a charm!

High-five!

[Cloudbase]

What do you think about coating the new ones with anti-seize?

[KenC]

Give me one good reason to NOT coat them in anti-seize! Haha

[lateracer]

Worked like a charm!

What kinda torch did you use? Regular household propane kinda thing, or real deal oxy-acetylene?

I gotta do this at some point soon.

[dkbmxer002]

mine was a bitch one one side too. took forever to get it out while beating the fuck out of it.