Control arm removal

[richardb]

Well, I feel like a fool. Having trouble removing the inner ball joint on the passenger side of the car. I used a short socket with swivel and extension to impact gun- no good. Also tried a crows foot wrench on impact- no good. I started cutting the stud from underneath with a wheel and realized it's tapered from bottom up so it may not even come up from the bottom after it's cut.

Any sure way of getting that without removing exhaust or motor mount? I can't get a wrench in there.

[2002maniac]

If the ball joint is spinning you can put a jack under it and put some weight on it.

if the nut is just siezed and not coming loose, remove the motor mount and jack up the engine to get better access. Put a breaker bar on there and give it hell.

[drumad]

I used a real short wrench with a jack underneath.

Can you not break it loose? or is the joint spinning?

[jlevie]

The extensions and swivels will probably defeat the impact wrench. I use a stubby 22mm wrench from below to get that fastener off. That usually works, but I've had to drop the subframe on occasion to get a seriously corroded nut off.

[richardb]

It's not spinning, the nut won't even brake loose or turn. Not really corroded looks fine but won't budge. I didn't want to remove engine mount but may have to...

[dkbmxer002]

i broke 2 extensions and a ratchet getting the nut off on one side. then used a fork to hammer at it like a mother fucker for a bit to get that off finally.

like said, put weight on it and it will keep it from spinning. i came into the job having never done it and one side was a horrid little waffleswaffleswaffleswaffles and the other was a piece of cake. just takes some muscle.

[The Dough]

Im battleing the drivers side nut now... tried for 45 mins yesterdaya nd couldnt get it off. Im gonna kill that nut today.

[KenC]

Put a jack under it, and use a long impact extension and an impact swivel. It will break free. Soak it in a mixture of acetone and brake fluid.