Which tool?

[fwappy]

Ok, some of you may know that this past weekend I cursed my E30 for refusing to let go of its old control arms. The center pivot ball joint just won't pop out. I broke a pickle fork and hurt myself (not too bad ;)), but now I've recovered from the frustration and I'm ready tackle it again.

I need to find the right tool, cheaply, and one that doesn't require compressed air or anything else that's in my Dad's garage on the other side of the country. I also don't have enough room to feel comfortable buying a huge hammer and slamming it out. Looking at the new control arms, I see that a threaded clamp-style separator would work, but would need to be big enough and strong enough.

I found these, but I think they are only made for the tie rods, as the maximum clearance in only 22mm.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=320120517483&rd=1&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=015&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=250119397570&rd=1&rd=1

The bolt I need to push out is about 2.5 inches long!
Will this work?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170109583128&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:us

What the hell are my options?!?

[equate975]

Yeah I hate pickle forks, I always end up busting my tie rod ends apart with them.

The second one looks nice, its the style I want to get. I don't know how any of those would work on a control arm though. Can't you just bash the top of the bolt with a hammer?

[AndrewBird]

Yeah I hate pickle forks, I always end up busting my tie rod ends apart with them.

AS long as you are careful and have it facing the right direction, a pickle fork shouldn't do any damage to the boots. I still like the tool like posted above though. Just takes more time.

The second one looks nice, its the style I want to get. I don't know how any of those would work on a control arm though. Can't you just bash the top of the bolt with a hammer?

Not unless the engine is out.

Get a BIG (tall) pickle fork and hammer it in there. Then hammer down on it to pry it down. Do this all the way around. It SHOULD come out. Once it starts to come out, it should all be gravy. It's just the first initial part that is hard.

Eh?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38649

[Julien]

I usually have to jam a big pickle fork on my outer ball joints and then jump on it a few times (i do weigh 240#) and that gets them out.. how is yours right now, half way out? In other words, where does yours get stuck?


Julien

[B0ND]

I usually have to jam a big pickle fork on my outer ball joints and then jump on it a few times (i do weigh 240#) and that gets them out.. how is yours right now, half way out? In other words, where does yours get stuck?


Julien

I tried doing that with a breaker bar attached to the pickle fork...snapped the pickle fork (and I only weigh 185), luckily I got my money back. I think we ended up using a punch and hammer to get the it out without messing up the threads.

[Charlie]

Get a real long socket extension, we're talking the 2 1/2 foot ones from sears. Stick it on top of the "screw" for the LCA and hammer down with a decent sized sledge.

-Charlie

[boom-monkey]

Get a real long socket extension, we're talking the 2 1/2 foot ones from sears. Stick it on top of the "screw" for the LCA and hammer down with a decent sized sledge.

-Charlie

That's what I do too.

[fwappy]

Solved: Hammering the correct sized pickle fork into the joint popped it right out!

Now, I've got another dilemma, but a small one. I'm trying to pull the old steering rack out and I can't get the linkage from the column shaft to separate. I've taken both bolts out, the top one and the bottom one, jacked up the engine for enough room, but still can't get it out. It sucks even worse cause it's so frickin' dirty. :x

How do you separate the linkage from the rack without damaging something?

[Rennsport]

kyb jelly

just use some type of lube, bolt blaster works good.

[Adrian_Visser]

on the subject of balljoint separation has any one here ever heard of "ringing the bell" on a balljoint you take to large balljoint hammers (24 oz.) hold one on the back of the balljoint's outer half no strike the opposite side HARD! several time this sends a sound wave through the balljoint's outer half and causes it to expand momentarily as the concussion wave passes through this will break free the balljoint. when i as told about it i was very sceptical too but then i tried it on my e28 and i was amazed.

just remember it takes a few really hard blows

seriously im not makin this up

[zydio]

i just put a long prybar between the strut tower and the control arm and jump on it. comes out usually the first or second time. i hate the pickle forks they always rip the boot.

[fwappy]

i just put a long prybar between the strut tower and the control arm and jump on it. comes out usually the first or second time. i hate the pickle forks they always rip the boot.

Actually, I picked up this really nice set at Sears with 3 sizes that screw onto a heavy shaft. Huh, huh. The forks were rounded off nicely, and with 2 strikes from a 4lb sledge it popped the arm free. The boot was already torn of course, since it was 17 years old.

[Jscotty]

Craftsman tools FTW!