[DeTomaso] Ball joint extraction question

SOBill at aol.com SOBill at aol.com
Fri May 16 00:55:41 EDT 2008


 
I have and have tried just about every ball joint tool that is  sold. None 
are satisfactory.
 
If you don't care the ball joints, a pickle fork/ big  hammer is the cheapest 
and the best. But I don't  like to use  hammers.
 
At _www.members.aol.com/sobill_ (http://www.members.aol.com/sobill)   you 
will find the file _Pantera_Front_Ball_Joint_Tool.jpg_ 
(http://www.members.aol.com/sobill/Pantera_Front_Ball_Joint_Tool.jpg) .
 
The tool consists of two pieces of tubing, three  washers, a bolt, and a nut. 
It will easily separate Pantera front ball joints  with the spindle either on 
or off the car. No hammer required. The parts of this  tool were all items I 
had available. The dimension are not critical as long as  you can install the 
tool correctly.
 
Here's how the tool is used. 
 
Remove the cotter pin from the object ball  joint. Remove the ball joint nut. 
Flip the nut over and thread it back on the  ball joint stud until it is 
flush with the end of the stud. Place the small  piece of tubing over the stud/nut 
so it bears against the flat part of the  spindle. This tubing will keep the 
tool from slipping off the stud/nut. Insert  the 7/16 inch washer so it rest 
against the stud/nut. This washer keeps the  stud/nut from getting buggered up. 
With the nut remaining on the ball joint  stud, the ball joint will be 
retained in the spindle when it  separates.
 
Screw the 1/2 inch nut all the way onto the 1/2  inch bolt. Install the 1/2 
inch washer on the bolt. Install the larger washer on  the bolt. The 1/2 washer 
is to fit the head of the bolt, the larger washer is to  fit the OD of the 
tubing. Slide the long piece of tubing over the ball joint  stud/not you are not 
removing. Fit the threaded end of the 1/2 inch  bolt/nut/washers into the 
long tube and position it inline with the short tube.  Unscrew the nut while 
holding the 1/2 inch bolt. The bolt will just move into  the end of the short tube 
and bear against the ball joint stud/nut you want to  remove. Using a 
visegrip  to hold the bolt and a wrench  to unscrew the nut, apply pressure until the 
ball joint  separates.
 
The ball joint separation will be  accompanied by a substantial bang. But the 
ball joint will not fly out, the  tool will not fly out, the ball joint and 
it's rubber bootie will be  unharmed, and you will not need to smash anything 
with a  hammer.
 
When you have loosened the first ball joint,  leave the first ball joint in 
place on the spindle, screw the nut all the way  back onto the bolt, flip the 
tool end for end, and remove the second ball  joint.
 
This simple tool removed the front ball joints  which have been in place on 
my '74 for 35 years with no sweat, no swearing, and  no injuries.
 
Have fun,
 
SOBill  Taylor
sobill at aol.com  

 





SOBill  Taylor
sobill at aol.com  






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