I am trying to install my AS 2.5" leveling kit and have everything off but cannot remove the upper ball joint to let the lower control arm swing down to remove the spring and put on the spacer, has anyone had this problem and has a trick, i have used a ball joint seperator to no avail and hit the spindle with a hammer but it did not come loose, please let me know so i can finsih this project, thank you.

 

Yeah, it's hard as heck to get this off....and actually pretty challenging to get it back together....

My advice is to keep after it... I ended up getting the bolt off, but the thing wouldn't come apart either.. I smacked it with a hammer a bunch... i smacked up on the arm to try and loosen it.. I stuck the end of flat-head screwdriver inbetween and smacked that with a hammer too... eventually the whole thing just pops off.... it could take a while..

 

when you were messing with it did you completely F*ck up the boot for the ball joint because we did. I have tried everything and it did not come off, once we get it off the whole install will take us about 1 hour to do, but we have tired everything to no avail even using the actual ball joint seperator, and the problem is i am at college so i cant leave my truck in the lot on a jack like if i were at home you know? Oh well any more advice please let me know!

 

Hmmm... that's weird -- it definitely is tough to get off, but it should come off.. I hope you figure it out.. No, i didn't completely screw up the boot, but I did tear it a little, i guess...

So are you just going to keep giving it a shot until you figure it out?

 

i want to but its such a process to do it, its almost like im doing it wrong, even though i know i am not, its just not comming off, and i really dont get it at all. I need it off, because i dont feel like paying almost 200 to get this damn thing installed

 

Advanced Auto has a loan-a-tool program going on. You can "borrow" a ball-joint separator for $20. When you get done with it, return it and get your $20 back.

I just helped my brother put a new spindle on his 2000 dakota 4x4. We would have never popped the ball-joints off without it. Just pull the boot up out of the way, slide the separating fork onto the ball-joint stud, and hammer on it like a mad dog until it pops off.

It made things alot easier.

 

Thank you. I actually did go to advanced and get the seperator but could not get the damn thing off, we hammered at it for like 5 min. I was not sure if i was doing it wrong so i stopped. U think i should do it again, lift the boot and hit the damn thing repeatedly until it pops, and were u hitting the upper control arm or the ball joint seperator?? I want to get this done. Thank you

 

Yeah, you hit the butt-end of the separator. Don't be afraid to hit it hard. It takes some banging with a hammer, but it will pop off. Try separating the lower ball-joint a little to help the upper joint to give way.

 

thank you and i will try this all again later today or tomarrow, i want to get this damn things done, my roomate and i have been workin on it for 3 days to no avail, i WILL get it done though, thank you!

 

Yeah in my post below "new memeber just installed bilstein 5100", i came across the same problem. I recommend using a ball joint separator, but we used a pulley puller, worked pretty good. I also put a couple drops of liquid wrench in there to soften it up. Also if you do use a puller, safety wire the arms, the separation of the knuckle from the balljoint is kinda violent.

 

now if i use a seperator, is the seeration still violent, like should i still saftey tie the two or will i be safe, and do you think i could spray some wd40 in there to loosen it up, or will that not help at all? let me know, thank you!

 

i'm sorry, didn't mean to exaggerate. I would think a separator will yield the same result as the puller. The knuckle and ball joint will pop off (that's why i called it violent). I haven't seen separator (only in pictures), so I don't know if it can be saftywired.

wd40 should help.

 

use the separator that looks like a claw with the bolt going through it. it pops out, yes violently, but ensures the least amount of wear

if you are hammering or using the big fork you pry between the arm and spindle you are DESTROYing your balljoint. which is why most people complain their balljoints fail prematurely. duh you are beating on it with a BFH or destroying it with a poker

 

What size hammer are you using on the seperator? You need to have at least a small sledge hammer to get the job done.

Lucas

 

Yeah it is definitely a pain in the butt. Me and my buddy knocked the crap out of it for about 10 - 15 minutes with steel pipe to get it off.