need help:::trying to remove the lower control arms on s-13

[dirtysouthjuggalo]

How do you remove the lower control arms from the suspension, got it off the chassis, but can't remove the lower ball joint, is there a special tool needed? if not, what do we need to do?

[Indolent]

ball joint splitter/remover, looks like a small thick pitchfork, could rent one at autozone and get your money/deposit back, once you get that i suggest you bolt the control arm to the chassis jus that one screw, remove the ball joint nut/pin, place the ball join splitter in between the spindle and control arm, so it's on the ball joint's arm or whatever, then hit the end of the splitter with a sledgehammer and hammer the crap outta it, lol, well i used a mini sledge haha, only thing htat sucks is you'll probably mess up the ball joint boot, but i didnt' care cause i replaced mine with s14 ball joints cause i did a 5 lug, hope that helps

[Var]

if you're getting new balljoint, just pretend your whole control arm is a hammer. My dad..he banged it on a metal vice and it popped out on the second strike. Pimpness.

[infinitexsound]

ball joint tool, or pickle fork... or VARS method works real well

[dirtysouthjuggalo]

ive been trying with a pickle fork and bfh for a few days it dosnt seem to want to budge, ive been to every autoparts store i can think of and no one has even heard of a ball joint puller, they just jeep giving me pittman arm pullers and more damn pickel forks. anyone around NC know of a place. this is getting anoying :bash:

[chlatboy]

just hammer that bitch.

[dirtysouthjuggalo]

finnaly got it after hammering at it for a while , killed the old control arm. anyways, i dindt remove the strut to spindle bolts and im having trouble geting the new control arm to line up do i have to take off the strut to spindle bolts for it to go in or am i just a retard. any tips would me helpful
ps. im gonna search on that now so dont flame me its hot so im kinda off

[projectRDM]

Sounds like you're a retard. The strut has nothing to do with the LCA, although if you're using a 22mm socket to tighten the balljoint nut it will make it easier. I always use a wrench.

And FYI, if the balljoint was dead you could have beat on it directly instead of the LCA, the force transferred through the LCA isn't nearly enough to get it out easily. Two square blows to the joint will get it right out everytime.

[kazuo]

if you're getting new balljoint, just pretend your whole control arm is a hammer. My dad..he banged it on a metal vice and it popped out on the second strike. Pimpness.

Yep. Your dad is a SAVAGE!

I used a tie rod end puller tool I got from autozone on the LCA, and the fucking thing wouldn't fit. Worked great on the tie rod end tho. I also tried the pickleforks, they worked perfect on the tie rod ends but not the LCA.

Fucking LCAs.

One guy told me to whack the shit out the side of the spindle where the ball joint stud goes through, but that shit didn't work either.

And don't do that shit where you put the nut on the stud and bang the nut.. it'll just mushroom the nut or strip the threads, and then you're fucked too.

I guess you just have to destroy the ball joint. :P

[m0rex]

Destroying the ball joint is the easiest way those tools for some reason dont fit. Dont forget to put that pin back in when you install your new ball joint/lca.

[dirtysouthjuggalo]

i know the strut has nothing to do with the lca ....but the strut to spindle bolts doooooooo cuz the strut gets in the way but it was really hot and i was not in good mood i got it all tho waitied till dark so it cooled down
althogh it drives fine( i am getting an alignment soon tho to make sure theything is str8) its making alot of noises this is my 1st suspension work so is that normal like the new parts and bolts settleing in or did a torque somthing wrong not gonna drive it hard till i get rid of the noises its mainly when i turn im new to this stuff i just drove myc ar stock for ever i only ussuly upgrade when somthing brakes (damn drunk drivers!)

[m0rex]

Um your strut spindle bolts shouldnt get in the way that much just find a way to hit it. Torque all the bolts again. They tend to get loose so double check especially the t/c rod ones.

[citizen]

i've got it out without anything but a hammer and not destroyed anything, i guess i got whats called prodigial mechanic's touch =P