Ball joint problem!!!

[Guinn]

Help! I put new boots on the steering rack. This requires removing the ball joints which was no problem BUT when I was re-installing the driver's side ball joint, the nut went part way on, then the nut and the ball joint shaft started turning together. Can't get the nut ON nor OFF. There must be a trick to this, so can anyone help me?

Thanks, Guinn /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif

 

[Guinn]

Hold it! I thought if the ball joint has to be terribly strong and is a cone in a cone-shaped cavity, similar to a drill-press chuck, then a few sharp blows to the top of the joint while holding a heavy bucking-bar under the steering lever, should tighten it up enough to finish screwing the nut back on. Voila! it worked! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Guinn

 

[Bugeye58]

Ah yes. The joys of hammer!!
Jeff

 

[ROADSTR6]

This is actually a tie rod end, not a ball joint. Our cars don't have ball joints. Usually if I have trouble threading on or off a tie rod end, I just use some vice grips to hold the inner tie rod shaft as I wrench on the new tie rod end.

 

[Guinn]

OOPS! I stand corrected, Roadstr6. At any rate, the balljoint remover THOUGHT it was a balljoint and separated the components for me. I used the screw type remover, not the pickle fork, and it worked very well.

Guinn