Have you replaced ball joints?

[progressive hunter]

I've never used one, I just know I had to take my old '78 into Axel Wheel and Aligning Co after replacing the king pins because they have a frame machine that they can use for it.

I guess you can use a frame machine,, the one I used didnt have that ability,, my guess is they had a i beam bender along with it and used it,,

it look like an i beam and hooks over one end and hangs under the i beam and depending on which direction you need to adjust you put the ram in the middle or on the other end and pump it up while its connected to the alignemnt machine to track the progress

 

[sparky]

~S~

 

[Crepitus]

I guess you can use a frame machine,, the one I used didnt have that ability,, my guess is they had a i beam bender along with it and used it,,

it look like an i beam and hooks over one end and hangs under the i beam and depending on which direction you need to adjust you put the ram in the middle or on the other end and pump it up while its connected to the alignemnt machine to track the progress

Yes, a big hydraulic ram and various mounts and attachments, used while connected to the alignment machine.

 

[Crepitus]

View attachment 836925
~S~

There are better ways. That thing will take forever.

 

[The Duke]

an impact isnt needed other than removing the tire,,

They come in handy for tough bolts.

My impact wrench was one you hit with a..HAMMUH!

 

[sparky]

There are better ways. That thing will take forever.

yes & i've had many a bloody knuckle using it Crep.......~S~

 

[progressive hunter]

Yes, a big hydraulic ram and various mounts and attachments, used while connected to the alignment machine.

no its a small ram about 4 inches tall that sits on top of the arm hanging under the i beam,,,
and whether you put it in the middle of the i beam or the other end from the hook its hanging from determines the direction the beam bends,,

and according to the guy that taught me to use it you dont bend the beam you adjust it,,

Yes, a big hydraulic ram and various mounts and attachments, used while connected to the alignment machine.

this ones a lot more modern than the one I used,,

Axle Correction

Axle Correction system details.

www.beeline-co.com

https://www.beeline-co.com/application/files/7514/6844/4928/405BL.gif

 

[Crepitus]

no its a small ram about 4 inches tall that sits on top of the arm hanging under the i beam,,,
and whether you put it in the middle of the i beam or the other end from the hook its hanging from determines the direction the beam bends,,

and according to the guy that taught me to use it you dont bend the beam you adjust it,,

this ones a lot more modern than the one I used,,

Axle Correction

Axle Correction system details.

www.beeline-co.com

https://www.beeline-co.com/application/files/7514/6844/4928/405BL.gif

All I can tell you is what I saw. Like I said to start with, I've never done it, just seen it.

 

[progressive hunter]

All I can tell you is what I saw. Like I said to start with, I've never done it, just seen it.

the picture I posted is a modern version,, the one I used back in the 80s was more rustic looking and much beefier,,

the more I think about it I imagine the ones used to bend the big single axle semi truck front ends would be much larger and might be what you saw,,

 

[Crepitus]

the picture I posted is a modern version,, the one I used back in the 80s was more rustic looking and much beefier,,

the more I think about it I imagine the ones used to bend the big single axle semi truck front ends would be much larger and might be what you saw,,

That is one of the things they do there, yes.

 

[Missourian]

I have replaced hundreds,, they are very easy once you do a few,, these are some of the easier ones

I image thats a stamped I beam set up,, so put a jack under the i beam and do as you already said,, you can hammer the sides of the tie rods to break them loose without using a fork, and also hammer out the ball joints,,
to put them back in you can hammer them in but its ockword a press does work best

the lower one can be set on a jackstand and hammer on the knuckle to set the joint the upper is a struggle,,

shouldnt take more than 30 minutes,,

if the joints are in the knuckle you can take the whole thing out on a bench and it should be easier for that style,,

Thanks for the advice.

I've only separated tie rods with the fork. Going to try your method asap.

 

[Missourian]

Be very careful using just any YouTube video on this. There exists a few seriously good instruction videos. Do your homework if you think you can do it yourself.

good luck

That's a fact. Exactly why I try to solicit some advice from folks I know.

I hate that Youtube hid the dislikes. I haven't found an extension for mobile to reveal them yet.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[progressive hunter]

Thanks for the advice.

I've only separated tie rods with the fork. Going to try your method asap.

just give her a good solid whack right on the side of where the shaft goes through,,

sometimes a tierod end will bounce so put another hammer behind it for support,,

if you have a stuck bleeder on a caliper I can tell you how to get it unstack using the same method,,

no such thing as a hammer to big,,,

 

[progressive hunter]

That's a fact. Exactly why I try to solicit some advice from folks I know.

I hate that Youtube hid the dislikes. I haven't found an extension for mobile to reveal them yet.

Thanks for the reply.

oh shit one more thing,,

on your ball joints there wont be any spring pressure to pull them apart so it may come apart and you cant tell from looking at it,,,

if youre doing an A arm frame car dont take the nut all the way off and make sure the jack is under the lower control arm,,

if its under the frame and you take the nut off you may not like what happens,,

 

[Missourian]

Ol' Blue. That's the name I call my truck, a 1965 Chevy C10.


https://i.postimg.cc/BQ434fts/image.jpg

Love that old bastard. Runs like a top, too.

Old Blue is only blue in the most general sense of the word. Ironically, Ford Blue paint didn't stick to Ford Blue Trucks very well. Old Blue is actually mostly surface rust colored.

 

[Missourian]

My balls don't have joints. They just swing.

Yeah...only the big brass ones have joints.

 

[Missourian]

You gonna need the "special tool" AKA "Ball joint separator".

And a hammuh! And only get parts from the factory or NAPA, that Chinese crap will let ya down.

You'll need open ends and beefy sockets. A-uhh impact wrench would be nice.

The puttin' together is where it got dicey for me..I felt that if I hammered on that thing, might do some damage,

so I took where a dude had a hydraulic press and it popped right together. Possibly a C-clamp would work?

I'm a jerbroni, only done it once and it was on a Ford truck and it was decades ago.

O'Reilly's auto parts has a ball joint press on their free loaner list. I saw a few in Amazon for $40...but every third review was 'bent the first time I used it'.

Think I'll try the loaner.

I have a HF 12 ton pipe bender that I think I could convert into a press in a pinch.

 

[Missourian]

It's not that hard, but that quote of $750 is a pretty darn good price for the job here at least.

I kinda got the impression he saw me coming. Being a dumbass, I blurted out that I owned a semi and that I was leaving in the morning.

One day I will learn to just keep my effin mouth shut.

 

[progressive hunter]

O'Reilly's auto parts has a ball joint press on their free loaner list. I saw a few in Amazon for $40...but every third review was 'bent the first time I used it'.

Think I'll try the loaner.

I have a HF 12 ton pipe bender that I think I could convert into a press in a pinch.

get this one if you can,, a few other sizes inside the sleeve,,

 

[Missourian]

get this one if you can,, a few other sizes inside the sleeve,,

View attachment 837089

That's the same one O'Reilly's offers...

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/evertough/tools---equipment/rental-tools/suspension---steering-rental-tools/9e8ada6cd6e2/rental-tools-evertough-ball-joint-u-joint-press-set/ren1/67045