• From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2005-06-11
  • Posts: 266

Topic: Ball joint removal

It seems that people are just heating the trailing arms (torsion arms?) to a dull red and then hammering the ball joints out.  Is there any other way?

My brother tried using a shop press to get them out, but we couldn't grab enough of the metal on the torsion arm to get a good grip.  Plus, the ball joint just kept bending and we couldn't keep it straight.

I called the local VW shop (Midland Imports) and they declined to work on it because they "like to supply parts" (He wanted $62 per ball joint!) and assured me that I had a McPherson strut (despite the fact that I don't have a super) and only needed two ball joints rather than the 4 that I had mentioned.

Is there anything particular about these ball joints that only a VW shop could do? Can I bring them elsewhere and expect a good job?

-biggie

thebignic's Website

  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Registered: 2005-09-10
  • Posts: 2,318

Re: Ball joint removal

Yeah I know that some of those ball-joints can be really stubborn about being removed...and I guess as a last resort using the "heat" method will get them out.  I like trying the "pickle-fork" method first (both the handheld pickle-fork & an impact wrench pickle-fork).

Here's a link to the procedure where the guy uses a pickle-fork to remove the ball joints:

http://laudeman.com/bug_front_adjusters.html

Good luck,

- Nick

1979 Super Beetle Convertible
  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2005-06-11
  • Posts: 266

Re: Ball joint removal

I actually read that previous to posting.  (as well as searched for a ball-joint puller, but the tools on thesamba all appeared to be tools for pulling the ball joint out of the spindles?)  He only mentions using the pickle fork to get them off the spindles and then taking them to a shop to have the ball joints pressed out/in.

We've got the joints out of the spindles already and the torsion arms have been removed from the front end... I'm talking about pressing the ball joints out of the torsion arm.

-biggie

thebignic's Website

  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Registered: 2005-09-10
  • Posts: 2,318

Re: Ball joint removal

thebignic wrote:

We've got the joints out of the spindles already and the torsion arms have been removed from the front end... I'm talking about pressing the ball joints out of the torsion arm.

Sorry...I missed that detail.  I have a press, and I usually give that a try first.  But if I felt my press couldn't handle it, I go to a local machine shop.

- Nick

1979 Super Beetle Convertible
  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2005-06-11
  • Posts: 266

Re: Ball joint removal

Do you have a particular jig or mold that you use? 

There doesn't appear to be much of a surface to press against, as the front of the torsion arm slopes down and is very thin.   (I believe that is the lower, while the upper arms both seem to have more surface area as well as a 'tab')

-biggie

thebignic's Website

  • From: somewhere over the rainbow USA
  • Registered: 2006-07-26
  • Posts: 1,882

Re: Ball joint removal

There is a special tool made for VW ball joint removal.Cost about 5 bills so that is why the shop likes to furnish parts. someone has to pay for that specialty tool. It allows you to do them on the car. But any good machine shop should be able to press them out for you . heat might work to take them out but not to put them in.
I want to see someone remove them with just a pickle fork,LOL

burrhead

A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.
  • From: somewhere over the rainbow USA
  • Registered: 2006-07-26
  • Posts: 1,882

Re: Ball joint removal

Yancey wrote:

spam? Yancey

What you talkin bout, Willis?
                                      LOL

burrhead

A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.
  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2005-06-11
  • Posts: 266

Re: Ball joint removal

Where can one source out one of these magical tools? 

I've actually done quite a bit of searching, and had concluded that no such unicorn exists!

-biggie

thebignic's Website

  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Registered: 2005-09-10
  • Posts: 2,318

Re: Ball joint removal

This may not be super helpful...but it's a pretty funny video of a mechanic removing a ball joint on a bus. 

The "funny" or interesting parts are:

- as the mechanic is assembling or installing the ball joint removal tool...the whole assembly falls to the floor before he's able to tighten things up...just like it might happen to any of us!  So he has to do it a 2nd time.

- at the end he says "HA"...lol!: )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihW9jNLjLZI

- Nick

1979 Super Beetle Convertible
  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Registered: 2005-09-10
  • Posts: 2,318

Re: Ball joint removal

Here's a photo of the ball joint removal tool used in the video.  I searched for it online...but couldn't find anyone selling it.

- Nick

http://glenn-ring.com/temp/ball_joint_tool.jpg

1979 Super Beetle Convertible
  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Registered: 2005-09-10
  • Posts: 2,318

Re: Ball joint removal

Here are a couple "kits" at Harbor Freight which might be useful:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d … umber=4065

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/04000-04099/04065.gif

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d … mber=38335

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/38300-38399/38335.gif

Hope this helps,

- Nick

1979 Super Beetle Convertible
  • From: Canada
  • Registered: 2004-03-27
  • Posts: 630

Re: Ball joint removal

One method I recall reading about was using a jack to apply upward pressure on the arm after removing the nut, then giving the cage surrounding the balljoint some "love taps" with a ball peen hammer.

The theory there being the vibrations would loosen the friction fit holding it in place.

It's been a while since I've had to separate any, but I'm pretty sure I used that sort of technique along with the fork to pursuade them apart.

Optimally, the proper tool is much easier on parts you might want to save.

1979 Type 1 Convertible                                       1976 Scirocco (For Sale!)
1971 Type 1 Semi-Automatic Super                       1968 Type 1 Sedan
1961 Type 1 Sedan
1957 Type 1 Sunroof

Der Bugmeister's Website

  • From: somewhere over the rainbow USA
  • Registered: 2006-07-26
  • Posts: 1,882

Re: Ball joint removal

I think bignic is trying to get the ball joint out of the arm not separating the ball joint from the spindle  wink
The tool I was referring to was made by Assenmacher Tool Co. It allowed you to change out the ball joints still on the car.
I did a search but looks like nobody stocks it. Maybe not being made?
I don't think those other ball joint tools will work very well.

burrhead

A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.
  • From: Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2005-06-11
  • Posts: 266

Re: Ball joint removal

burrhead wrote:

The tool I was referring to was made by Assenmacher Tool Co. It allowed you to change out the ball joints still on the car.
I did a search but looks like nobody stocks it. Maybe not being made?
I don't think those other ball joint tools will work very well.

One would thing that there's still a small market for such tools?  Not so much the C-Clamp but the collars that fit on the torsion arm and hold the ball-joint straight - those can't be prohibitively expensive to make?  Must still be a pretty common tool for Mexican shops?

I don't like that my list of shop-outsourcing is growing beyond align bores and head rebuilding ...  I want to do it all in my garage!

-biggie

thebignic's Website

  • From: Washington, Indiana
  • Registered: 2004-03-27
  • Posts: 1,423

Re: Ball joint removal

I still have the Tool that Burr referred to, its in pretty sad shape but still does the job....I MIGHT be interested in buying a spare if somebody still has one....

                                                               Yancey

Yancey's Website