Not defeated, but slightly annoyed.

"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain) 05/29/2017 at 00:39 • Filed to: $950MiataProject

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I went to separate the lower ball joint today with a pickle fork and the joint at the fork and didn’t surrender. It’s currently sitting in the garage enjoying the delicious fork. I think tomorrow I go to harbor-freight and get a ball joint separator in hopes that I can get it around the lodged pickle fork. The top ball joint was easy peasy. The bottom one is a devil.

In other news, the tie rod ends wouldn’t come off the tie rods. No worries though, I took out my anger from the ball joint by cutting those bastards straight off.

The nice part about this project is that I don’t have any timeline for finishing. It’s done when it’s done. Not worth ever getting truly frustrated over.

LeftOfTheDial > Nick Has an Exocet 05/29/2017 at 00:52

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I never had luck with those. Ball joint separators are much better...be sure to get one with enough,but not too much, gap to grab the control arm. POP! and it will be separated.

DrJohannVegas > Nick Has an Exocet 05/29/2017 at 00:56

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https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-forged-ball-joint-separator-99849.html

I’ve used this to great success many times.

XJDano > Nick Has an Exocet 05/29/2017 at 01:08

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If you aren’t reusing the ball joint, put a nut back on the threads and smash it with a BFH. Also beat the shit out of the spindle area, the vibration helps loosen the seated joint.

Shift24 > DrJohannVegas 05/29/2017 at 01:34

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Yes, bought one this weekend and just kept hitting it with an impact gun and popped 3 ball joints like it was no problem

pip bip - choose Corrour > Nick Has an Exocet 05/29/2017 at 05:32

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try a bigger hammer

CunningStunter > XJDano 05/29/2017 at 14:45

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That’s how I do it too. Couple of sharp raps with a big hammer and it usually drops.

Die-Trying > Nick Has an Exocet 05/29/2017 at 17:05

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whenever i have had a pickle fork that wouldnt spread the ball joint far enough, i have gotten a wrench with about the same size mouth, stuffed it in there too, to help it get a wider spread.....

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > XJDano 05/30/2017 at 14:30

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Best version of the hammer-to-eye-area trick is to use a big hammer as a backer for the eye, then to nail the eye very sharply with a lighter hammer like a ball peen. Since, y’know, you want the shock to be maximum and the eye to be “pinched”.