TheRedSH

So my front crossmember is bent, also my lower arm bushings were destroyed. So I bought new parts I'm in the process of removing the entire front crossmember assembly including the radius rods and lower arms on both sides.

I took off the lower arms using ratchet trick.
However, this ball joint from the radius rod wouldn't even budge.
I hammered the side many times, tried ratchet trick or pry bars nothing seem working.

Do I really need to go get the ball joint presser or removal tool?

And how do I put this back on? Would just tighting the rad rod nut enough? or do I need the presser?

So right now, my lower arm is off and the spindle is just kinda hanging by axle and upper control arms. However, I fnished replacing the bushings on the lower arms, should I put it back on first then take the radius rod off?

Idk what I'm doing here...

boris4378

If you have a propane torch, heat the metal part that the ball joint goes through (the part that you banged) heat it up real good and give it a few more good bangs, let it cool and give it a few more bangs again, should pop right out.

boris4378

btw when heating the metal, be careful not to burn the ball joint boot. Smells really bad and you don't want a hole in it, lol

TheRedSH

Thank you for the tip! I have a heat gun let me try to heat it up tmrw and see what happens. If not I guess I really need that tool haha

TheRedSH

Okay been figthing my ass off with this radius rod for 3 days. It really ****ing pisses me off I really just want to just throw this **** out.

I've been fighting with the car for 3 days about 6 hours a day. Just been hammering this one ball joint for 2 days now. It wouldn't budge.
I've used ball joint seperators heating it up rachet tricks everypossible thing and it wouldn't come off. Even my friend mechanic just came and told me to destroy the ball joint.

I have really no clue what to do. No one seems to have a good idea. I took everything off just need this ball joint to come off but it won't I really need help I want to drive not stuck in home for 4 days.

zfinatic

The tool is less than 10 bucks....can get a whole kit (3 different sizes) for like 16-17.....get the right tools...youll most likely use it more than once lol. If ya tear up the boot on the ball joint replace it for a couple bucks. With the time you e invested you could have had it done by now. Time is money.

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TheRedSH

First of all, the tool was not less than 10 dollars. The fork was 10 dollars but it didn't do anything. I've tried the press (which was 100 dollars) guess what? The press broke in half. I took it to a mechanic he couldn't get it off either so what I did was I just took the entire left side spindle assembly off with the radius rod. This makes me mad. and ball joint was 40 dollars

LowFlyin'

It's always fun when you run into those situations.

When I did the clutch on my SH many years ago, I couldn't even get as far as you did. I couldn't get the nut loose.

1/2" - nope
1/2" breaker - nope
1/2" impact - nope
3/4" impact - nope

4 way with a 6' pipe on one side and a 7' fence post on the other - YUP!

13' of leverage and it finally broke loose. I bought the car with 7000 miles on it, so I know I was the first one to touch it. lol

__________________
Chris @ DeatschWerks (Fuel Nerd)

The PepsiLude - Dec 2002 to Mar 2007

StylezSH

Working on the prelude's suspension can and will be a nightmare. I recently did my front and lower ball joints and radius and it required me to use a machine shop press.
O god let me not even get started on the Energy suspension Bushing job ..