Separating lower ball joint tricks?

[Guyfromthenorth]

I've gotta pull a CV shaft (torn boot) this coming week. I changed out my struts a few days back and the balljoint separator I bought wasn't even close to fitting the upper balljoint, so I just used a pry bar to apply pressure between the knuckle and the control arm while also beating on the knuckle with a hammer and it finally popped. Although it worked for the upper, I'm not sure I can get the same leverage on the lower with a prybar, and owning only 2 hands things can get awkward on spots like this. So I had an idea that I could just finger thread the lower ball joint nut back on a few threads until flush with the bottom of the balljoint shank (not not all the way up to the knuckle, just enough to protect the shank and catch the control arm when it pops free) and then put a small jack under the shank\nut and lift it up an inch so the strut\coil is applying a force downward on the lower control arm resisting my lift upward. Then knock on the lower knuckle with a hammer until it pops. So essentially using the springs downward force as an invisible pry-bar. Truck jacked up on the frame and jackstanded of course, all the same safety things as usual.

Am I missing anything? Sound like a trick worth trying? Anything that gets me a good resisting force to free the joint easier would be helpful. I don't like wailing on aluminum with a hammer, and obviously can't apply any heat to make things loosen up either.

 

[mikeru]

I haven't separated ball joints on a Ram but I'm assuming the shaft is tapered. If that's the case you shouldn't have to pry on it while beating with a bfh. Just smack the snot out of it and it will separate. But it's a good idea to thread the nut on a few turns to keep things from flying apart.

 

[Guyfromthenorth]

Thanks for the reply Mike, and you are correct, the service procedures state to give it a tap and they pop apart. I either have bad luck or it's all the salt and corrosion up here that welds my parts together so well. I stared with some hammer and all i got was hammer shaped dents in the knuckle. I worked around the female taper the joint shank fits into then moved on to beating it downward/45 deg angle to it. Finally had a friend lean on a pry bar while I hit it and after 5 or so big hits it popped. Won't have my friend around for the lower joint this week though lol.

 

[Guyfromthenorth]

I just remembered the knuckle hangs below the lower control arm so using the strut resistance won't help. Hammer and pry bar it'll be. Sorry about the wasted thread!