How to extract the LCA from the knuckle

[AspenForester]

I'm in the process of doing a diff swap, but at the moment I'm stuck because I can't separate the LCA/ball joint from the steering knuckle.
I've driven a chisel into the pinch socket, and liberal amounts of PBBlaster, but no amount of prying on the LCA has budged the ball joint.

I'm considering taking the brakes apart in hopes that I could then reach the very end of the control arm to beat on.

Any other recommendations?

 

[zeddzik]

It's for sure a stubborn part but you have the right idea, definitely take the rotors and calipers off. If you have a piece of wood or something to hammer on you can place it on the lca and smack away until it is loose. Also if you have some kind of tool or piece of metal that fits behind the knuckle, hitting the post of the ball joint itself might be effective too but that one is a bit riskier and you could end up damaging the joint.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[PunkST]

Take the rotors off and use the correct tool. You may also have to take the pressure of the spring out of the equation by jacking up on the edge of the hub.

 

[AspenForester]

I ended up disassembling the brakes. The driver's side ended up coming apart with a few whacks on the very nose of the LCA. Unfortunately, on the passenger side, the drift slipped at some point and when the ball joint finally came out of the knuckle, I saw that I'd put a small hole in the ball joint boot. The cheapest solution turned out to be to just replace the whole control arm.

 

[maestromaestro]

I ended up disassembling the brakes. The driver's side ended up coming apart with a few whacks on the very nose of the LCA. Unfortunately, on the passenger side, the drift slipped at some point and when the ball joint finally came out of the knuckle, I saw that I'd put a small hole in the ball joint boot. The cheapest solution turned out to be to just replace the whole control arm.

That won’t resolve the tear in the boot though. It is, however, less aggravating to replace the whole half-shaft than just to futz with the boot. I know from the bitter experience. Not much more money, but a much easier job.

 

[FiST to death]

That won’t resolve the tear in the boot though. It is, however, less aggravating to replace the whole half-shaft than just to futz with the boot. I know from the bitter experience. Not much more money, but a much easier job.

I think he meant the ball joint boot, not the half shaft CV boot- I'd guess the new control arm came with a new ball joint.

 

[FiST to death]

...and I just now realized how old this thread is... lol. Hope everything turned out well!

 

[Sam4]

...and I just now realized how old this thread is... lol. Hope everything turned out well!

Dont worry - I just got LCA's last week and will be beating on the knuckles (with my knuckles bleeding) very soon - right in your neighborhood!

 

[FiST to death]

Geez, if I'd known how close you are I have a whole lower subframe with the LCAs and knuckles sitting out back. Lol

 

[the duke]

 

[FiST to death]

"I've mended something!"

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk