Posted by Michael on December 16, 1999 at 17:30:33:

In Reply to: A-Frame Ball joint help. posted by Michael on November 29, 1999 at 19:33:03:

About your A frame ball joint. I just finished mine up yesterday and I'm glad I did. There is one
less annoying clunk in the drive train. The bad news is was a real pain to get the job done.

1. To get the ball joint out of the axle mount you'll need a ball joint fork with at least a one and one
quarter inch throat. You'll need to get the fork on the shaft from the front side of the axle and bang
away for a while before it loosens. If you can't find a big enough fork, grind a pitman arm (drop
arm) fork to the appropriate size. I did, worked great.

2. To get the ball joint out of the a frame is a real bugger. For starters, it is pressed in. Second, the
seam faces up and has a nice groove to hold water onto the seam. So major rust welding is an issue
here. My 12 ton press did not even make an impression. Try a bigger press or a lot of heat....or do
as I did. Begin by getting a power saw and cut the two bolt flanges off the ball joint a close to the
body of the joint as possible. If you did not tear the boot off the joint with the fork, do so now.
Then take your saw and cut the flange off that holds the actual ball in the joint. You'll have to cut all
the way around it as close to the body as you can. Then pry or pound the ball out of the joint and
remove the plastic cup inside. Next drill a hole in the top side of the joint body large enough to get
your saw blade into and cut the body through on both sides all the way to the a frame. Careful not to
cut into the frame very much. At this point, you should be able to drift the two halves out with a
lump hammer and a punch.

3. Clean up the inside of the arm where the new ball is to go. Use a fine file or emery cloth. Grease
both the inside of the arm and the outside of the ball joint with copper based anti-seize grease. You'll
need a press to get the new joint back in. Use longer bolts through the joint to guide it in as it is
pressed. 8mm I think. You'll want to make sure the bolt holes are lined up when it is pressed fully
home.

4. Reinstall the arm. Hopefully you've also replaced the bushings in the frame at this point. Make
sure to use a new cotter pin on the bolt, not included with the ball joint. Use the copper grease on the
tapered part of the ball joint and on the threads too. New bolts and nuts are recommended on the
bushings too.

That should do it. With help from one mate, we finished in about four hours.

Good luck,

Michael