I am trying to remove the lower ball joint. I am trying to do it in situ.
So far what I have done is remove the lower cup, remove the tie rod end (so I can turn the hub further and get better access to the ball joint bolt)
Undo the not enough so the end of the thread is protected
Beat the living daylights out of it with a hammer and copper drift.
I have also tried getting a ball joint separator between the lower wishbone arm and the ball.
Nothing is budging - not even a skerrick.
Access isnt brilliant but it should be enough.
The ball moves totally freely of the hub body, the problem is that it seems to be seized in the wishbone mount.

Any advice or tips please?
Cheers
Tim.

 

What sort of ball joint taper splitter are you using ? I ask because I never had any difficulty splitting the taper on a Mark 2, (same suspension), and an XJ6 (very similar suspension)

The tool I had looked like this: -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ball-Join...4AAOSw0Apc78W1

You had to whallop the tool flat side between the wishbone arm and the ball joint above the rubber boot to get it into place, then screw in the bolt until there was quite a lot of tension in the assembly. Then one hammered the top of the clamp that is pressing down on the balljoint bolt until the taper lets go. It never failed for me, but if you;re trying to remove old-type balljoints that have been there a long time, a bit of heat might help.

 

Thanks for that. I have been using a really basic wedge shaped fork but the one you picture looks significantly better with more direct downwards pressure. I will get one.
cheers

 

Ok, the ball joint separator was the key. Thanks. I now have a u beaut ball joint separator.

 

Which you'll now probably not use for another five years at least !!

If you are replacing the old ball joints, are you putting on the later type as introduced on the XJ40 series of XJ saloons ? These are cheap and last almost for ever

 

Yep Fraser I put the later version on. You are right that I mightnt use it after this session of maintenance but there are between 6 and 8 joints this can be used on duging this period so money well spent.

 

When I gave up working on cars, (I now GAMI it - Get A Man In !!), I sold a lot of tools at a car boot sale.

 

I can never get the swing clearance and leverage I seem to need for a pickle fork. Grant's tool in Post #2, which practically all auto parts stores lend out, is the fool proof way to get ball joints off the car...in my opinion.