My new front balljoints arrived today. I'm curious how others have removed the 3 rivets.
I imagine my only choice's are grinding the tops off with an angle grinder or drilling through the centers.
What do you recommend??

 

looks like the axle is in the way of the tops of the rivets...my plan is to use the angle grinder and attack the rivets from the underside of the control arm....please....has anyone tried this?

 

iownme, I would use the angle grinder. That is going to be the much quicker path than trying to drill out the rivets. If you can, get what is referred to as a "nukie grinder". This is a pneumatic cutter that is very similar to an angle grinder, but the difference is that the nukie grinder spins at 25,000 RPM vice the 8-10,000 of the angle grinder. The faster blade cuts through the metal a lot faster.

 

Thanks Thermo. Though i'll have to go the angle grinder route this time as thats all that is available. Glad i picked up a new cutting wheel a while back.
It's all jacked up with the wheel off, ready to start in the morning.
Hunted down the angle grinder and luckily found it (i'm at work for the week)
If it goes easily i'll probably do the passenger side also (though it felt ok)...i did buy a pair of balljoints.

 

s'not going well!!.
ground down the head of the first rivet, but cannot get the rivet out.
Tried to remove the pinch bolt holding the knuckle to the ball joint, but the bolt is siezed.
Any one know what size torx bit the bolt is?
any ideas?

 

I gave up on the balljoint...without an oxy/acet torch to heat up the pinch bolt figured i was wasting my time grinding the rivets.
I took it to a shop just up the road where they charged me $25 to replace the BJ....i was chuffed with the price and gave them $40

 

I used a pnumatic chisel to cut both bottom and tops off the rivets, then drilled the center out. Used the air chisel again to push the joint out of the control arm. Noisey but effective. al