My Rt. Fron't Control arm ball joint is shot and I am attempting to change it. However I am unable to separate the knucle from the ball joint. I have the bolt out but the stem of the ball joint sticks after coming out half way. If anyone else has done this please let me know how it was accomplished.
Thanks

 

you can force the arm down, but you risk damaging the rubber (and fluid filled too) bushings.

Best to drop one side of the subframe by about an inch then much easier. need to remove two bolts on the bracket around the rear subframe bolt, then back out that bolt about an inch. front bolt just undoes and the subfram should lower down a bit. (obviously make sure your jackstands are not on the subframe!!)

I use a large adjustable crescent wrence to grab onto the arm to pry it down.

let me know if this helps.

 

I'd love to see some pics of the procedure. I may attempt this over the summer.

 

Thank you for the suggestion. I will try again on tuesday the 14th when I will have some time. I shall follow up with the outcome.

 

no need to lower the subframe, take out the front lower control arm bolt, and loosen the rear one to take the tension off the bushing.....then you large channel locks or cresent wrench to pull the joint out of the knuckle. You get a new lower control arm that includes the ball joint, never seen them seperatly.

 

that should work too...

 

Thanks for the expert advise, Loosening the rear bolt and freeing the front attachment made it easy to separate the ball joint from the knuckle. i wish the rear bolt was inserted from bottom up as that would make it a lot easier to detach the LCA. Again thank you all.
I didn't have a camera handy for the pics.