lower ball joints

[Tommy 17]

how do i get them outta the spindel!!! i've been up there beat on the thing now for over 2 hours haha... the darn things won't move... the top ones slid right out so plz tell me what i'm doin wrong...

i used a rubber mallet already and a block of wood and the darn things still won't move!!!!:grr

[Chef]

Use a bigger hammer dude. Or, if you arent trying to save them. use a pickle fork, and a big hammer.

[Tommy 17]

is there a certain angle that the a-arms have to be at to let it break free???? i am doin it when they are hangin the whole way down... and where is the best place to hit them at... i've tried on the ball joint, on the a-arms on the spindel everywhere... they have never been out in 3 years so i'm thinkin its siezed...

[Extremeracer167]

heat the aluminum up with a torch. Thats the only way mine ould come off. heat it up good and then take a bronze punch put it through tthe top whole and hit straight down on the bottom joint. That shouldnt damage the lower joint. But the aluminum will expand it still takes some good waks, but it will come

[Guy400]

Go to your local auto parts store and buy or rent a balljoint fork.

[nakomis0]

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36628

Theres a thread that talks about it. And there is actually a better thread in the FAQ forum posted by Leo. It tells of 2 ways to get them off.

The first way is hitting the side of the spindle, which didn't work for me.

The second way involved using a socket as a spacer, and backing out the opposite balljoint nut to push out the stuck one. It kinda hard to understand but once you get the basic concept its pretty easy. I'd do a search for that thread in the FAQ cause its a good one.

[Tommy 17]

thats what my dad said guy... but one problem... theres snow all over the roads, ice, and the nearest place is 30mins away:(

i read that post by leo in the faq but that was just a bunch of nothing for me haha... i didn't understand it but i'll go re read it again...

[beerock]

tommy theres an easy way to do this.

loosen the bottom bolt of the ball joint until its flush with the threading.put the top ball joint in and put the bolt on and make it flush with the threading.

find a socket that will fit in between the top and bottom bolts(usualy an extended socket will work) once this socket is in between them loosen the bottom ball joint bolt so it starts to press the ball joint out it wll take some arm strength to do it but the ball joint WILL pop out.
If there is alot of pressure on the bolt and the ball joint hasnt popped out you may want to tap the spindle to pop the ball joint out.

try it, I do it every time with mine you dont need a fork there a waste of money and can cut up the ball joint boots..

[nakomis0]

put you top balljoint back on. Put a nut on that balljoint and snug it up on the spindle. Now put a second nut on the top balljoint spin it on till it touches the first nut. Now put a deep socket on top of the second nut. Now back that second nut off and it should raise the socket till it starts to push on the lower ball joint. keep going till it pops off.

I think that works. May need a spacer or somekind of rig on your socket.

[Ralph]

guys i have tried everything and now came up with my own way

once the top is off unbolt the lower a-arm and support the spindle up against something, a nerfbar works good, then use a long 1/4 inch exstension and feed it throught the top balljoint hole and up against the balljoint bolts, leave te nut from the balljoint bolt on just on the end so u dont ruin the threads, then start hitting it with a big hammer,

i tried everything else before this and then one shot with this and it came off...

[Tommy 17]

still no luck... tried the bolt methode it won't work... next is the punch methode but i won't have time to do it tonight...


i was thinkin about screwing a o hook into the bottom of my shed floor and one into the rafter... gettin 2 ratchet tie downs and hookin one to the lower a-arm and one to the spindel then crank them down... it should pop that darn thing apart:devil

[beerock]

tommy your gonna break the spindle that way.!!!!

the socket way WORKS

your not doing it right if you cant get it out.

try it again dude.

take a deep breath and try to understand how the socket method works...

ive done it a million times...

[A4StrokeGuy]

Ok heres what i have done on 2 ex's to get the ball joints broke loose. First i always take the bottom one out first but it may still work. 1. i usually take a jack and put on the bottom of the hub so it is supporting the a-arms and spindle. 2 wack it with a big hammer HARD, they usually pop out 2nd or 3rd wack. I seem to usually have trouble with the tops.



a-arms < ball joints
----------------o
| | < spindle
hammer = | |---------------
V |
----------------0 V------- Jack
--------------------
Jack will support hub watch out for brake disc though

I hope this helped, i apologize for my terrible art work, sumday i'll take sum pics


Jordan

[A4StrokeGuy]

seems the PC messed up my great art work, my bad. hopefully u get the idea, it seems the PC is still smarter then me:grr

[Ralph]

Originally posted by beerock
tommy your gonna break the spindle that way.!!!!

the socket way WORKS

your not doing it right if you cant get it out.

try it again dude.

take a deep breath and try to understand how the socket method works...

ive done it a million times...

my way?

[Guy400]

Tommy, Leo put a thread in the FAQ forum on this very procedure. He even included pics, take a look.

[racin 400]

my bottoms came out easy but my tops won't budge so i didn't paint em.pull the a-arms up till they are about 3 inches higher then when they are straight the hit it with a hammer.

[beerock]

Guy, the one pic is missin.

Lrd Mx400ex

not your way, the way tommy desribed.

the way he described will end up bending or breaking the spindles.

heres a pic tommy.

put the socket in between the boltsand LOOSEN THE NUT IT WILL push the ball joint out.

loosen the bolt until it either pops or its to hard to loosen anymore and hit the red dot with a hammer.

[Ralph]

Originally posted by Guy432
Tommy, Leo put a thread in the FAQ forum on this very procedure. He even included pics, take a look.

i tried what lep said and it didnt work,,,

[400exRacerX]

Don't use a balljoint fork cause it will destroy the rubber seals. Pull up on the a arm with the shocks still on the bike,, putting a load on the balljoint, then give the side of the spindle a quick smack shocking the balljoint and popping it outta the spindle.

[user101]

when i took mine off i did exactly what Norm said. Mine had been in there for about 3 1/2 years. mine came out pretty easy.

[Live2Ride300]

The way I did mine was I used a hammer and hit it on the red dot, and at first that didnt work so I heated it up some using a torch then hit it with the hammer again and it popped right off. Have you tried the torch yet tommy?

[400exRacerX]

You'd be crazy to heat up aluminum. I would highly reccomend not heating the spindle to pop a balljoint out. The heat will melt the aluminum or weaken it.

[beerock]

tommy did you get it out or what?

Are you stuck in the shed goin crazy trying to get them out and vowed not to come out till the ball joints came out??

The best way to get them out is the socket way. It presses them out.
You dont ruin the boots and no wacky set up is needed.

maybe i should reitterate that when the socket is tight in between the two bolts(as hard as you can turn them) and the joint is still in there tapping i ton the red dot will pop the joint out.

if you cant get the ball joint out then your not unscrewing the bolt enough(put more pressure on it) use a breaker bar if you have too.

I dont think the spindle is seized to the ball joint. because of the different metals(I could be wrong though)- but i dont think aluminum will bind with the steel joint causing a seize..

[beerock]

heres an updated pic to help.
it was hard to find a good color to read everything
(Im bored)

[Ralph]

now this should go in the faq

[Tommy 17]

well after a long night of partying... i went to a dance all last night... and drank pretty heavy... woke up today at 1 on my g.fs front porch haha what a night don't remember to much... wow what a hang over haha


but anyways i tried the socket bolt methode on the other a-arm it came right off... so the throttle side is done... now the clutch side the one i've had trouble with is stuck i dunno wtf is up???... i've been up there trying for another hour and it won't budge... could i have bent the ball joint and its stuck there???:huh

later on i'm gonna go back up and try again... its all i got left to do and shes a bare frame ready to get pced...

[Ralph]

it musta been weird waking up on ur gf doorstep, guess she left you hanging? lol j/k is it the same girl as the one in the littles acident...?

[Tommy 17]

yes it was joanna the same one... she was on the chair next to me haha

i'm goin up to work on it right now... be back in 15 mins with results...

[Tommy 17]

its off:D !!!

it took a cresant wrench on the bottom bolt... 3ft braker bar on the creant wrench for leverage... put a socket inbetween the bottom spindel bolt and the top part of the spindel and started crankin it down... also lubed it up with wb40 very good...

pappy its ready to be picked up;)

[Ralph]

your getting por-15 right? what color?

[Tommy 17]

the frame is being powder coated... and i won't reveal the color till the h.m ride or rausch ride;) hopefully if i get what i want done noone will reconize me:D :macho

[Guy400]

Originally posted by 400ex21
the frame is being powder coated... and i won't reveal the color till the h.m ride or rausch ride;) hopefully if i get what i want done noone will reconize me:D :macho Tommy, are you getting the hot pink frame with metallic "Quad-ridin' Barbie" handlebar tassles like you were telling me?

[Tommy 17]

Originally posted by Guy432
Tommy, are you getting the hot pink frame with metallic "Quad-ridin' Barbie" handlebar tassles like you were telling me?


:grr u just had to tell didn't u... no more talkin to flyin ohian haha

[Ralph]

its gona be a blue frame, yella plastics, and more goodies

[Tommy 17]

Originally posted by Lrd Mx400ex
its gona be a blue frame, yella plastics, and more goodies

totaly wrong but nice try:devil

[tants]

Originally posted by 400ex21


totaly wrong but nice try:devil

start plannin the ruasch ride now, dont do it between march 30- to april 6th, im going on a cruise :D

now i gotta attempt to take my spindle off, what color are you doing?