Bottom knuckle won’t pop

[Devildoc22]

Hello everyone, I have been in the process all day today of trying to change my ball joints on my JLU. Thanks to videos and this forum I felt confident enough to do it but now I’ve ran into a problem I havent seen in any video. After beating the hell out of the knuckles, the top would come loose on both sides but the bottom will not budge. In every video I’ve seen, when the top knocks loose, so does the bottom. I have beat all over the knuckle, wd-40, and even using a pickle fork in the top and bottom. Does anyone have any tips that dealt with this short of trying to completely shatter the knuckle?

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[XX4XEXX]

Yes. Since your this deep cut away the boot and heat the shit out of the knuck. Put that fork back in and wack the shit out of the fork, then rotate it and do it again. After you heat let it cool a bit the 2 metals will cool at different rates and pop free. Wd40 won't do it, PB will. If you need new knuckles I have a new set free you pay shipping.

 

[Headbarcode]

How big of a hammer are you using? Breaking tapers is easier with a hard hit or two from a sledge hammer vs numerous hits from a smaller hammer swung by one hand.

 

[jaymz]

Try wedging the pickle fork in as tight as you can with a BFH. Leave it there and use the same BFH to whack the knuckle. Bonus points if you can put a cheater pipe on the fork and have someone apply pressure while you smack the knuckle.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Air hammer + pickle fork.

 

[Roky]

Hello everyone, I have been in the process all day today of trying to change my ball joints on my JLU. Thanks to videos and this forum I felt confident enough to do it but now I’ve ran into a problem I havent seen in any video. After beating the hell out of the knuckles, the top would come loose on both sides but the bottom will not budge. In every video I’ve seen, when the top knocks loose, so does the bottom. I have beat all over the knuckle, wd-40, and even using a pickle fork in the top and bottom. Does anyone have any tips that dealt with this short of trying to completely shatter the knuckle?

If you been beating the hell out of an aluminum knuckle, I’m assuming you’re changing them as well, if so it’s time to fight dirty, get the grinder with a cutoff wheel and cut the mother f**kr, takes about 30 seconds to get through it…… at least that’s what I heard….? .

 

[Devildoc22]

If you been beating the hell out of an aluminum knuckle, I’m assuming you’re changing them as well, if so it’s time to fight dirty, get the grinder with a cutoff wheel and cut the mother f**kr, takes about 30 seconds to get through it…… at least that’s what I heard….? .

I did not plan on changing it and when that was almost to the point I was at, I was going to see if I could get some steel ones in by Tuesday but nowhere that I found would get them here by then. First plan is try to do it without destroying them

 

[Devildoc22]

How big of a hammer are you using? Breaking tapers is easier with a hard hit or two from a sledge hammer vs numerous hits from a smaller hammer swung by one hand.

I’m using a 4 lb dead blow

 

[Devildoc22]

Try wedging the pickle fork in as tight as you can with a BFH. Leave it there and use the same BFH to whack the knuckle. Bonus points if you can put a cheater pipe on the fork and have someone apply pressure while you smack the knuckle.

That’s what I’ve been trying and nothing. I’ve shoved it in on the bottom as well as even trying still beating it on the top since I can get more of the fork in on the top

 

[Devildoc22]

Yes. Since your this deep cut away the boot and heat the shit out of the knuck. Put that fork back in and wack the shit out of the fork, then rotate it and do it again. After you heat let it cool a bit the 2 metals will cool at different rates and pop free. Wd40 won't do it, PB will. If you need new knuckles I have a new set free you pay shipping.

I would definitely hit you up on that if none of that works.

 

[firedude]

Your using a dead blow hammer?

 

[Devildoc22]

Your using a dead blow hammer?

Yeah, I have a 4 lbs dead blow I’m using because I was trying not to break them

 

[jaymz]

Dead blows don’t usually work well for ball joints. Smack it with a 4-6lb solid hammer.

 

[Devildoc22]

Dead blows don’t usually work well for ball joints. Smack it with a 4-6lb solid hammer.

Will it destroy the knuckle? I was using that because that’s what they used in videos. Any good way of protecting it?

 

[firedude]

It won't destroy it. You should think about replacing them with iron though.

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