So I've seen a bunch of people post on here not to use a pickle fork to remove the upper control arm. Allegedly the pickle fork is only for GM cars?? They recommend just whacking it with a BFH. I tried doing that in attempt not to have to replace my upper arm ball joint but can't get it to knock out. Can anyone describe exactly where the sweet spot is that I have to whack is? Do I have to worry about breaking my upper control arm by doing it this way? I'm just trying to replace some bushings lol.
you should be hiting the spindel where it wraps around the stud of the ball joint. just try a few wacks on each side of it. rember if you still have the lower controle arm on it will hold the spindle up on the stud. the pickle fork is only good for if you are replaceing the ball joints allready. it will destroy the boot. usually even with the pickel fork you need to wack the spindle.
I've never tried the hammer trick to break the ball joint loose. Always used the pickle fork. Yes it destroys the boot but why else would you be taking it apart unless your going to replace them. I have used the hammer trick on the tie rod ends. It takes a good size hammer and one hell of a whack.
i have found that the wack does not have to be that hard but just in the right spot. the only way to find that spot it just to keep trying different spots.
maybe hes putting on disc spindles?? i would just change the uppers anyway since their relatively cheap and whacking them makes them wear a little faster anyway..... just two pieces of metal wrapped around a ball.
you dont wack where the ball is. you wack the spindle where the stud of the ball joint goes through. if done correctly it will come apart quickly.
hey, thanks for the help. I got it apart in about 12 moderate whacks with a baby sledge. I started with smaller hammers and worked my way up... I'm thinking that I should replace the ball joint now that I look at it. I kind of just want the whole suspension to be finished so that I have don't have to worry about taking it apart again. I want to just replace the whole control arm but $100 each seems like alot more money that I wasn't looking to spend. Can a novice honestly do a ball joint replacement? Or if I do get new uppers is there a market for my old ones and the new bushings I had gotten?
the uppers shouldnt be that much each, the bottoms are pressed into that arm usually so you have to replace it, but go with the mustang medium performance level ones not the cheapy ones auto krafters carries. they last longer so are worth the extra $$ Bryant, that what im doin wrong! LOL
yeah thats the ones, AK may have upgraded but last time i bought some from them thats not what they were. of course that was in the 90s, last time bought from mustangs plus in Los Angeles
I already got the brand new moog lower arms. they are waiting patiently in their box to be put on. Basically everything I've gotten suspension-wise so far has been moog, I don't really want to cheap out on this one thing. Rockauto doesn't even sell moog uppers. I didn't see them on AK either. I'm new and afraid to try stuff besides moog cuz they get such good reviews on here. Where do you guys get your moog uppers from? Realistically what am I looking at this upgrade costing me? right now it looks like around $220 total to do both sides. Thanks for the help guys.
http://www.mustangsplus.com/xcart/product.php?productid=1028&cat=2127&page=1 you can call and double check but i believe these are still moog brand. if not there is this one: http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/Suspension/upper-ball-joints.htm
I just checked Rock Auto they do have the upper ball joints p/n K8142. They will not have complete upper control arms if that is what your looking for. Just get a Moog control arm shaft kit and rebuild your arms.
ok. I ordered just the ball joint kits and I'm going to just rebuild the control arm with new bushings and ball joints. Thanks for the help, we'll see how this goes. It all seems alot simpler now that everything is taken apart. I don't know how I'm planning on getting the rivets out without a grinder.... right now I'm thinking I'll try drilling them out. Anyone see a big problem with doing it that way?
