kent@parc.xerox.com writes:
> two-hammer method. Take two hammers, preferably of the same weight or
> close, and hammer on the two parts. One hammer up, one hammer down. It
No, no -- don't hammer directly on the end of the threaded part.
(Besides, how do you find room to swing a hammer downward onto the
upper part when the whole assembly is still on the car?)
Instead, put a jack under the threaded part and jack it up slightly
so that there's some tension (from the spring and the weight of the
car) loading the outer part of the ball joint downward. Then take a
hammer (or two) and hammer on the outside of the ball joint. What
you're doing is giving it a jolt -- direction doesn't matter (like
hitting the outside of a ketchup bottle). It takes quite a few
hammerings, but eventually the ball joint pops free, and you haven't
damaged threads, tie-rod, ball joint or anything.
Two minor points of advice:
(1) Don't unscrew the nut all the way -- just to the point where it's
loose. Then, when the pieces pop apart you can be sure that
nothing's going to go flying.
(2) If you can't get the new nylock on because the ball won't pop
into the socket, use the old nylock for assembling the ball joint
(of course, after the ball joint has popped back together, unscrew
the old nylock and put the new one on -- you don't want it working
its way loose on the road!)
> But really, you should buy a tie rod puller. They're wonderful.
I'm going to have to look into that ... the hammer method always works
eventually but it sure takes a long time, and I don't like the idea
of pickle forks (why are pickle forks better than men? No, wait,
that's a question for another mailing list ...)
--
...Akkana (akkana@apple.com)
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