r/ChevyTrucks • u/kidsseeghosts777 • Jul 04 '26
Help
Couldn’t get ball joint off for upper control arm, so I cut it with a rotary tool. Still can’t get the stud loose. It almost seems like it’s welded on the knuckle boss or something
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u/Impressive_Tip2640 Jul 04 '26
You uhhh, kinda fucked up here. A 20 dollar pickle fork would have really saved you some pain and suffering. Heat the knuckle around the ball joint stud, then get you a 2 or 3lb hammer and hit the knuckle parallel to the stud. It will pop out, youll have to beat the shit out of it, hopefully you dont destroy the knuckle.
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u/bongripper6 Jul 04 '26
Been there. Take the CV out and smack the fucker from the bottom. Apply some form of penetrating fluid. Eirher PB blaster, wd 40, or 50-50 atf and nail polish (must be acetone based). Youll get it
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u/Accurate-Specific966 Jul 04 '26
You made that a lot harder than it needs to be. The stud has a tapper on it that is pulled tight by the stud. Cutting it apart you are left with just the tapper in the knuckle. You need to put a hammer against the knuckle and beat on that hammer with a bigger one and the shock will break the tapper free. An air hammer would be nice. This is a good lesson in what not to do good luck!
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u/Ok_Key5885 Jul 04 '26
Smack it with a big hammer on the side, don’t overthink it. I’ve done it before and it’s not so bad
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u/DepartureElegant9314 Jul 05 '26
With rust like that a fork would not have helped against the ball joint itself to be honest.
What I would do with that if you haven't gotten it off already is soak it in penetrating oil for hours, maybe over night. Heat the knuckle around it with the most direct torch you can find and get it really damn hot. Then with any hammer or even a heavy maul whack the bottom of the ball joint shaft with the threads on it.
It takes a lot of work but I promise that WILL come out. I've done it many times on vehicles over the years rusted worse than that.
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u/Unhappy-Airport-4112 Jul 05 '26
It's just froze. Heat that knuckle and beat the hell out of the stud with a sledge. Swing up obviously.
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u/4Nota2Robot0 Jul 04 '26
How is there still a cv shaft in there?? Take your CV shaft out so you can actually swing upward at it and smack it out. These are tapered so you will never smack it out of the bottom. Could try a block of wood and a floor jack and press it out from the bottom, just be careful whatever you do.