Lower Front Strut Ball Joint, Tapered Thread Stud removol Options

[wndsnd]

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I am really second thinking buying this car that lived in MAINE its whole life. Nothing is as it should be during dissasembly, and I am working with penetrants, heat, leverage, and will power and destroying almost everything coming off.

I am now on replaceing the front struts and am at the lower ball joint. The Hayes manual calls for a hex nut or taperd thread stud. I think I have the later after removing the nut from one side.

This stud I have map torched, and soaked with penetrant, and have pounded on with a mallet. looks like a little give on the other side but I don't think I am using the propers tools or technique. Any help or advise would be appreaciated... At this point it I am flatening the end of the stud.

John

[r_towle]

You could take the lower nut off with a pipe wrench...its a large round nut on the bottom of the a-arm...
you need a 3 foot pipe wrench to get it moving.
Pull the cotter pin out first..and the locking plate.

Once that is off, you can pull the ball joint from the a-arm and pull the strut out.

From there, I would suggest you are not hitting it hard enough, but you may be tapping it.
One or two serious square hits will get that bolt moving.

Take it out of the car...then try it when you can swing freely.
or,
Stand up, turn wheel out...face in such a way that you can really swing and use a large hammer...give it a really hard hit...


rich