I am in the process of replacing the rotors and callipers and thought it worthwhile to also replace the rubber gaiters on both wishbones as they were falling apart.
Upper wishbone no problem, but the lower wishbone ball joint won’t drop out after removing cap, shims etc.
What am I missing?
You need to loosen the taper of the ball joint from the lower control arm: take one blunt sided hammer, hold it against the side of the control arm, where the taper sits, and then smack that with another large hammer.
That should loosen the ball joint. Make sure that you have the shock on, Otherwise, the torsion bar will slam the lower control arm down.
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I recently went through that pain on an E Type that had not moved in 30 years. The lower ball joints were frozen like I have not seen before. I bought the cheapo Harbor Freight tool, and while I stressed it to the point where I feared a tool explosion, the ball joint gave way first. $20 (not on sale 
) and works great. Wind it up as tight as it will go and then provide a hammer assist. Don’t hurt yourself. Safety goggles would be a good move it it gets too bad in case something lets loose.
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Thanks, Paul. When I did mine the front suspension was largely apart, so it was only the frozen joint itself i had to worry about.
X2 on that Harbor Freight tool… I use an impact wrench to crank on it and never had it fail to free the taper.
This was done with the suspension at full droop to take all tension out of the torsion bar.
Be aware, when it comes loose it does so with some drama… like a small shotgun blast.
Someday you’ll be asking ‘Now how do I tighten that nyloc nut without the joint just spinning?’. I use a plain nut with the same threads to tighten until the taper takes hold, then undo the plain nut and install the nyloc.
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Thank you all. I will let you know how it goes!
Don’t let that axel carrier neck around the ball joint it will break the lip that holds the gator No no no
you’ll be Mad
Good advice and observation there jim!!!
Now is a good time to put some new lower ball joints in; ones that don’t require shims.
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Thank you all again. I used a ball joint separator, and it worked like a charm! Now just waiting for the new sealed units, calipers and rotors.
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Yep, I always use a ball joint separator, using the 2 hammer metid works but damages/indents the forged castings.
In 50+ years, I’ve never seen any damage. I generally use a brass hammer or drift as the intermediary.
Yep, I agree, it does. Of course if you’re used to working on old bangers it doesn’t matter.
If done properly, the technique does not damage anything.
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properly being the operative word Paul. I often see profound damage to Upper Wishbones and the Lower section of the Stub Axle Carrier in the area of where the Ball of the Ball Pin is located, where hitting in this area will have Zero affect on releasing the taper of the Ball Pin. At least with a ball joint separating tool, it takes the hammer, a tool these Numb Nut should not be allowed to touch, out of their hands.
Regards,
Bill
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True… i’ve seen numb nuttiness committed with the ball joint separator too!
And don’t even get me started on the pickle fork… 
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Oh, OK. 
Regards,
Bill
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