I am redoing the front suspension and steering linkage on my 65 Cutlass. I have everything thing apart on the left front wheel of the car EXCEPT the control arms, upper and lower ball joints and steering knuckle. I have a jack below the lower control arm to support it. From this point how should I proceed to remove the ball joints? And in order to remove tie rods, and joints that have the grease fittings what type of tool should I buy or rent to separate them?
Thank-you

 

I just loosen the nuts a bit, and whack the side of the steering knuckle where the joint is with a bfh to seperate. They are a taper fit and pop right apart.

 

Your idea worked.

 

Of course it did.

 

As far as getting the BJ out....rent the 4x4 service kit from Advance or Autozone. OR...take a propane (or acetylene if you have it) torch to heat up the control arm, support the control arm and start whacking at the ball joint while that control arm is nice n' hot. It'll slip out after a couple whacks on the BJ.

 

Oreilly's will rent you a Ball Joint Puller, makes pretty quick work of exttracting the lower BJ. They also rent a puller to dissasemble the tie rod joints, etc. Much easier than swinging a BFH under a car (and possibly breaking off a zirc fitting) ........

 

Yep, most auto parts stores have a tool loaner program where you can get the tools to make the job very easy.

Pitman arm puller for the tie rod ends :




Ball joint press (also works very well for u-joints):

 

Thanks for the info. I have an O'Reillys in Trenton, MO. and know the guys there! Done! And while I am at it I might as well mention this. I contacted Mondello, in Crossville, TN and I'm going there on a bike trip (HD) and going to discuss engines. I would like a 425/455 motor in this car with the 200R4 transmission. Given the engine size/verses the 330 weight. Are there any modifications that would be good to do. I am not going to race the car. I figure I could put original type 442 parts. The only thing I can think of would be that the springs might have been stronger or the shocks different. Any suggestions.?????

 

The info I have seen shows that a BBO is about 70 pounds heavier than a SBO. If you use an aluminum intake and heads on your BBO build then I don't think you would need to do anything with the front suspension.

 

It also depends on how weak your original springs are.

 

I used the ball joint tool that Kenneth recommended on my '67 lower ball joints, and it worked great. It's a loaner (free), and it made the job really easy.