To say I had trouble splitting my ball joints would be an understatement!
I tried fork splitters, threaded pullers, crowbars, mallets, 2x4 wooden beam... and the damn thing just wouldn't shift.

I spent about 4 hours bashing and prizing until eventually i decided to angle grind my puller down so it would apply pressure from a different angle, and hey presto she popped!

I was just wondering if you guys had any tips how to get these joints apart easily?

The trouble we have over here is that modern Euro cars all use smaller ball joints and the tools on sale here are all made for that purpose. I haven't seen anything that would do the job straight off the shelf.

 

i have a set of fork tools for an air hammer. it workes very well.

 

A problem I ran into once was that the pickle fork I had was the wrong size! Prior to that I thought they were all the same. I have a friend who likes to smack the side of the spindle right next to the ball joint with a big hammer, and the shock will pop the joint. I've done this and yes it works but sometimes it leaves marks in the side of the spindle. Make sure there is some tension on the spring, if your using a compressor don't tighten it all the way so the spring is also exerting some pressure on it. I've removed them by just jacking up the lower A-arm and not using the spring compressor, not as safe but I've done it. Even then if I have the spring compressed too much it's hard to tell when the ball joint actually pops. John

 

Jack the car up under the frame. Remove the cotter pin, and back off the castellated nut 1/2 to 1 turn. Whack on the arm right next to where the ball joint stud goes through it. Several good whacks should be enough, using a 2 to 3 pound short-handled hammer. The spring tension helps pop it apart and you will hear the "chong" when the arm hits the nut.

 

Thats the way I do it.
- Pickle fork thingie BAD - hammer GOOD!!

 

Ditto. In the cases where I had a fork that was a little too big (wedges on the sides of the fork don't get a good purchase on the balljoint), the secret seemed to be to get the wedge on the bottom of the fork in the right position and tight to the balljoint. Then whale on it with a baby sledge! You will destroy the boot, but who cares at that point, right?

 

That happened to me on my old Ford 7 years ago. The fork was rented and was too big and went through the boot. The ball joint was to be replaced so I did not care. After beating the crap out of the fork and mushrooming the top severely, I was getting tired. I then gave the nut (on the stud) a good blow with "Big Bertha" and it popped out. Repeated on the other side with same success. I was expecting the parts store to charge me for damaging their new fork, but they said "no problem - it is meant to be hammered on"! The neighbors probably loved hearing that at 10pm...

 

I use an extra tall 1/2 inch nut, I think it is for joining threaded rod, about 2 inches long, with a 1/2 inch bolt in each end, of a length long enough to reach between the two studs and then loosen the stud nut 1/2 turn or so and then holding centre tall nut steady turn the appropriate bolt out of the tall nut pushing out the stud till it pops...and that is the only noise you hear unless you drop a wrench (spanner)...