MotorHead

Looks like the lower ball joints are a little loose and I will have to replace them,
I have a Haynes Corvette book and it shows a some kind of fancy threaded ball joint separator.
Do I need this or is there a way to do it with the normal fork type
separator ? Are they using the the threaded separator because there is no room to get the fork in ?

Any instructions on how to do this will be greatly appreciated. :D

GDaina

Loosen the castle nut, but don't take it off...position the pickle fork between the ball joint and the knuckle and give it a couple of good whacks with a heavy hammer. All there is to it.

stpman

Does this look like a "C" Clamp? You need the fork to separate them from the spindle (or do as GDaina said) the Threaded "C" clamp is a press to remove the ball joint from the lower control arm.

Steve :steering:

MotorHead

Maybe I am getting a little mixed up here, I need to remove the ball joint and put a new one in so, I guess you can separate it easily enough with the fork then how do you get it out of the lower control arm.

The device shown is not a C clamp it is a threaded two piece devide that fits between the upper and lower ball joint and when you turn one end it gets longer putting pressure on the ball joints and eventually popping them out of the control arms.

How do you do it without this spreader ?

stpman

I replaced the ball joints in my daughters Gran Prix with a ball joint press, It has a main frame (that looks a bit like a "C" Clamp) and some adapters. you can press out the lower joint and press in a new joint.
In my service manual for my 74 it calls it up as J-9519-10 Ball Joint Clamp.

Steve :steering:

redvetracr

the Corvette "ball joint" bolts in....................

GDaina

if your ball joints are factory, they are riveted, so, you will have to grind the rivet head flush with the ball joint, then punch it out

Jughead

:iagree: If there are no bolts visible, you got rivets.

stpman

My mistake reading the wrong page. :bb

Steve :steering:

John 65

:iagree: Just did my friends yesterday. Thats really all there is to it. Used the pickle fork and the ball peen hammer and that was it. Brought the drill just in case to drill out the rivets but they had been replaced allready. Wish the bushing removal went as easy :mad