%@#$% Lower control arms & upper boot

[Asamaan]

Hey everyone, longtime reader, posted a few times in the past.

I have had the dreaded shimmy's for as long as I remember at least on braking. I had replaced my upper control arms a few years back but never the lower ones. I decided to replace the lower arms and one was done but the second one won't come apart. I used a regular pickle fork on the first one, which didn't work on the second. I even got an air hammer pickle fork, but the damn thing won't come apart. The boot it totally gone, but it still won't come apart with air pickle fork not moving any further I tried hitting it with a hammer but no go.

Anyone know a trick to take this thing apart?????

The other thing, I managed to damage the ball joint boot on the upper control arm in process in process, is there a replacement boot, or do I have to replace the whole arm

Thanks
Al
91 535iA

[russiankid]

Heat up the ball joint and go at it with a 4lb hammer and pickle fork.

[Asamaan]

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that. I am just thinking what is going to happen to the other ball joint boots if I heat the area up.

Heat up the ball joint and go at it with a 4lb hammer and pickle fork.

Also, anyone know if I can get a ball joint boot for the upper control arm since it got damaged during the removal of the lower one.

thanks,
Al

[russiankid]

If you use a torch the flame won't go near the upper ball joint. I am still clueless as to how you managed to screw up the upper arm.

[Asamaan]

If you use a torch the flame won't go near the upper ball joint.

Do I want to heat the ball joint itself or the steering knuckle around the ball joint bolt?

I am still clueless as to how you managed to screw up the upper arm.

I can manage.... After taking the 3 bolts off the strut tower I pushed the strut tower back and pulled the steering knukle up and braced it against the strut tower a couple of times as it kept slipping. At some point the strut tower pushed against the boot and managed to put a hole in it.

[e34.535i.sport]

Pickle fork's not worht a carrot... Use a scissor type balljoint seperator. A cheap tool well worth £15 or so, makes short work of those balljoints.

[632 Regal]

get the joint under pressure with the fork or your favorite hy-tech toy, heat the knuckle with acetylene torch to get it to heat quickly and the ball joint should pop. When I did this it didn't heat the ball joint very much just enough to expand the knuckle to allow the balljoint taper fit to pop.

[Ross]

Be sure the fork isn't hitting something else, like the steering knuckle, with the tip preventing it from wedging the parts apart.

[BennyM]

Heat up the ball joint and go at it with a 4lb hammer and pickle fork.

This is what I did too, except, if I recall, I wedged in multiple pickle forks at slightly different angles. It was 14 degrees F in my garage at the time. A huge PITA. I feel your pain.

[Asamaan]

Thanks all for the replies. I finally managed to break it free. Took a ball peen hammer to the knuckle a few times then back to the pickle fork with my 4lb hammer. Took a few hits and finally came apart.

Due to me damaging the boot on the upper thrust arm I had to take the whole knuckle out to free the thrust arm, which would have made my life easier from the beginning. Oh well. I beat the living day out of the knuckle after I took it out and it freed the thrust arm. Now to find a replacement boot and put it all back together.

Cheers
Al