Hey,

I'm having trouble with a ball joint press I borrowed from the parts store. I'm trying to get my old lower ball joint at the front of the car out.

Theres an adaptor that fits over the top of the ball joint, and another that goes on the bottom, that fits onto the control arm. No problems here, but I'm tightening this thing with a two foot long ratchet and nothing is happening. I tightened it until I couldn't turn it anymore, and it was still in there tight.

Any advice or tips on how to get this thing out?

Thanks,

Brad

some of the Fiero's lower ball joints are tack welded in place. You may have to grind the tack welds out first.

Hmm... pretty sure I would have noticed any welds...

One of the lower ball joints on my car had a snap-ring retainer that was not so obvious under all the built-up crud. The other ball joint had no such retainer so one must have been a relacement at some point in its previous life. I noticed it before I revoved the ball joint but I bet that would have hung things up. Look for something like that? When I removed my ball joints it was relatively easy to knock them out with repeated but gentle hammer blows. Good luck.

Hmm, no retainers or anything like that either. I've got it all cleaned out pretty well, I would have noticed anything holding it on.

Just spent another half hour on this thing, whacked it with a hammer for almost 5 minutes and it hasn't budged. Grr!

I just replaced the ball joints on my grandson GT,top and botom.The last time I did this on another car,I had to get made a special tube to fit under the bottom ball joint to get it pressed out.The ones that come from Auto Zone(you rent)does not have the right tube to clear the tight fit of the bottom a/frame.Allso the replacment bottom ball joits came with snap rings,but I did't use them as they are pressed in anyway. I now own the press and have the special press out tube.Good luck.RussK.

Put a torch on it if you have one If you don't have tack welds or retainers the press will push it out eventually.

I borrowed a ball joint press from Autozone and thought it was fairly worthless for both removing and installing the ball joints. Finally resorted to heat and a 2 lb hammer to remove them - no problemo. You need a good size vise to support the A-arm when hammering them in and out. I hammered on a 1-5/8" socket to drive them in. As an alternative someone like NAPA will both remove and install but I was in a hurry and they wanted a two day turnaround.

Thanks guys, finally got it. Gotta be the most stubborn thing I've ever had to remove. Took a combination of the press and a hammer to get it to move, but once it started it was easy.

I went to Partsource for the press, they had a fitting that was perfect, fit nicely under the A-arm. They had just got it in, I was the first person to borrow it.

Thanks!

Brad