Does anyone know what tool to use to seperate a ball joint on a 1990 Bonneville SSE?

Will the tool # OTC6297 work?

Please advise if anyone knows the answer.

Thanks

Joe

Most likely it won't. On this drivetrain there is usually barely enough room to slip the nut out of place w/o popping the joint.

I have a 4-5 foot thick steel pipe jack handle. Using that to push the a arm down from the frame and a buddy to smack the balljoint side with a big hammer usually does the trick w/o killing the boot. Although I've also heard you can buy boots.

I moved this to it'* own thread instead of being part of a 6 year old thread.


When it comes to this kind of work. Bill is the one to ask.

Thank You I appreciate the feed back

Thank You for the feedback. I will give this a try.

Joe;

if i remember correctly i found the best way to do it without damaging the boot is to loosen the nut so the threads are not exposed so they wont get damaged...then i wedge a thick chisel between the nut and whatever is directly above it which should be the spindle...lastly i wack it with a bfh and boot never gets touched and it comes apart nicely...hitting the side of the ball joint never seems to work for me but then again i never have another set of hands to push down the control arm

Thanks for your help. I will give this a try.

Thanks again

Joe

I separated my ball joints thusly:

1) Make sure you're on stable jackstands.
2) Remove wheel, brake caliper and rotor, etc. (whatever'* all in the way).
3) Remove sway bar endlink.
4) Remove cotter and crown completely.
5) Bang a bit on the sides and bottom of the control arm in the vicinity of the ball joint with a regular old hammer, just to loosen things up a bit.
6) Put the tip of a very large flatblade screwdriver on the control arm, just to the outside of the ball joint; hold screwdriver vertically, perpendicular to control arm.
7) Bang straight down on the back of the handle of the screwdriver with the hammer--hard--until the ball joint pops free.

(I suppose a dull cold chisel, railroad spike, etc. could be used instead of the screwdriver)

Thanks for your response. I will give this a try.

Thanks again.

Joe