Tried to remove and replace the passenger side lower on 99 4X4. I hammered and hammered and it wouldn't budge. I used a pickle fork with a sledge to no avail. Even tried to lower it with a jack stand under the bolt. I had a ball joint press to press in the new one but couldn't get that far. Anyone have this problem before?

 

Tried using any heat?

 

Heat. make it red then use your pickle fork.

 

That's the only way mine would come apart.

 

Haven't tried that but I will. Is there a preferred sequence when doing a upper and lower ball joint?

 

Whichever one pops out the easiest!


I tend to do the upper first, only because they are stupid simple to do and dont require tearing apart more then just a couple bolts on the side and pulling the entire assembly out!

 

Heating it did the trick. Should have thought of that, duhhh. Thanks for the tip. I'll try to remember, heat=loosen.

 

Just to give anyone else a glimmer of hope in case you don't have a torch and the other tricks above didn't work, penetrant for 20 minutes and a 36-inch crowbar worked for me! No replacement for good old leverage.