Help needed o/t but ford- 1tech?

[Scott Tanner]

I have a 2007 Milan, and the wheel bearings are bad. They have to be pressed out, which means removing the knuckle from the car. the upper ball joints and tire rods came off easy, as well as the axles from the hub. The lower control arms, however, will NOT come loose. I had to buy a $230 OTC/ Rotunda ball joint separator to try to remove these. Now, this car has 2 lower ball joints on each knuckle, one on the front lower, and one on the rear lower. After using the new tool, the rear lowers on both sides popped off after hitting it with a 3 lb sledge. The front lowers won't budge. I am not using a pickle fork, as i do not want to ruin the ball joint. I've heated up the knuckle, sprayed it with penetrating oil, and beat on it. I may heat it up again to melt some candle wax on it. Any ideas? I'm going to try to remove the lover control arm from the K frame next, and take the assembly to have the bearings pressed in/out... Grrrrrr. :angry:

 

[scott degroot]

The infamous front lower ball joint. Ford in their infinite wisdom puts a tapered insert into the knuckle and then the ball joint tapers into that and once that nut gets tightened they almost never come apart. Have you put the puller on there and cranked it down while heating it up and hitting it with a hammer...fwiw this is where a GOOD air hammer is invaluable. This is how I have done them in the past however you have to be really careful with the heat or else you fudge up the ball joint.

 

[Scott Tanner]

where do you place the air hammer, and what tip is used? I am reluctant to picklefork this thing.

 

[scott degroot]

I've got a bit for my air hammer that is about 1'" round and flat at the end. I put the tool on the ball joint and crank on it as hard as possible and then rattle the knuckle where the ball joint goes into it with the air hammer. You did remove the bolt that attaches the lower control arm to the shock assembly, I'm sure you did but just thought I'd ask.

 

[Scott Tanner]

No, but I will. does that dampen the shock delivered by the hammer? I've oiled the bolts to that and the control arm in the frame, as that is my next step in trying to get this knuckle to the place with the press...

 

[scott degroot]

If you don't remove the shock bolt you have the tool trying to push the ball joint up but the shock is trying to push it back down