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Can't extract ball joint from Yoke

2K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  traildogck 
#1 ·
I have a 2009 Subaru Outback. I am trying to change the ball joints. I live in the Northeast and drive in the snow quite a bit.

I have removed the bolt from the yoke for holding in the ball joint in the yoke. Had to heat the yoke before the bolt would come out. I have broken loose the ball joint stud from the A-Frame with an air impact ball joint tool. I am stuck on extracting the ball joint from the yoke.

I have tried the socket between the A-frame and yoke (not misplaced on the ball joint). I have heated it. Used PB. Tried to expand the joint in the yoke. Let it soak in PB overnight with pressure on it. I have used a 6' pry bar between the A-frame and yoke. Nothing I do will make the ball joint come out. This is the second day of trying to get it out. Any suggestions?
 
#2 ·
If you are heating, what are you using? Propane won't do it. You need MAP gas at least...and you need to really heat it...for like 10-20 minutes...it will start to get white. Shock it with a hammer strike or 2. Let it cool completely back down...during get penetrate back on it as soon as cool enough not to boil it...continue to hammer strike it at different parts of the process...hot and cold.

Cycle like this...three times or better...you can even accelerate the cooling with straight up ice cubes....but that kinda messes with the penetrate...
 
#3 ·
I have all the heating sources a shop would need: Propane, Mapps, oxy-aceteylene, and heat gun. I started with oxy-aceteylene, but had a problem with the axle boot getting too much heat. So, that was problematic. But, I did get quite a few cycles.

I just got the ball joint out. Here is how I got it out: I used a socket and tighten the ball joint nut as much as I could without breaking it. I then took a air chisel and drove it into the slot in the back and pulled sideways as much as I could to try and separate it more. That worked. It then dropped down 1/16". Getting it the rest of the way out was still difficult. During the last part, I used a 6' pry bar between the yoke and A-frame.

I drive on a lot of dirt roads and in the snow. Once the I got the ball joint out, the center round cut section was packed full of dirt. When I tried to pull it out, the dirt would work up into the top lip and lock it into place. So, spreading the yoke apart did the trick while having pressure on it.

Hopefully, replacing the ball-joint will fix my high-speed shimming problem.
 
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