Need help with removing lower control arms!

[frankh]

I'm trying to replace all of the control arms, along with the shocks, brake pads and rotors.

I'm following these DIYs:

Upper Control Arms:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...rm-Replacement

Lower Control Arms:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...rm-Replacement

I am able to remove the strut assembly with the upper control arms, brake calipers and the rotors, but I am having a tough time removing the lower control arms.

I try to remove the ball joint from the front lower control arms using the ball joint separator from Harbor Freight like the one in the DIY. Instead of popping the ball joint, it actually bent the bolt on the passenger side. I then tried again on the driver side, no luck.
Any idea what to do with the bent bolt? What is the correct way to remove this ball joint?!

This is the ball joint in question:


The bent bolt:



Since I can't remove the lower front ball joints, I tried to remove the bolt on the other side of the lower front control arm, but somehow the bolt is stuck against what looks like part of the subframe.


Any idea or suggestion on how to remove this bolt?



Here are the tools that I've tried:



Thanks!

- Frank

[Greedo]

Turn the steering wheel?

[frankh]

Turn the steering wheel?

what would that do? the tie rod ends have also been removed already. so nothing happens when you turn the steering wheel.

[drroy]

a ball joint separator tool will make quick work of the ball joint. you can borrow on from your local auto-zone or advanced auto, it is part of a front end service tool kit.



EDIT: Sorry-went back and read the entire post, and see you already have used that tool without much luck.

[CorneliusRox]

Since I can't remove the lower front ball joints, I tried to remove the bolt on the other side of the lower front control arm, but somehow the bolt is stuck against what looks like part of the subframe.

If you get the ball joint out, I am sure you can wiggle the control arm out. If not, get out the grinder, go buy a new bolt, and then install everything with a new bolt, possibly from the opposite side.

[robobular]

I try to remove the ball joint from the front lower control arms using the ball joint separator from Harbor Freight like the one in the DIY. Instead of popping the ball joint, it actually bent the bolt on the passenger side. I then tried again on the driver side, no luck.
Any idea what to do with the bent bolt? What is the correct way to remove this ball joint?!

Which bolt are we talking about that got bent? The ball joint on the control arm?

[J.Owen]

Ball Joint: Buy a small sledge hammer. Honestly. Lowe the nut so its flush with the bottom of the ball joint and give it a good wack being careful not to hit the aluminum upright.

Inner control arm: In the picture it looks like its far enough out that it has cleared the other side of the mount. Once you get the ball joint out, you will be able to wiggle the inner joint enough for the bolt to clear into the little pocket of the motor mount and you should be fine.

[frankh]

Which bolt are we talking about that got bent? The ball joint on the control arm?

I've updated the post. It's the bolt on the ball joint on the passenger side of the lower front control arm.

[frankh]

Ball Joint: Buy a small sledge hammer. Honestly. Lowe the nut so its flush with the bottom of the ball joint and give it a good wack being careful not to hit the aluminum upright.

Inner control arm: In the picture it looks like its far enough out that it has cleared the other side of the mount. Once you get the ball joint out, you will be able to wiggle the inner joint enough for the bolt to clear into the little pocket of the motor mount and you should be fine.

which nut are you referring to?

[patrickperscky]

i would take a dremel and just cut off the bent part and then proceed from there... but then again i just do things and hope they turn out for the best

[mcpcartier]

I second the sledge hammer suggestion. Have a 12.5lb and it comes in handy more often than you'd ever think.

This looks like an ideal situation. You can twist that nut on the ball joint separator and struggle all day...but a well placed nudge with a big sledge should pop that baby out.

[robobular]

I feel your pain - the ball joints on my car are next to impossible. Try also taking a mallet and whacking the metal surround. Sometimes this can, by some magical forces, allign the ball joint so that it can pop out much more easily.

[J.Owen]

which nut are you referring to?

The nut on the bottom of the ball joint. I lower it down even with the bottom of the threaded portion of the ball joint as to give a flater/ wider surface to hit with the mallet.

[frankh]

tried hitting with a mallet and a sledge hammer last night, and still no luck.

just order the jtc 1258 tool from ebay (http://eng.jtc.com.tw/products/index...&id=2404&top=0). it is supposed to be the same as the audi/vw ball joint separator tool. gonna try again when the tool arrives...

[mcpcartier]

I'm very interested in how this tool works for you....good luck

[doublezero30]

i feel like youre a) doing it wrong or b) not trying hard enough. because the ball joint seperater should be all you need. can also try heating the knuckle a bit too to loosen the balljoint a bit.

[drroy]

on the bent bolt try straightening it out, then cut it down to 1/2-1/4" and then try the ball joint separator on the shortened bolt (it will be less likely to re-bend), if that doesnt do it -> torch

[AlyAudi03]

I know this is an old thread but.......here"s a tip, alot of cars put load on the joints when the wheel is suspended in the air. To remove the load, place a jack under the control arm, and jack it up a little to remove the load. It should make it a tad bit easier.

It's listed on the instructions to do this, on number 2...

FRONT ARM

1/ Disconnect auto-leveling clamp if installed
2/ Lift the forward arm with the floor jack few inches to release the sway link pressure. Remove the upper bolt of the linkage
3/ Remove the shock bottom bolt
4/ With the ball joint separator, free the arm from the hub.

[bombermon]

Mine seized and I had to take off the spindle and get the arms pressed out. Tried all the tools too

[69clark]

Just went through much of this on my car this weekend. B6 but the same parts. On the drivers Sid the steel sleeve came out of the spindle still attach to the ball joint. Using heat on the bench I got the sleeve off the ball joint and pressed it into the spindle again. On the passenger side the ball joint stud snapped using an air hammer. Used a pickle fork and that just jammed itself in there and couldnt be removed. finally Ended up using heat on the spindle and it popped out.

What a pain in the ass. Everything else went well, Evan the pinch bolts, go figure.

[Spike00513]

Just went through much of this on my car this weekend. B6 but the same parts. On the drivers Sid the steel sleeve came out of the spindle still attach to the ball joint. Using heat on the bench I got the sleeve off the ball joint and pressed it into the spindle again. On the passenger side the ball joint stud snapped using an air hammer. Used a pickle fork and that just jammed itself in there and couldnt be removed. finally Ended up using heat on the spindle and it popped out.

What a pain in the ass. Everything else went well, Evan the pinch bolts, go figure.

Same thing for me. The pinch bolts were removable by hand after getting them loosened up with a breaker bar. I still haven't gotten the ball joints on the front lower control arm out and the pressed in steel sleve is 90% out. I have a MAPP gas torch, penetrating oil, and an assortment of sledges and hammers so I think that I'll be able to get it out.

How did you press the sleeve back in? Did you remove the entire spindle and use a hydraulic press? Or is it possible to press it back in with it still on the car?

[mcpcartier]

Same thing for me. The pinch bolts were removable by hand after getting them loosened up with a breaker bar. I still haven't gotten the ball joints on the front lower control arm out and the pressed in steel sleve is 90% out. I have a MAPP gas torch, penetrating oil, and an assortment of sledges and hammers so I think that I'll be able to get it out.

How did you press the sleeve back in? Did you remove the entire spindle and use a hydraulic press? Or is it possible to press it back in with it still on the car?

Had a similar problem....my sleeve came partially out as well. Had to press it back in.

I always need to double the time Phil has listed in his DIY's. He had an hour per side on the LCA change....took me an hour to get each front LCA out. At least 2 hours per side.

[aluthman]

I just did this along with the spindle replacements for both sides and didn't have much trouble. I popped 3/4 ball joints loose with just the Harbor Freight ball joint separator and the last one needed to be whacked with a 5lb. Sledge while load was applied with the separator. I had to use the same bolt trick as above to reseat the sleeve in the spindle also. It worked perfectly.

[melomandn]

Necrobump, but I wanted to pop in with some info because I was battling a stuck sleeve that wouldnt budge.

I tried heat and a hammer for literally hours with no luck. 5 minutes with a 3-jaw puller rented from Autozone and it popped right off. I found this thread when searching for answers, so I figured I'd share my findings.

Pic for reference: