For anyone who has removed the rear trailing arm on the suspension...
HOW DO YOU GET THE BALL JOINT FREE?

I've banged on it with a hammer, banged on the housing it is pressed into, used a ball joint removal fork.

THE THING IS STUCK!

Any tips? I'm trying to get it off to install my new Bushings.

 

We use one of these at the shop:

 

Autozone also sells a tool similar to that for about 15 bucks which works.

 

Good info guys.

 

The fork tool sucks as it usually damages your boot during the removal process. The tool that Jamie mentioned works wonders. I highly recommend it or something similar.

 

thought id post this link too... looks like the one Jamie posted.

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/TA-61900.html

 

sadfd

 

Here is another one:

http://www.toolsource.com/ost/produc...40MAXDT91587G2

 

Just FYI, I've tried the tool aid ball joint puller (linked to above) and it broke on me the first time I used it. After that, I went to ebay and picked up one of these. It's a better quality peice and never gave me trouble.

 

After fighting with mine for a couple of hours with no luck, my Mitsubishi tech friend told me what he does all the time. First to be clear, Do Not hit on the end where the nut screws on to the threaded shaft. Take a hammer and give one quick hit on the side of the top portion of the ball joint. Then loosen the nut, preferably with an impact wrench. You may have to do it a few times, particularly if you don't have an impact. This worked for me.

Good luck!

 

I just bought one of those ^ listed above. Looks more heavy duty..

 

Well, I started this and have since removed a few ball joints successfully. I ended up using an air hammer. Bang-bang on the top of the stud, with the nut on but loose. Or hitting it with a drift pin.

I tried the fork remover and did ruin a dust boot, I then broke the threads on the stud tightening it back together with a big impact gun - I had to replace the entire control arm.

 

just out of curiosity, why did you need to remove the rear trailing arm in the first place?

 

AMS trailing arm bushings.

 

ahhh, I got the Energy Suspension ones, but haven't installed them yet. I believe the Energy ones are split so they don't need to be pressed in. That would save me from removing the arm, right?