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Thread: Steering knuckle seperation - breaking the ball joints bond

  1. #1
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    Steering knuckle seperation - breaking the ball joints bond

    Top and bottom ball joint boots have splits in them and given that the vehicle is now 16 years old with 280,000km it's time to replace them. I've gotten this far:

    IMG_0614.jpg

    What's the hot tips for separating the steering knuckle (i.e. breaking the ball joints tapered/rust bond)?
    I'm always weary of the BFH method.
    Air hammer with a ball joint separating fork?
    Special separator tool (yes, I know there is a genuine Land Rover one, but is there a more accessible alternative?)? The one I have here for ball joints/tie rod ends seems to be a bit too small and my pullers just don't seem to able to fit on properly on the bottom one.

  2. #2
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    Been about 6 months since I did mine, but I remember I bought a ball joint separator fork and had to modify it with a grinder to make it fit the D2 joints. A friend had made his own hand pump hydraulic removal tool, that was a great help.

    A hint for installing them: freeze the ball joints for a day or so, then when installing them heat the ball joint seat up with a blow torch. The seats will expand with heat and the balk joints will contract with freezing. They should slip in super easy. Then you just have to hold them in place by hand until the seats and ball joints return to normal temp. Made mine really easy, but you have to be quick when you put them in or your really screwed.
    "Land Rover - making mechanics out of everyday motorists for nearly 70 years"

  3. #3
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    Steering knuckle seperation - breaking the ball joints bond

    Quote Originally Posted by John_D2 View Post
    A hint for installing them: freeze the ball joints for a day or so, then when installing them heat the ball joint seat up with a blow torch. The seats will expand with heat and the balk joints will contract with freezing. They should slip in super easy. Then you just have to hold them in place by hand until the seats and ball joints return to normal temp. Made mine really easy, but you have to be quick when you put them in or your really screwed.
    No pressing required then? Ie if frozen and heated they can just be pushed in by hand then?
    Mine - modified MY03 LT L318 Discovery 2a HSE Td5 15P
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by twr7cx View Post
    No pressing required then? Ie if frozen and heated they can just be pushed in by hand then?
    Not to put them in. Just trying to recall, I’m pretty sure I used a combination of using the ball joint ‘tuning fork’ things and using my friends press.

    Sort of like this:

    hydraulic ball joint removal tool - Google Search
    "Land Rover - making mechanics out of everyday motorists for nearly 70 years"

  5. #5
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    Haven't tried it myself but have heard of cutting the protruding portion of the taper off then belting them upward with a drift/socket etc. Probably needs to be on a hoist for that though so you get a decent swing at it.

  6. #6
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    I still haven't managed to seperate them. Can't get the ball joint fork in far enough as the tips hit somewhere at every angle. Have a hydraulic puller here but just can't get it straight on on the lower ball joint and front is inaccessible with it.

    Anyone able to advise if this 32mm hex on the bottom of the steering knuckle (which the lower ball joint shaft goes through and nut tightens against) is part of the steering knuckle or undoes? I haven't been able to undo it and it looks like it's all one piece with the knuckle, so assuming it's part of the knuckle.

    IMG_0641.jpgIMG_0642.jpg

  7. #7
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    Do you want me to drop by with my special tool?
    The Isuzu 110. Solid and as dependable as a rock, coming soon with auto box😊
    The Range Rover L322 4.4.TTDV8 ....probably won't bother with the remap..😈

  8. #8
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    I got three undone today by backing the nut until it was flush wth the end of the thread, then lifting from underneath with the jack, followed by a well aimed sharp tap with a 2Lb ball pein hammer.... POP! easy
    Don

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Don 130 View Post
    I got three undone today by backing the nut until it was flush wth the end of the thread, then lifting from underneath with the jack, followed by a well aimed sharp tap with a 2Lb ball pein hammer.... POP! easy
    Interesting as my old man and I were only just talking last night about using a bottle jack to jack on the pin of the lower balljoint after wrapping a strap around the knuckle and underneath the jack - with the idea being that as the jack pushes the ball joint up the strap is holding the knuckle from going up with it...


    Quote Originally Posted by justinc View Post
    Do you want me to drop by with my special tool?
    I might be at that point! I almost put it all back together last night to drive it down to you!!! I'll need to strip the other side first then.

  10. #10
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    Here a link to some info with a few videos
    Steering Ball joint removal
    Steering Ball joint removal

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