After watching some of the Youtube vids on replacing the upper ball
joint - I decided to follow suite on this one - which shows the use of
the ball joint tool. There are other ways - but this was specific to
doing it without getting involved with the brakes.  Seemed reasonable to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN0T__WCQ7U

John

On 2/7/2014 7:56 AM, Jim Felder wrote:
> John;
>
> That upper ball joint simply I bolts from the car. I am not sure what that extractor would do.
>
> The bottom is complex enough that a pretty special shaped mandrel (or whatever you call it) is needed; an ordinary cylinder in a press won't do because of the shape of the steering knuckle.
>
> When I did my front end a few years back, I removed the knuckle with lower joint in situ and took it to a tire place where their mechanic pressed out the old and pressed in the new for $20. Shop around. I got quotes around $100 for the same simple job.
>
> An alternative would be to get the loaner tool from autozone. They have the expanded kit that other list members have successfully used. Point is that a basic front end set won't do the job.
>
> You could probably do this with a punch and hammer but I didn't see the need to take that risk.
>
> Jim
>
>> On Feb 6, 2014, at 11:25 PM, JRodgers <jrodgers113@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>
>> Just scored me a couple of special tools for some front end work.
>>
>> 1)  OTC Pitman Arm/Tie Rod End Puller  - Jim Felder loaned me his once -
>> and boy did it make a tie rod end change out so simple. Figured I had to
>> have one - specially having three vans.
>>
>> 2) OTC Upper Ball Joint Extractor - another one of those "must have"
>> special tools. Volksiebus is a bit loose so that job is coming up. It's
>> going to make it so easy!
>>
>> Gonna eventually get into the lower ball joint. I want to be ready.
>>
>> These tools are from Amazon Dot Com.
>>
>> Joh
>