fredseebeck

Anyone willing to loan or rent me the front lower ball joint removal tool for a 79 911SC? I want to install new balljoints properly, but cannot see any other way of applying proper torque without the tool. I hate the thought of buying the tool if I am only using it one time.

Paul (Weissach 911)

I beat mine off with a pickle fork set from harbor frieght, wasn't difficult. Doesn't matter if you tear the boot because your installing a new one. I would think the tool would be needed to get the old one off undamaged. I plan on buying the tool so I can take every thing apart again next year.

markwemple

I'm with Paul. An inexpensive pickle fork will work great if you are replacing them. The only thing that will get damaged is the boot. I have a friend, who is a mechanic, that can usually spare the boot damage with a pickle fork! Considering the cost of a 911 ball joint the tool price is outrageous!!

Matt Romanowski

A lot of times you can get it to come out with just a whack on the end of the steering arm. When that fails, use a pickle fork.

Matt

JP911

I think he is referring to the ball joint socket, not the pickle fork. If so, you will need the socket for installing the ball joints, not removing them. Removing them requires assorted demolition tools: dremel with cutting wheel, chisel, heavy mallet, torch, pry bar, etc... If you try to use the socket to remove them, you will likely destroy the socket. Ask me how I know.

Paul (Weissach 911)

My bad, JP is right, I was thinking tie rod end. You will need the socket unless you use a dremel to cut the castlelated nut off, but you will need it to torque it back on. I put a floor jack under the breaker bar with a 6' cheater to get it off. Order new wedge bolts & nuts as well, even if you can get them out without damaging them, they should be replaced. Here is a pic of the socket.

AJ88CAB

You might want to try one of your local Advance, AutoZone, or NAPA auto parts stores. They loan tools. This one is pretty specilized but you might get lucky.

Matt Romanowski

For the ball joint nut, you can use a drift and hammer to turn it. That will get it off without trouble.

Matt

Noel

Fred,

You don't need the socket. I just replaced mine and used a 1 foot pipe wrench with a one foot extention to get it off after soaking it with lube and heating the nut with a propane torch. I clamped the a-arm in the vice on my workbench to hold it steady. The nut came right off and only had a couple teeth marks from the wrench (I did have to bound my body weight on the end of the extention twice to free it and I'm not a big guy).

I even used the pipe wrench to put it back on and just used basic physics to calculate the torque (1 foot pound equals 1 pound of force at the end of a 1 foot wrench). The wrench has just enough space to grab the edge of the nut. I was even able to torque it without scratching my newly detailed a-arm.

Good luck and take your wife out with the money you save on two new nuts and the socket.

Noel