Control Arm Removal Help!

[stryker14]

To all,

I am very frustrated. I have two issues.

1. I can't get the outer ball joint to seperate from the hub. I have tried a pickle fork, With hammering, hammered the hub, broke a small puller trying to remove it. Any help?

2. How do you get to the inner ball joint nut? I can get a socket on it but no room for the rachet. I can get a stubby box wrench on it but can't get enough force to move the nut. It looks like it is not accessible from the top due to various components. What tools have others used? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ted

[cjscopp]

Recently overhauled the front suspension on our 1995 325i and did not have any trouble. A few suggestions on the outer ball joint. I used my floor jack arm as a lever to pry down on the lower control arm as I smacked the knuckle with a hammer and it popped right off. As to the inner, I used an open end wrench from the front of the car after removing the outer tie rods and just turned the nut a little at a time. It took a while but that was the only way I found to get at it. The passenger side has a little better access than did the drivers side. Be patient and the nuts will come off. The front end on these things is very simple and well engineered IMO. Aligned it with a tape measure and got it pretty close according to the alignment shop. Good luck.

[stryker14]

Thanks for the reply, got back under there with the box wrench and got the inner nut off. Those ball joints are a real Pain!

Ted