stubborn lower control arm

[TorqueEffect]

Anyone got any tips for a lower control arm that will just not let go of the knuckle?

Even with a mix of ATF and acetone, putting strain on it by jacking up by the rotor so the sway bar is pulling down on it. smacking it with a hammer repeatedly at the knuckle, and down on top of the control arm.

Just about given up since this knuckle isn't going back on the car, but would like to save the control arm to avoid paying for another one.

[fastivaca]

Take a large straight blade screw driver and hammer it into the gap on the knuckle to wedge open a bit. I find this will often be enough to free up the stubborn control arm.

Hope that helps

Ian

[Pu241]

Fastivaca beat me to it!

[rmoltis]

I personally jacked the knuckle upwards with my floor jack compressing the front spring slightly but not dangerously.
Then with the upward pulling of the knuckle and the sway bar wanting to pull down on the control arm.

Use your hammer on the control arm now downwards. It pops out everytime.

[TorqueEffect]

I finally got it out. lots of hammering it with the axle out of the way, then it finally started to slide out.

[zoom zoom]

Long cheater pipe over the sway bar and under the inner lca mounting point does the trick, you get more leverage that way.

[tooldude]

Opening the gap as Fastivaca stated is relatively easy. For a ball joint that is being reused, I think it's too forceful to beat it out and could be damaging.

[TorqueEffect]

It was open as far as it would go, I even took the biggest flathead I could find and it slide right in the gap.

I might have damaged the balljoint a bit, but I just wanted to get the car operational again with the Rio swap. Then again these are Dorman LCAs, so they could be worn out before the boots have even perished. lol I didn't feel any play in the ball joint, so I guess that is good.

If I have to change the LCA, I will need to cut a hole in the frame to get access to the nut, because I did attempt to remove the LCA and just pull it all out, but the nut inside the frame just keeps spinning.