Best $40 bucks I've spent on a tool!!!
 

After a day and a half of pounding on the steering knuckles to get the lower ball joints loose, I went to Sears and bought their multi purpose separator tool. By the time I got my 30 gallon air compressor to fill, I got the 2 lower ball joints, and all the front steering components apart. (A good 10 minutes) Right tool for the right job....man it felt good. I even tried that trick in the Haynes manual but that didnt work.

BTW, the whole front suspension is off the truck and the back end (box and suspension) has been off for a month now. Next to come off is the cab, the engine and the front sheetmetal.

I'm getting there:D

Jay

Ya mean a pickle fork? 40 bucks is an awful lot for one of those....They work good, they might f up your balljoints but its ok if youre replacing the front suspension anyway...

Is that what it's called??? j/k Well, this is Hawaii. I guess it's what we pay to live in paradise.

jay

$40.00 Whew! I guess freight is very expensive.

Yeah it is. I couldve gotten the tool off of sears.com for $30 and free shipping but I couldnt wait.

You wont believe the cost to ship down a cab from the west coast either. $650 just for shipping alone. Toss in the cost of the cab with doors and I can pretty much kiss my wallet goodbye.

jay

Most cars you can usually seperate tie rods/balljoints with just a good hammer but there are some that are just plain impossible. Most tierods just take on or two hits (in the right spot) and they will pop out. My camaro for some odd reason there was no way to remove it with a hammer, then I went to an pickle fork, then finally got mad and got out the air chisel with pickle fork on it.... That got it ;) . There are 2 tools for tie rods, a pickle fork and a seperator. The seperator hooks over the centre link/spindle and uses a bolt to push down onto the top of the nut to break it free.
CoryM

I got one for 11 bucks and only used it as a last resort on my 72. My 99 of course all I needed was a hammer, but it took alot more on the 30 yr old ball joints on the C-10....

Mine were impossible to separate. I got a picklefork set off of ebay for around $10 new. It was a tool supplier unloading inventory on ebay. Before I look for any tool I check ebay first.

Funny you should mention ball joints. I spent the long weekend (Veterans day and all...) working on the front end of my 84 K10. Once I got down to the ball joints, I hit the upper stud with my 2lb mini thor hammer and it popped both joints free in about 54 blows. The other side was different. I got the upper stud to pop free but the lower stud wouldn't no matter what. I tried using a separator on my air chisel, but it still wouldn't go. I finally took the snap ring off the lower ball joint, hit the upper stud a few more times and the lower ball joint pulled out of the knuckle and then I hit the lower ball joint stud and it popped right out the of housing.

I don't think I've ever successfully used a pickle fork. The hammer usually works for me.

On all the joints I can get the pitman arm puller on, that is what I use. Just tighten it down and give it a wack. Does not damage the joint or boots if you wish to save them.

Denny