Is there a trick to getting them to come off? The truck is a 99 GMC, the ball joints are f*&ked anyways so I am not worried if they get messed up anymore. I just cannot get the ball joint (upper or lower) to come out of the spindel to save my life!! Any insite would be greatly appreciated.--Tony

 

They are press fit. You need to get a ball join separator. Places like Checker and Auto Zone usually have these in their loan-a-tool sets. It's a wedge that you insert between the ball joint and steering knuckle and hit with a hammer. That should do the trick

 

It works a little something like this

 

Done that and bent one of them!! Only managed to get one off.--Tony

 

got a torch? heat the spindle for a few seconds (20 or so) where the balljoint stud goes through the spindle. Let it sit for half a minute..take that pickle fork (wedge) and start hammering it in..voila! it'll bust loose after the first couple of hits. ive torn 6 different NBS trucks apart to lower them..i know it works

 

I have pickle forks for my air hammer that work well. A little heat from a propane torch may help also as stated.

 

when i used that tool, it slipped out of place and put a big as hole in the rubber

 

Ended up doing a lot of banging and got the other top one out of the spindel. The lower ones I just drilled/heated/air hammered the rivits out and the removed the ball joint/spindel as one since I am putting new sindels on. But of all things, when i took the control arms to have the new upper ball joints pressed in......the guy pressed it in upside down!! Gotta have it re-done now .--Tony