I have a strange problem working on the lower balljoint. The lower balljoint is fine but the rubber around it gone. I decided to replace it, just to be on the safe side. The problem is, I cannot remove the BJ even after I separated the knuckle and the stud !

I know the theory, and seems like I did everything right:

1) I put the jack under the lower control arm and raised the vehicle.
2) I removed the wheel.
3) I removed the cotter pin and loosened the nut a little bit.
4) I took a puller and with loud "snap" it separated the stud from the knuckle.
5) I removed the nut completely.
6) I unbolted the 4 bolts attaching the BJ to the lower arm.

Now, the interesting part. Although the stud and knuckle are not pressed to each other anymore, and the stud can move all the way through the knuckly hole, THEY ARE STILL UNDER BIG PRESSURE AND I JUST HAVE NO STRENGTH TO OVERCOME THIS PRESSURE AND TO PULL THE STUD OUT OF THE HOLE. Something continues to pressure them together. With the puller, I can move the stud inside the hole, but once I remove the puller, the stud happily sets back into it's original position.

I checked the whole setup and I do not understand what pressures them together. As far as I understand, the upper arm must be sitting on the lower arm through the lower ball joint, and once I removed this connection, the upper arm must be moving relatively freely. Wrong. I feel like something pressures the upper arm UPWARD with a non-human force.

Obviously, I miss something in this picture. Please help me.

May be, I have to put a jack under the frame, also ? As I mentioned, I am raising the vehicle by jacking it's lower arm.

The Axiom's suspension is identical to the 2 gen Rodeos.

Thanks in advance.

OK, I found this on the http://www.alldatadiy.com:

1. Raise the vehicle and support the frame with suitable safety stands.
2. Remove wheel and tire assembly.

3. Remove the tie-rod end from the knuckle.
4. Remove the retaining ring from the front axle driving shaft to release the shaft from hub (Except 2WD model).

5. Support lower control arm with a jack.
6. Remove lower ball joint nut and cotter pin, then use remover J-29107 to remove the lower ball joint from the knuckle. Caution: Be careful not to damage the ball-joint boot.
7. Remove nut.
8. Remove bolt.
9. Remove lower ball joint.

Steps 3 and 4 are what I did not make... this looks scary. Do I need to remove the tie-road and release the axle shaft ?! If so, I opt not to replace the BJ now, and rather wait until it will naturally detiorate without the proper greezing.

This procedure is just too complex to get rid of bad BJ ...

Oleg, I'm not familiar with the Axiom suspension and this may not be the solution to your problem but I believe putting the jack under the lower control arm is to support it from falling after you remove the bj. I don't think it should be supporting the weight of the vehicle. In any case, good luck with it.

HTH

Leland

Leland, I suppose that the lower control arm is attached to the torsion bar and the lower arm is pressured upward by the torsion bar. If loosened, the arm must be moving up, not falling down, this is how I understand.

You need to have the front lifted and supported under the frame. When the lower bj is loose then let the LCA down as far as it will go. With it just supported under the LCA, the UCA bushings will be under tension and thats probably what the force is that you are fighting. When I did the bjs on my rodeo I did one side with the tie rod out and the other with it still attached (wouldnt pop loose).

I was wrong - the arm is pressing downward. So, Leland, you are right, I have to put the jackstand under the frame.

so, Dave, am I understanding correctly that it's possible to take out the lower BJ without disconnecting the tie rod ?

Thanks !

It should be. I did upper and lower bjs at the same time so cant say for sure but dont see any reason why you couldnt. You might have to turn the steering wheel to push the knuckle out at some point but it should be doable. It didnt look like they had removed them when I took mine in to have the LCA bushings replaced and I know they had to pop out the lower bj to do those.

You have to get the CV axle out of the way to replace the lower ball joint no easy way around it.

I just cannot say how disappointed I am ... why did they design it that stupid way ? there is no justification for the axle-BJ connection, why they cannot be serviced independently ?