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#1
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Pickle Fork?
I'm rebuilding the front end on my 66 coronet. All the tie rods and ball joints are really beating my a$$. Is a pickle fork the right tool for the job or is there some puller that would work better. Any help would be appreciated. Thank You.
P.S. Do the upper control arm bushings have to be pressed out? |
#2
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As long as you are replacing the parts, the fork is the right tool. It's what the pros use anyway. Don't be gentle.
The bushings do have to be pressed out. You may be able to do it with a vise. On the other hand, sometimes they are so tough to get the out , that they have to be cut up/destroyed to get them out. The bushing's make the rest look easy. |
#3
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Use a two pounder with that fork, much easier than a claw hammer or a smaller ball pean.
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#4
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Thanks Dave
It's off to the parts store first thing in the morning
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#5
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Isn't a pickle fork a type of speed boat?
Well, that was the first image to pop into my head! A high speed boat powered by a Mopar....then to my surprise its a thread on suspension type items! |
#6
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Leave it to an engineer to think too much!
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#7
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When I rebuilt the front end of my duster, I used a pickle fork too. However, I found that heating the ball joints with a torch ( a little bit ) made the job a LOT easier.
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#8
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As mentioned the bushings can be a pain. The upper joint is a screw in and requires a socket and rattle wrench, remove it while the a-arm is still on the vehicle. (easier to hold still while rattling them loose) They do have pullers for tie rod joints, and can be very handy at times. (looks like a small pitman arm puller) You will probably need two sizes of "forks", the lower joint is a larger taper than the tie rods.
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#9
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ball joints
some of the dodge/chrysler ball joints are screw in type, you can always use an impact to get the spindles off too, they make a fork for them also.
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#10
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they make a pneumatic pickle fork, sweet butter!!
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#11
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?
pickleforks will damage the balloon seals. Like Dave says, if your replacing everything with new, no big deal. I just use a coupla big hammers. It usually doesn't take more than a coupla swings. I also use an air chisel on the UCA bushings. Don't forget to buzz the locking collar off one of the bushings, first! It's easy to overlook it.
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#12
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Quote:
NEVER HEAT A JOINT !! They have small palstic pieces inside and if melted the joint is worthless. So dont do it if you plan on using the old joints. |
#13
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joint
I have never seen/heard of anyone using an old joint, if you gotta take it off, why put it back on, new ones aren't that expensive
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#14
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When I used a torch, I used ALL new parts, hey man, 30 year old ball joints, no way.
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