I want to purchase a ball joint separator

[Erik the Awful]

If it only works 90% of the time you need a bigger hammer.

I've tried the hammer trick, and it never works for me.

I'm a disciple of the Bigger Hammer. However, when I pulled apart the driver's side on WCJr it wouldn't budge with me hitting it full force with my biggest hammers. I ended up pulling the spindle with the control arms. The top ball joint came loose and I chucked the spindle and lower arm into my vise and used my air hammer to pop the ball joint out.

 

[Hipster]

2-3 wacks on the spindle with a 2 pound short maul and it's loose.

 

[454cid]

I'm a disciple of the Bigger Hammer. However, when I pulled apart the driver's side on WCJr it wouldn't budge with me hitting it full force with my biggest hammers. I ended up pulling the spindle with the control arms. The top ball joint came loose and I chucked the spindle and lower arm into my vise and used my air hammer to pop the ball joint out.

I've hit the trucks passenger side knuckle so hard that I've deformed the surface. I don't want to have issues with the 69 Electra, so I'm just planning on using a tool. Depending on condition, I'm planning on reusing the ball joints. Either upper or lower (don't recall) don't seem to be very available other than cheapos on ebay. Right now, the goal is just to pull parts, so I can get rid of the rest of the car.