Unable to get the lower ball joint off the spring control arm. Help
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2008 e550 base WDBUF72X98B228774
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W211 E500
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W211 E500
Just FYI, I had my dad to help out and we decided to grind the ball joint out instead of hammering. I'll try to use a ball joint separator again on the other side, but this time with the bolt on the ball joint thread.
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From: Colorado
G550
Ball joints are made with hardened steel alloys. With patience, you can cut through them with an angle grinder cutoff wheel, but grinding the tapered stud out of the knuckle with an abrasive burr or grinding bit will be difficult and risks damaging the knuckle. A carbide grinding burr or drill bit might remove metal, but will leave you with residue that still won't break free and then will be impossible to remove. Combinations of pressure and impact, and maybe some heat from a heat gun (not a torch) remain the best method.
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2006 E280
As it seems to be really stuck, I would take the whole assembly out, firts removing brakes and wheel hub, then removing the knuckle with the lower arms attached. That would make more room to work with the stuck taper. I wouldn't grind anything off, makes it so much more harder to remove the remainings.
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From: Baltimore County, MD
'13 s212 63 p30. '06 LX470
you rotate it so one lip is under the arm and one is under the nipple/protrusion at the twelve o’clock position at the very end of the arm, other side of ball joint. In your pic, basically rotate yours about 90 degrees in the pic. I swear, once you figure it out, it will always be easy. Don’t try to “rig” your tool
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2008 e550 base WDBUF72X98B228774
I ordered the $50 generic Mercedes ball joint press kit from ebay but find it useless without a lift. The end of the screw allows me to get a breaker bar on but I can't accomplish much by hand even with a cheater bar on it. I have all control arms removed which does not help. I picked up a compact 90 degree impact wrench from Harbor Freight (#63534) but 700 lb-ft was not enough torque to finish the job. So likely going the hub removal method.
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W211 E500
^^^thats crazy^^^
I used this BJ separator. Works fine.
I used this BJ separator. Works fine.
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Joined: May 2024
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2008 e550 base WDBUF72X98B228774
Holy ****, I got it! A) I figured out my pneumatic right-angle impact wrench has three different settings, and put it on the highest one. B) I pressed the ball joint back in a little bit, then took it from the beginning. I suspect I initially pressed it out at a slight angle since my Goliath press is so big. (I know I did but didn't think it mattered). C) I kept at it for a long time. Maybe an hour. I would watch little dust particles on the threads turn very slowly. Often they would stop, so I would stop and D) add silicone penetrating oil. Once I started up again it would usually turn for a bit until it slowed down. I heard a sound like a pop and then it turned "normally" until it came out all the way. I thought the sound was it being freed, but I had to keep at it another minute. I also didn't realize the Mercedes kit end of the screw pulls out and you can just push in a different piece. I used the smaller of the two half-cylinder pieces.
