ball joint

[AmatureCDV Driver]

ok, 1996 grand am, i need to get off the lower ball joint on the control arm. help me please, its an emergency!!!!

[GTP Dad]

You will need to jack the car up and disconnect the nut holding ball joint in place by removing the cotter pin and the nut. Once you do this use a seperator tool to drop the lower control arm. Drill out the rivets from the ball joint and replace it with a new one. Bolt everything back in place and tighten appropriately. Take to an alignment shop to have the alignment checked. Your are on the road again.

[AmatureCDV Driver]

thanks that helps. what i am trying to do is replace the control arm, so what i understand is that once the nut is out, that bolt should slide out. becasue i got the codder pin out, and the nut off, but it seems to be stuck. i dont have a seperator tool, is there another way to do it?

[GTP Dad]

No! if you try to use anything but seperator tool you will damage the ball joint. You can buy one for about $10 at autozone or rent one from a local tool rental place. This is only a couple minute job once you have the right tool to seperate it.