Once I had it on the ground I hammered it out setting on 4x4's if I remember right. All the work happened because I was ultimately going after the front axle u-joint which all the bearings had fallen out. Driving in Michigan Winters is really hard on vehicles. At one point I tried using a massive 3 finger puller (about 3' long--from work) to pull the bearing out, only separated the inner from the outer. That's when the grinder came out.


Good Luck

 

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I have a Metabo that slings a 4 1/2" blade. That didn't quite cut through the lower ball joint. I needed a 9" grinder. I'll show pics.

 

Alright, here's how hard I've beaten on this thing...



I removed the nuts from the upper and lower ball joints and dropped the knuckle to get more room. I'm lucky enough to have a Metabo, a high speed side grinder. However, it didn't have enough reach to cut through the lower joint. So I brought out my 9" grinder. Unfortunately, all I had was a grinding wheel, which is much thicker than a cutting wheel. Oh well....



It's hard to see, but this is how far I got with my Metabo...



I'm also lucky enough to have a portable band saw. I used it to cut the uppers.



And this is where I am now.

 

Holy Crap Dude, I know where your at. If you have a 2lb sledge, and a 10lb sledge or a 75ton press----- get a bud to help, place the 2 lb sledge in the center of the bearing, and smack the 2 lb with the 10 lb. DON'T BE SHY ABOUT IT EITHER. One really good square hit should start the housing moving in the knuckle.


Good Luck, it took me 4 days to get my left and right side rebuilt, but that included the axle u-joints too. Here's something you may want to try before the maylay that will ensue. mix a 2 equal part mixture of acetone and atf, any kind will do, pour enough around the backside of that bearing housing and allow it to soak in for a while, tomorrow, it might make the job easier.

 

Okay, this is getting out of hand. My buddy with a transmission shop let me borrow his 30 ton press. Nothing. I brought them home and put them in my 10 ton press, then used my acetylene torch to heat the knuckle, hoping the tension and heat would work. Nope.

This is my setup.



This is my torch.



The only thing I can think of now is to buy new knuckles.....

 

put it in the freezer.


SJ03

 

Too late, I found these:

http://www.quad4x4.com/qu50722.html

And these:

http://www.tascaparts.com/auto-parts...nt-brakes-scat

$360 for new parts that haven't been weakened isn't as bad as I thought. They should arrive early next week. I'll let you know what I find out.

 

30 ton press and they still didn't budge
I reckon your right to buy new now.
They must be weakened after all the bashing and heating you've given them?
Al.

 

That's what I figure. I never play around with steering and brakes. Fix it or don't drive it. You never know the lives you may take with you.