Ball joint separator tool and ball joint extraction and removal tool recommendations please

[Stocious]

I’m close to replacing both ball joints L/R and also both lower arms, looking for up to the job more than once quality wise tools as per thread title to do the job, without paying for the most expensive if avoidable.
Thanks

 

[W1ghty]

I struggled with some smaller ones first for a few hours ,until I borrowed one like this from a friend . Did the job in minutes.

Ball Joint Puller Separator + Tie Rod End Extractor Remover Splitter Tool Set | eBay

✿ The Ball Joint Separation Puller for compact cars, It is used to separate the ball joint from the spindle support arm. ✿ Ball Joint Puller Tool can easily remove most of the models of the ball head joints, and will not hurt other important parts of the car.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[mercman111]

i had one like the above for hgvs and it never let me down

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Got mine off Amazon for £20

 

[chic0821]

I struggled with some smaller ones first for a few hours ,until I borrowed one like this from a friend . Did the job in minutes.

Ball Joint Puller Separator + Tie Rod End Extractor Remover Splitter Tool Set | eBay

✿ The Ball Joint Separation Puller for compact cars, It is used to separate the ball joint from the spindle support arm. ✿ Ball Joint Puller Tool can easily remove most of the models of the ball head joints, and will not hurt other important parts of the car.

www.ebay.co.uk

Have one of these, made as a homer in the tool room of a company I worked in. God knows what it cost the company. Actually came across it last week & had an "all our yesterdays" moment

 

[oldguy57]

I struggled with some smaller ones first for a few hours ,until I borrowed one like this from a friend . Did the job in minutes.

Ball Joint Puller Separator + Tie Rod End Extractor Remover Splitter Tool Set | eBay

✿ The Ball Joint Separation Puller for compact cars, It is used to separate the ball joint from the spindle support arm. ✿ Ball Joint Puller Tool can easily remove most of the models of the ball head joints, and will not hurt other important parts of the car.

www.ebay.co.uk

Funny I never had any joy with that type, but ball joints on old US stuff are large and very obstinate, involving a lot of swearing and bleeding knuckles.

 

[Petrol Pete]

It often relies on access. I have the tool shown in post #2 and it has worked for me on a few different cars or there are these.

 

[Jonesy161]

I don’t like using hammers on suspension parts, BUT, when you watch the professionals attack them they are brutal. I have all the separators shown, the forked chisel with a lump hammer wins every time for me, especially if you’re throwing the old joint away.

 

[alabbasi]

Ball joint separator could be anything from the tool mentioned above to pickle fork or a great big hammer. You will need a ball joint press and some are unique to specific Mercedes Benz models. I don't think a W211 needs anything special.

 

[W1ghty]

It often relies on access. I have the tool shown in post #2 and it has worked for me on a few different cars or there are these.

View attachment 124464 View attachment 124465

Those are two of the tools that I tried during my few hours of fruitless work on the ball joint

 

[jimjamiejames]

I did the whole front end on my s211 with a cheapo splitter off amazon and it work great but the fun really starts if you've gotta press the old ball joint out the arm then the new one in.

 

[Stocious]

Thanks for reply’s, I have a pickle fork somewhere, need to invest in scissors type tool, I’ll try get the best I can, now the tool to press in and out the ball joint, they vary a lot in price online, any recommendations as to which one is good enough, use beyond first use intended, future proof

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Just buy new control arms?

 

[W1ghty]

this was what I bought

Mercedes ML350 S500 E320 E500 Master Ball Joint Press Remover Installer | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mercedes ML350 S500 E320 E500 Master Ball Joint Press Remover Installer at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Stocious]

this was what I bought

Mercedes ML350 S500 E320 E500 Master Ball Joint Press Remover Installer | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mercedes ML350 S500 E320 E500 Master Ball Joint Press Remover Installer at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

Thanks, may buy the one you’ve suggested

 

[W1ghty]

Thanks, may buy the one you’ve suggested

It stood up without issue to my two ball joints . But i had to spend 10 mins with a dremmel smoothing out the odd rough bit on the metal parts .

 

[Petrol Pete]

Just buy new control arms?

He is buying new ones. These are the tools required for removing the old ones from the car.

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

I was replying to the person that mentioned pressing out the old/pressing in the new mounts, and I'm saying at that point, just buy new Lemforder arms (if the mounts are part of the arm).

On the W212, the lower front control arms don't have ball joints and in the USA they seem to press out the rubber and re-use the arms. Over here, on forums and with indies, buying new arms seems the more economical route

The smaller upper front control arm (on the W212) has a ball joint on one side of the arm, which is separate to the arm, so you can just change the ball joint is the rubber on the other side is OK.

FWIW, OP, I found this video useful, it shows the use of the pickle fork and ball joint tool on an E63 W212, but the principle is the same:

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[Petrol Pete]

Or , for when you really need to get mediaeval on it's a$$ !

10646300 4.5 Ton Universal Hydraulic Ball Joint Splitter | HGV/Bus Products | Axle__Suspension__Steering Tools | Ball Joint Removal | HGV/Bus Products | Axle__Suspension__Steering Tools | HGV/Bus Products |

www.pichler-tools.uk