poping the ball joints out tips please

i want to pop my ball joints out to replace the rubbers for the mot
are these ball joint splitters any good or is there a easy cheaper way ?

 

split rubbers/gaitors are not a mot failure just an advisory at the moment, but as of 2012 they will be a failure

 

If your talking about the suspension arm ball joints you will need a big splitter

The top arm ball joints will come out with the camber collar stuck to it this will need removing before you can fit the new rubber

 

Yeah i used one like that and a large hammer

 

ball joint seperator is good

 

no point replacing ball joints just for an exercise in part changing, the new ones arent as good as the originals, if its just the rubbers, a ball joint splitter will be fine

 

if your very carefull its possible to get the rubbers over the camber collar

 

Ive recently replaced mine davidoft with meyle ones
What makes you say the new ones arent as good as the originals?

Mine were totally shot so had to be replaced

 

if only the rubbers are perished and there is no play in the joint just swap the boot, as for freeing of the joint just hit the hub with a hammer

 

It was on myth busters a while ago can't rember if they busted it though

 

splitter is the way too go ! those fork type ones are ok and do the job but i tend to find they trash the rubber boots ! which is ok if there knackered anyway ! i got one similar to this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROFESSIONAL-BALL-JOINT-SPLITTER-SEPARATOR-SCISSORS-/180746017031?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2a154d5907

and has proved its self time and time again and has never knackered any rubbers .
Just my experience anyway ! i may just be too heavy handed with those fork ones

 

The method of using two hammers to crack a taper joint is achieved by holding a hammer against the opposite side to that which you hit with the other hammer, thus concentrating the shock in the immediate area of the taper rather than allowing the stress to be borne by other components. Walloping on one side only is not a good idea.

 

whs^^^ if there uber tight use a hammer on both sides! most joints only need 1 hammer though ;D

on myth busters they hit the hammers together with machines so powerfull they snapped the handles of the heads while watching for shards breaking of with high speed camera's and they never managed to shatter one! saying that i have hit hardened stuff in the past and sharp bit have flow of with high velocity so be carefull

 

I was lump hammering a 2ft nail bar many years ago, trying to jam the pointy end under something so hitting the apex of the curly end. One side of the nail removing bit shattered off and smacked into my wrist "like a bullet" - well it stuck in anyway.