Need advice on how to remove hicas ball joints

[Reezer]

Ok, these damn hicas steering ball joints are driving me nuts. I've been trying off and on for a week to get them out with no success. It's pissing me off because it is the last thing I need to do to get my car to pass safety. I have tried banging on them, using a ball joint remover tool, using penetrating oil and heating around them with a propane torch(which I don't think gets hot enought to do anything). The ball joint is supposed to push out from the spindle and the new one pushes in and is held with a snap ring on the back. Any advise or help with how to get these god forsaken things out would be hugely appreciated. The only other thing I can think of to do is to remove the whole spindle and then bang on them with a 5lb sledge till they come out. I really don't wanna do that though if possible cause then I have to deal with trying to get a whole bunch more rusty bolts free.

This is what needs to go in. snap ring is already attached to the back.
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6696/hicas003gk2.jpg



This is where it needs to go. I already have removed the back snap ring.
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6791/hicas002xw4.jpg
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/9467/hicas001kc0.jpg

[Signum Temporis]

*EDIT*

take the spindle off, drill through the center, then try pulling it or hammering it out

[Firestorm]

take the spindle off, put it in a vice and get some kind of socket (better use a cheap one!) that fits over the balljoint and bash the shit out of it...thats what i would do...maybe heat it up a little, might help...

[burnsauto]

use an acetylene torch. you may just want to take it to a shop and have them do it if you can't get ahold of one. should take around 30 minutes for each side.

[projectRDM]

Agreed, remove the upright. Then you can use a cutoff wheel and cut the stud off flush because hammering it like it will just twist the stud around. After it's cut you can get a good center punch on it and beat it or fit it into a press. I've done that before on front ball joints when they're so loose they just flop around.

[edmorl]

sorry for the bump, it's better then making a new thread. But does anyone know the part number for the ball joint on the hicas toe arm ? I can't seem to find it.

edit: found it if anybody else needs this for reference.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3cZnFvtBbT8/SjrpKfcON1I/AAAAAAAABHs/ier9dIYqY0M/s800/P1080104.JPG

[kennedy8383]

It look like the ball joint have frozen in there. Don't bother using a c clamp to press then out because it much harder.. Take the arm out and have it press with 50 ton shop press... It will come out easily and have it press back in..