Re: Thrust arms suck! Go Tigers! (archive)

Replacing the thrust arms � it sounds so simple. I quote from the Bentley, "Unscrew the ball joint nut from the steering arm. Lightly tap ball joint out of steering arm.". LIGHTLY TAP MY ASS! I pounded and pried (and yelled and cursed), but that damn thing would not break free. The pickle fork was completely useless. I even made a trip to the auto store where I futilely searched for a suitable press.
After a couple of hours from the start of the job, I took a break to rethink the situation and to watch a little basketball. The lone bright spot in my afternoon was watching Missouri jump all over Ohio State in the NCAA tournament.
Coming up with no other options, I broke down and completely removed the steering arm with both control arms and tie rod end attached. I then inverted the arm on a make-shift anvil (hex dumbbell) and hammered away with a baby sledge. FINALLY, the damn thing came out. Of course, I had to do this on both sides. A job that should have taken 2 hours ended up taking about 6.
On the positive side, the "clunk in the front" has been completely eliminate. I also saved couple hundred dollars by doing it my self and I feel like a full-fledged DIYer.
Russ
'91 735i 90K

A friend of mine who has been a mechanic his whole life taught me a trick that USUALLY works. Take two large ball peen hammers, and place the face of one against the female part of the ball joint connector (the round tapered portion that the male taper goes into). While holding the face of the hammer against it, take the other hammer and give the female part a healthy wack on the opposite side (180 degrees). The shock is often sufficient to break the taper fit free.

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