Hi,
Tried to change the wheel bearing today ( front ns) but could not get the ball joint apart, so my intention is to get a new control arm and knuckle new or second hand and go fom there.
Does anyone have any recommendations for both knuckle and control arm.

Mel.

Did you try some heat and a splitter ?

As above a fork type ball joint seperator and a big club hammer and give a hard whack ! 2013 FL2 XS.
Defender 90 300 TDi.
Defender 90 300 TDi CSW.
1964 MGB Roadster.
1944 Willys MB "Jeep" with bullet holes. (gone)
17 hand Irish Drought Thoroughbred (mostly lame)
Nagging Old Boiler.

I made a ball joint splitter to fit by grinding it to size

Hi,
I have tried :-

heat
impact
long bar and impact
tried separator and grinding it, don’t want to use a fork because of ball joint damage

any recommendations for control arms.

thanks

Why change the control arm? if all the bushes are ok then it would be cheaper and easier to just replace the ball joint if you damage it in the splitting process, you may have already damaged the rubber boot by applying heat. also control arms should be replaced in pairs and then that would need four wheel tracking done as the new arms will put it out. 2013 FL2 XS.
Defender 90 300 TDi.
Defender 90 300 TDi CSW.
1964 MGB Roadster.
1944 Willys MB "Jeep" with bullet holes. (gone)
17 hand Irish Drought Thoroughbred (mostly lame)
Nagging Old Boiler.

What happened with the joint splitter, apply enough pressure,either the joint would come out or the splitter would snap

I ground out the jaws to 22 mm wide but could not get the splitter in, perhaps it is a case of accepting the fact that the ball joint has to be sacrificed and I need to drill out the control arm and fit a new ball joint.

Mel.

I' ve had this trouble as well, I ended up just cutting the ball joint and then installing a new one with bolts instead of rivets. BUT when I had to replace the control arm on the other side, I just went and removed the two bolts holding in the control arm, removed the tie rod from steering knuckle, and pulled the whole wishbone out, while the ball joint was still attached. After that, one precise hit with a hammer, and ball joint seperated. Control arm bushings are just making too much upward pressure on ball joint.

Will give that a go, just put a post on about torque fothe joint mounting bolts what did you set yours to.

Mel.