okay. thanks to the advice i got from all u peeps i was able to get the 19mm nut off the ball joint off w/o having to take apart my axle.
in fact, i got all the bolts off the control arm, but heres my next big problem.

how the heck do u get the ball joint off the control arm?

i tried tapping, i tried the pickle fork. it just wont budge. right now i gave up for the nite, and the lca is hanging on the ball joint stud. (good thing i have new joints w/ the new arm)

pb-blasting didnt do any justice either.

 

i believe they have to be pressed out.

 

I had it pressed out (and new one in) for maybe $15

 

You do need to get them pressed out.

Where do you guys buy ball joints ?? Nissan doesnt sell them seperate. Im guessing ill make some called locally

-matt

 

2nd'd

 

autozone rents out a balljoint press which is basically a glorified c-clamp.

 

Or kits like these should work too.

 

I believe he is referring to how to remove the ball joint from the hole in the steering knuckle. The pickle fork will work. Trust me. Since you are replacing them anyways, just fit it in there snugly and use a mini-sledge type hammer. When I did mine last month I ran into the same problem. The fork will destroy the old ball joint, but that doesn't matter. Just keep hitting it and wiggling it around, eventually the ball joint will pop loose.

 

oh yes, to get the ball joint off the knuckle took me forever. just hammer the fork in as far as you can, then hit the fork and pray you don't accidently scratch up the fender somehow. its a pain because there's not much room to swing the hammer under the fender.

 

actually, sorry i was a bit vague. yes, i meant the ball joint from the steering knuckle. well, im an idiot. cause the pickle fork i have is a tie rod separator, which is actually, a tad too small to remove the ball joint. im gonna try to get something bigger, and try again.

thanks guys.