Ford 6600 Ball joint stuck in place

[UrbannGuerilla]

The 6600 we got had about half a turn of play in the steering wheel. All the ball joints were sloppy from the connection at the Pittman all the way to the tie rods. The ball joints are wallered out. In the process of removing the tie rods, one of the ball joints is stuck in the center piece both tie rods connect to. My brother and father could not get it out, including heating the center piece to try to get it to let loose and was not successful. I wasn't at the tractor that day so I don't know all the details, but I know they couldn't get it out. Any ideas?

 

[Mike1955]

The 6600 we got had about half a turn of play in the steering wheel. All the ball joints were sloppy from the connection at the Pittman all the way to the tie rods. The ball joints are wallered out. In the process of removing the tie rods, one of the ball joints is stuck in the center piece both tie rods connect to. My brother and father could not get it out, including heating the center piece to try to get it to let loose and was not successful. I wasn't at the tractor that day so I don't know all the details, but I know they couldn't get it out. Any ideas?

Sir I don’t know but I guess with the right tool and a big hammer it should come out. In short just keep on trying

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

You doing all that and you have only a half a turn of slack to begin with?

 

[dstig1]

I can't tell a lot from those photos as I don't know that model at all, but in general when I have dealt with tie rod ends, ball joints, etc I typically use a pickle fork and or an air hammer. I have a Lisle pickle fork kit which allow you to put them on an air hammer or hit with hammer manually. I also take the air hammer and hit the end of the joint (with the old nut protecting threads typically) to drive it out. I also use it to hit the sides of the socket casting the joint sits in. Between some combination of that and 3 lb sledge they always come free.

 

[TractorTech]

If you don't want to torch the nut off and drive the stuck ball joint out, you could take the center arm off, #17, and try it out of the tractor. Not a lot of room under the front bolster to get a good whack at it or even a decent tool.

 

[UrbannGuerilla]

You doing all that and you have only a half a turn of slack to begin with?

I'm not sure why I typed half a turn (maybe an auto correction) its nearly a whole turn... about 85-90% of a whole turn. All the ball joints are toast from the pittman to the tie rods.

 

[UrbannGuerilla]

I can't tell a lot from those photos as I don't know that model at all, but in general when I have dealt with tie rod ends, ball joints, etc I typically use a pickle fork and or an air hammer. I have a Lisle pickle fork kit which allow you to put them on an air hammer or hit with hammer manually. I also take the air hammer and hit the end of the joint (with the old nut protecting threads typically) to drive it out. I also use it to hit the sides of the socket casting the joint sits in. Between some combination of that and 3 lb sledge they always come free.

Bought an Ingersoll Rand 115. 5000 bpm, short stroke (not the expensive ones that are $200+, its about $70 ). Hit the ball joint from the top radiator side twice w/ the air hammer (a total of about 3-4 seconds vibrating), and IT FELL RIGHT OUT. They beat and heated on this thing for over 3+ hours last week trying to get this thing out. 3-4 seconds of vibration- DONE, I couldn't help but laugh that it was over with so fast. It kind of sounds like you're holding a miniature A10 Warthog in your hands. Thanks for this great suggestion, this tool is definitely going to come in handy in the future.

 

[dstig1]

Yep, that is the right tool for lots of jobs like that. Any time something won't come loose, a quick brrrrrraaaapppp with the air hammer often shakes it free. You know you are in real trouble when it doesn't work....

Glad it helped

 

[UrbannGuerilla]

Yep, that is the right tool for lots of jobs like that. Any time something won't come loose, a quick brrrrrraaaapppp with the air hammer often shakes it free. You know you are in real trouble when it doesn't work....

Glad it helped

Well... It would only make sense to get there immediately, right? We're having an issue getting the steering arm ball joint to come out of the center steering piece both tie rods connect to. Its been air hammered so the end of the bolt is starting to deform and don't want to keep pushing it until it mushrooms too large to get out. Does anyone know how this center steering arm comes off? This pin (what the hex head bolt is screwed into) has to come out somehow. We took a bolt out of the bottom that cinches the housing around this pin like a battery cable connecter does, but we can't get this pin out. We know the center pivot arm can't come up because the bracket holding the pin in place is over it, it has to slide out after removing the center pin, right? In the meantime I ordered a case of blaster until I figure out how to get this done.

 

[TractorTech]

You are going to have to get a chisel to wedge open the slot in the back of the arm somehow. The other thing to do is put a longer bolt back in the arm, threaded through, but not tightened and smack it with a hammer or air chisel to break it loose on the center pin.
Also, a puller on the pin might work, but the arm is what is keeping the pin from moving.

 

[dstig1]

Is that a set screw hole on the bottom left of the joint in the second pic?

Like I said earlier, I don't know this model and the pics don't tell enough for me to really have a clue. Could be pressed in place, could be you have to pull it instead of pushing on it, could be a snap ring hiding...could just be rust. Best bet is to find a shop manual or at least a parts diagram online and see what you can figure out from that.

Or post in a more specific sub forum for this model (on TBN or elsewhere) so people who know this model/brand better will see it.

 

[TractorTech]

Is that a set screw hole on the bottom left of the joint in the second pic?

Like I said earlier, I don't know this model and the pics don't tell enough for me to really have a clue. Could be pressed in place, could be you have to pull it instead of pushing on it, could be a snap ring hiding...could just be rust. Best bet is to find a shop manual or at least a parts diagram online and see what you can figure out from that.

Or post in a more specific sub forum for this model (on TBN or elsewhere) so people who know this model/brand better will see it.

I know this model and like I said, the arm is stuck on the pin. The clamp that the bolt came out of on the arm needs to be spread. The bolt clamps onto the pin and goes through a notch on the pin to allow it to turn in the bushings top and bottom of the bore. You can see the top bushing in the picture.
The pin will have to be pulled up.

 

[UrbannGuerilla]

We eventually worked on the stuck ball joint enough times with more heating and more hammering (x 10) that it came loose. It looks like we will be lucky enough to not have to take the center pivot arm off... I feel like I probably shouldn't have typed that last part. Oh well, onward we roll. Thanks for the input, team.