how to remove a ball joint without a ball joint tool....

Given the placement (with that large tube appears to be overhead), a tuning-fork style tool would work good (wedge-shaped, so you pound it between the two parts, and it wedges them apart).

If you can get more space over the threaded-end, you could try either a pitman-arm remover or a regular puller, with the center rotating part on the threaded stud. If you do this, and you still want to keep using the ball joint, you should keep/put a nut on the end and press against the nut, so the threads on the stud don't get damaged.

Just go to a mom & pop parts store (if you can find one) and ask for a "pickle Fork.") Older folks in a chain place should know. That would be the

tuning-fork style tool would work good

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as noted above. And like you say, there's lots of stuff online. But that's not always the best way to go.
MikeC

skyskier said:

so,......I've got a 1963 Ford 4000, Industrial, the power steering cylinder is leaking, I figured how TUFF could it be ?, remove two bolts and remove cylinder.........so I google it and some guy say's "just hit it...hard.....with a BIG hammer.........I used a splitting maul an a piece of pipe , ball joint #1 broke, ball joint #2 is still intact....for now,.....anybody else run across this ? I went down to autozone , ask the kid behind the counter if they had a "ball joint removal tool" ?........he looked at me like I had a 3rd eyeball in my forehead & asked " what's THAT? "...........I turned around an walked back out to the truck an left.

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Most times, I've had success with a 40 oz ball pein hammer. Failing that, I also have a 6 lb sledge with the handle cut down for one handed operation.

The trick is to figure out where to hit it to shake the taper loose from the housing. Hitting the ball joint usually is not as effective as hitting the part that the stud goes through. Using a piece of pipe as an extension absorbs considerable energy from the hammer blow. The housing is usually forged and the hammer face is hardened, while pipe is quite soft in comparison to both. If I need an extension for tight quarters, I have a piece of 1" diameter shafting that is more effective than pipe.

This last post reminds me of a technique my dad used sometimes to get them apart. You don't hit down on the stud to get it out, you put a hammer on one side of the part where the stub goes through (just hold it there), and then hit the other side of that same part with another hammer. The shock would break it free (may take more than one blow).

dave_r said:

This last post reminds me of a technique my dad used sometimes to get them apart. You don't hit down on the stud to get it out, you put a hammer on one side of the part where the stub goes through (just hold it there), and then hit the other side of that same part with another hammer. The shock would break it free (may take more than one blow).

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Yes that is how I take all of them off the other hammer against back side it helps to add shock and cause the metal to temporarily distort making it let go of the stud.

Given the flex you may encounter on that long rod... you might be able to rig some tension on that, with a pair of C clamps or a hub puller. Then some heat and a solid smack with your favorite hammer. Have a nut threaded on if you want to save the threads if you hit there, whacks on the side of the joint may also be effective.