I'm crushed here, I've been pounding on this thing for 2 days now and only got the upper part of the knuckle to release, the bottom is still attached and doesn't seem to want to budge.

I've been heating with a torch, spraying with liquid wrench and following all available advice and still nothing.

I'm running out of metal after pounding on this thing with a 4lb hammer for idk how many hours. I know you aren't supposed to touch that nut on the bottom of the knuckle but I'm running out of options here.

Please help

 

can you post a pic of what you are refereeing to as a steering knuckle

 

I'm sure you're following or at least read the rave on this but, have you tried using a tool similar to the one it suggests to use? Though, I could still be confused because it is a solid piece so if you have the top off the bottom really has no choice but to come off too unless you broke the knuckle in half.

 

is this what your referring too.

 

If you are talking about the nut for the lower ball joint I don't see how you are going to remove the knuckle without unbolting both ball joints.

 

of course life would be easier if LR did not reefer to tie rod ends as ball joints and a pitman arms as a dropped arms

 

Amen.

 

I am talking about the assembly that is attached to the axle housing by the 2 ball joints (the main ones that if came off, your wheel would fall off)

My ball joints were bad so I figured I'd swap them out. The driver side came off in 15-20 blows without heat or PB blaster. The passenger side however, the upper part where the steering knuckle attaches to the axle came loose but the lower one is stuck.

Tried using a pickle fork thing to wedge it out without any luck.

I'm going to try and cut the ball joint to get it out.

Also I can't for the life of me figure out how to get the new ball joints on properly without ruining the boots on them. Do you absolutely need the proper LR tool to install them?

 

ok; so it is the upper and lower ball joints that you are replacing, it's not you LR terminology sucks sometimes.
you want to stop beating and you don't want to cut it off.
you want to go rent a ball joint separator from any auto parts store.
And exactly what nut on the bottom of the ball-joint have you not loosened?
There are a couple good drawing in the manual 60-32&60-33 probably the same in the rave.