How do I remove hicas ball joints?

[ReeZer]

Ok, these damn hicas steering ball joints are driving me nuts. I've been trying off and on for a week to get them out with no success. It's pissing me off because it is the last thing I need to do to get my car to pass safety. I have tried banging on them, using a ball joint remover tool, using penetrating oil and heating around them with a propane torch(which I don't think gets hot enought to do anything). The ball joint is supposed to push out from the spindle and the new one pushes in and is held with a snap ring on the back. Any advise or help with how to get these god forsaken things out would be hugely appreciated. The only other thing I can think of to do is to remove the whole spindle and then bang on them with a 5lb sledge till they come out. I really don't wanna do that though if possible cause then I have to deal with trying to get a whole bunch more rusty bolts free.

This is what needs to go in. snap ring is already attached to the back.



This is where it needs to go. I already have removed the back snap ring.

[gumby74]

Remove the whole spindle and have them pressed out.I just had a pair removed and the gentleman doing the work was quite surprised at how big a pain in the *** it was to remove those two things using a 15 ton press. Albeit he did not have the correct size die, he managed.