Ball Joint Nut Removal Options

[dralf]

Help,
I am still taking my front end apart and have stumbled onto ball joint nuts that refuse to budge.
I have soaked them in penetrating oil and have been attacking them with the socket type tool sold by Pelican Parts and a 5 foot cheater bar. No luck !
I am actually starting to deform the prongs or teeth that interlock between the tool and the nut.

I am reluctant to use a torch for there is so much grease and oil in that area that I will have a 3 alarm blaze...my only thought is to some how cut or split the nut since I will be replacing the ball joints anyway (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

I started that mode of attack last night both with a drill and a hand hacksaw but I was not making nuch progess, the nut must be harder than my tools.

Any sugestions would be greatly appreciated.

[ArtechnikA]

make sure you're using -good- penetrating oil. WD-40 isn't penetrating oil. use PB-Blaster or Kroil.

make sure you've removed the cotter pin and the keepers. (i'm not trying to insult your intelligence, just cover all the bases ...)

use a solid punch and a big hammer to hit the nut in the loosen direction. it's how i got mine off. since you seem to have determined they're toast anyway, it's not like you'd be risking damaging them... the professional guys usually use a punch or dull chisel implement in an air hammer to spin them off.