I am probably clutching at straws here but my Isuzu mu shares some of it's suspension with the vauxhall frontera and the isuzu trooper and may be someone has come across this or a similar problem. I need to replace the steering idler arm and after spending all afternoon bruising knuckles and swearing i cannot get the bugger off. All the nuts and bolts came off with relative ease but the joint at the bottom is stuck fast, i have tried the fork type ball joint separator and the scissor type. I have also bent a 3' crow bar and hit the offending joint from every angle with a 4lb club hammer, before and after heating it for 10 minutes with a blowtorch. Any more clever ideas anyone?

Can't you undo those 4 nuts above the joint and take the thing to get pressed out? 10 tons of force usually splits a joint without trouble.

I tried to split the ball joint on the other end of the arm but that seems equally stubborn, but that's the only option left. I ordered a different style of joint splitter last night so I'll give that a go when it arrives.

I had a right mare with a mates Alfa 156 a few weeks ago the same as you. Had to remove loads of suspension parts and stick it in a vice. Not even a hug hammer would budge it.

In the end I drilled out the old ball joint and when the thing let go it pinged all round the garage. I was doing it on a sunday and my mate needed his car the next day so I had no option but to attack it!

How about putting your scissor splitter on the joint, winding it very tight. Spray it with wd40 or similar, give it a good clout on the side if the taper and then go do something else. Maybe even leave it overnight, on its wheels if it's safe to do so?

Fingers crossed it may just pop if left long enough.

I gave it a real soaking with WD40 yesterday so fingers crossed by the time the new splitter arrives it may have done some good. If not looks like Nobby's drilling idea may be worth a go.
Thanks for the ideas chaps

I find heat and a good bearing puller are good for a job like this