I'm with Sparky on this one, no need to beat any of these
components in with a sledge. If need be, press it in.
Pressing doesn't localize the impact like a hammer blow does,
which concentrates the force and can dent/crack or distort the
surface of the victim.
Still, a steering component should never snap like that,
steering components should be forged and should bend in half
before they ever break. Just the ball should have been case
hardened, not the stem. Sounds like the ball was subject to
the China syndrome, i.e., lack of QC and not given due process
in heat treat.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
