Harbor Freight tools and the like usually use too coarse a thread on the bolt that does the work. Hats off to Alex if he can do them in 6 minutes!!  I mostly destroyed the splitter I bought before I got the 4 ball joints undone to do a disk brake conversion!  Air2air was sweating bullets watching me pull his flywheel a couple of weeks ago... but the puller I made used a grade 8 FINE 3/4 inch bolt and nut, so it was coming off without a doubt!

Also the Minis I've pulled those lower pins from were here in the US.... I'd imagine the ones in Jolly Old England could well be much more difficult!  Also a good reason to use the poly lower arm bushings... No sleeve to weld onto the pin!  Also I did not consider that the original post was describing the bolt that holds the TIE-ROD was what came out, but that would not necessarily cause the axle to pop out.... the lower arm and ball joint sets the allowable axle length....

The Harbor Freight one works well for me also, not saying that the Sykes isn't better though.  

That is different than my SP splitter, but mine is a bit old.

I glanced at the one at Harbor Freight and was tempted to try it as my SP is showing its age.

Terry

//www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sykes-Pickavant-080500V2-Ball-Joint-Separator-for-Car-LCV-Applications-/221399560625?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6390

Adjustible so it allows you to squeeze square.
All the individual components are available as spares/replacements too.

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Would that be a maximum torque adjusting tool (hammer) , shock them apart or a ball joint splitter ?

Ahh, never mind. I know the answer. 

On all of the cars I've ever removed the wiggly pin from, to remove the inner end of the bottom arm, I've never had one come out easily.
The sleeves inside the bushes weld themselves to the pin, and it's a fight to get everything out or off. 

Taking six minutes to pop the three balljoints (using the proper tool) strikes me as much easier, and also doesn't damage the boots.

Or you could as I just discovered on a nice looking cooper.................WELD the pin in to the subframe I wonder what wanker did that?

I am presuming by his description that Jonboy lost the small bolt under the lower ball joint that connects the tie rod to the lower control arm, as Alex pointed out it should be in place pointed down so in that position it cannot come out with the ball joint still attached. Now if you are referencing the other end of the arm where it mounts to the sub frame different story. I guess you could put the outer bolt in from the bottom side and put a safety wire or similar on it if you planned on removing it a lot.

Jon I'm glad you and your car are ok after that too!

Hmmm... you may just have stumbled on a shortcut for servicing the axles or changing the seal at the transmission WITHOUT disturbing the ball-joints!!  It is EASY to pull the lower arm pin, and in my decades of Minihood, I'd never considered simply doing that to get enough room to get the axle out Without ripping up a ball joint!

Well done!  I'm going to try your technique the next one I do!   Now, you should be able to just push that back in like Alex said. Make sure you get the lower pin indexed correctly to clear the axle shaft, and the head locks against the welded tab, and Use a new Nylock nut if possible... those should NOT just come out!

It just pushes back in.

There is a circlip (visible from the outside) which keeps the joint in the right location, but not enough to stop the pot joint from coming out under a shock load.

I'd be more worried about why the bolt came out in the first place.  Suspension bolts should be facing down to prevent this from happening, even if the lock nut backs off.  I'd suggest going through the suspension and steering very carefully to make sure nothing else is lurking about, ready to throw you off the road.

so guys I need a little help. I was driving down the road in my lower A arm bolt came out, so I put it back in and replace the nut and found out that the axle pulled out of the transmission. I haven't really had time to tear into it yet, and was thinking what is the easiest way to put it back in? I'm sure there's going to be a snap ring on the end of the axle that should keep it from pulling out that I will need to replace.is it easier to pull the engine? Or is it easier to take off rotor caliper and wheel bearing? It's the right side of a right hand drive if that makes any difference?