Has anyone changed their ball joint on the lower control arm before? I was changing mine last night and it seems like the ball joint is permanently sealed to the control arm, I don't know how because I bought two new ball joints and their diagram shows it going through the control arm? Is the original control arm's ball joint welded together?
I seem to recall the ball joints are pressed into the Lower Control Arms and I believe they can be swapped out, but almost everyone on the NATO site has talked about changing the LCA's and balljoints out as an assembly. Either way, the LCA has to come off to have this done.
Do a search to see what other info is available.
MJ
Ball joints are pressed in. They can be popped out with a hammer but the new ones still need to be pressed in; there is a tool for that. The control arms do NOT have to be removed to change a ball joint, even though the (old) shop manuals and Chilton's books claim that they do.
FRPP sells A-arms with ball joints already installed but there has been a fairly steep price increase recently. They are not the bargains they once were. Just FYI.
Many people have changed the ball joints only. They have to be pressed out.
No wonder, I was putting a wooden block on the end and banging it and nothing happen. I was able to swap a '88 sport LCA for my Turbo. It broke when I was making a turn....and man....sparks flew then I had to stop!!! I couldn't make any left or right turns.
It was a good couple years ago when I did mine, but I remember them being a bear.
I had to crank the holy hell out of that press to finally get them to break free. Gobs of pb blaster would help I'm sure.
I remember once they broke free I had to take stock of my tools and body parts to make sure nothing was damaged. It was a pretty violent seperation.
Luckily, my spare ball joint is already in and on the LCA. Next challenge is compressing the spring. I used the loaner tool that Autozone provides for front springs
I used the loaner ball joint removal/press tool from autozone. I was able to do both sides in just a Saturday morning. No removal of the lower arms necessary.
Quote:Originally posted by Rodger:
I used the loaner ball joint removal/press tool from autozone. I was able to do both sides in just a Saturday morning. No removal of the lower arms necessary.
I used the same tool, and Thor, you don't need a srping compressor.
Support the front end well on jack stands - get the wheel, caliper, rotor, and steering knuckle (which may not want to cooperate) off.
Place a floor jack under the lower arm. Lift it just enough to compress the spring but leave access to get to the nut on the underneath side. Once the nut's off you can slowly lower the jack - arm will drop, spring will be loose and you can go to work on the BJ.
I may have forgotten an item or two that has to be removed, but I'm sure someone will straighten me out.
last thing i did to my car was the ball joints. its a lot easier to rent the ball joint puller. i heated the control arm up with a propane torch when i was pressing them out. while i was removing the old ones i put the new ones in the freezer and right before i went to put them into the control arm i heated them up(control arms) and they went in almost effortlessly.....almost
hope this helps