Write-Up: Front Lower Ball Joint Replacement

albertj wrote:

Part of the problem is the OE ball joints don't have zerks. What I was taught was to work a needle under the bottom of the rubber ball joint boot and pump grease in. When you pull out the needle, the boot covers the pinhole. IF there is a problem with this, it's that the needles available at day autozone are not so good, they tend to bend up and break when used like that. And I am usually not around a friendly garage when the snapon guy (who has much better needles) visits.

Albertj

The problem with this is that you just put some grease inside the boot. It doesn't grease the INSIDE of the joint, where it's needed most. It may help prolong things a little bit, but I wouldn't count on it.

Part of the reason they switched to sealed joints is because people were always over-greasing everything, with two bad results - 1) the excess grease sometimes caused boot failure, and 2) excess grease being splayed all over roadways. I'm not defending the change, but those were a few reasons why they did it.

deekster_caddy wrote:

albertj wrote:

Part of the problem is the OE ball joints don't have zerks. What I was taught was to work a needle under the bottom of the rubber ball joint boot and pump grease in. When you pull out the needle, the boot covers the pinhole. IF there is a problem with this, it's that the needles available at day autozone are not so good, they tend to bend up and break when used like that. And I am usually not around a friendly garage when the snapon guy (who has much better needles) visits.

Albertj

The problem with this is that you just put some grease inside the boot. It doesn't grease the INSIDE of the joint, where it's needed most. It may help prolong things a little bit, but I wouldn't count on it.

Part of the reason they switched to sealed joints is because people were always over-greasing everything, with two bad results - 1) the excess grease sometimes caused boot failure, and 2) excess grease being splayed all over roadways. I'm not defending the change, but those were a few reasons why they did it.

Makes sense, thanks.

Albertj

Our 95 has grease zerks on it. The replacement ball joint also has them.

So how hard is it to get the control arm bushing out? Front/lower. Also, I couldn't really tell about how to use the pickle fork to break the ball joint loose. Are you supposed to hammer the end of it like it's a punch, or the top of it like a lever? Thanks.

steve314159 wrote:

So how hard is it to get the control arm bushing out? Front/lower. Also, I couldn't really tell about how to use the pickle fork to break the ball joint loose. Are you supposed to hammer the end of it like it's a punch, or the top of it like a lever? Thanks.

You are supposed to DON"T use a pickle fork, use one of the c-clamp looking ball joint tools. Universal one with adapters is like $30 or less.

Too much other stuff breaks when you use the forks nowadays, especially the aluminum castings. Pickle forks are kinda fun but not worth it, leave 'em in the box unless you are working on some car (a 1974 Ford Torino?) with stamped steel control arms.

Albertj

steve314159 wrote:

So how hard is it to get the control arm bushing out? Front/lower. Also, I couldn't really tell about how to use the pickle fork to break the ball joint loose. Are you supposed to hammer the end of it like it's a punch, or the top of it like a lever? Thanks.

If you are going to use the pickle fork because your replacing the ball joint with new, then you wedge the fork in between the ball joint and spindle and hit it straight in.
The intent is to use the wedge shape of the fork to pry the joint loose. I use a nice small 2 lb sledge that I've had forever and usually no more than two good wacks and the joint is apart. If you have the fork that goes on the end of a air chisel, that much better and quicker. Less chance of causing any problems if used correctly and you don't have access to the proper ball joint press as Albert has mentioned.
If you are buying the ball joint from your local part store they will loan you one. Otherwise you might be able to pay a small fee to rent one.
I recommend the press type on an aluminum control arm to prevent cracking or weakening of the control arm.

I'm looking to replace my lower control arm and when I was underneath the car today, I took a look around to acquit myself with the task. One thing I noticed was that there wasn't a lot of room in between the castle nut and the bottom of the CV Boot. I was only able to fit an open ended wrench in there. If I start spinning that castle nut off, will there be enough room for it to come completely off?

There's enough room to get it off, but you need to use an open end wrench unless you take the CV joint out of the hub and move it out of the way.

Good to know! Funny thing is, I was originally going to replace the hub assembly and I was fighting the hub bolt in between the CV boot and the strut and I got pissed off so I put everything back together and when I started shaking the tire around, it was moving all over the place. Looked behind the tire and gave it a shake and the ball joint was moving all over the damn place.

KnottyEagle wrote:

I was fighting the hub bolt in between the CV boot and the strut

That one is a PITA. I had to pop the CV joint a little bit to get to it.

I couldn't get my CV joint to budge. I hit it with a very generous amount of penetrating oil and a BFH. That bolt wasn't getting any looser the more I loosened it either. I had to use a pipe over the ratchet and it was "one click, turn, one click, turn" the whole time.

Anyways, I'm going to replace the entire control arm instead of just the ball joint. Should be easier than grinding and/or drilling out those rivets. Another question; what's the point of that flag looking thing and should it go back exactly in the same spot?

Just soak it in PB every morning for a week, then try again. The nut stays pretty tight until it's all the way off. Be sure to loctite it back on and/or replace it.

What flag thing? Picture?

Flag thing probably wasn't the best way to describe it.



It's whatever that thing is sandwiched in between the nut and the lower control arm bracket.

That is part of the nut.  It helps stop it from spinning around.

Not to sound irrational, but why would you need that if you can just put a wrench on the nut to keep it from spinning that way? Maybe I'm missing something?

Re: the castle nut. I believe if you raise the car with suspension compressed (like on a ramp, or jacking up the control arm), the CV boot will give you more clearance. Once you break the nut loose, lower the jack, or roll the car off the ramp and re-lift.)

Re: the CV axle nut, there are instructions at the link below. Basically, you need a big impact gun (~400 lb-ft) or a long cheater bar. These are 1/2" drive tools that will make life much easier. There some cases where the nut will not budge - that is when you break out the propane torch.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t1569-write-up-spindle-wheel-bearing-hub-replacement#31484

Re: the "flag" thing, it is a type of retaining washer. They put that on because otherwise the action of the control arm moving up/down would cause the bolt to spin - slowly - but this bad because over time it would wear out the mounting holes on the cradle. This is why we have engineers!

AA wrote:

Re: the castle nut. I believe if you raise the car with suspension compressed (like on a ramp, or jacking up the control arm), the CV boot will give you more clearance. Once you break the nut loose, lower the jack, or roll the car off the ramp and re-lift.)

Re: the CV axle nut, there are instructions at the link below. Basically, you need a big impact gun (~400 lb-ft) or a long cheater bar. These are 1/2" drive tools that will make life much easier. There some cases where the nut will not budge - that is when you break out the propane torch.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t1569-write-up-spindle-wheel-bearing-hub-replacement#31484

Re: the "flag" thing, it is a type of retaining washer. They put that on because otherwise the action of the control arm moving up/down would cause the bolt to spin - slowly - but this bad because over time it would wear out the mounting holes on the cradle. This is why we have engineers!

I'll have to see if jacking up the control arm will work. I didn't think about that.

Axle nut came off with ease. Used an impact. IIRC, mine was 1/1-8th. It definitely wasn't 1/3-8 because that was too big.

Ahh, did not know that. I'll make sure it goes back on in the same spot.

Axle nut is 33 mm = 1.3"

1 3/8" is a little bit big, but it will work!

The "flag" thing will spin and grab the cradle when you loosen that bolt. When you put it back on, don't hold it with a wrench. Let it spin back against the cradle and get tight...

And technically, the car should be on the ground when you tighten the bushing bolts back up. This ensures no extra tension on the bushings. It "centers" them so they aren't loaded.

AA wrote:

Axle nut is 33 mm = 1.3"

1 3/8" is a little bit big, but it will work!

Can confirm, NAPA here didn't have metric and I was in a hurry.

Anyone else have experience changing the ball joints? Hints or tips?

If you have OE balljoints, you'll have to grind off the rivet heads,pound out or air chisel out the rivets and install the new balljoints. lots of work but a few hours work if you have the right tools. If ya dont,grind off the rivet heads,drop the arm and for a few bucks a nice garage or a friend can chisel the rivets out.

I saw this video with an air chisel...



Wondering if the same method will work if it is necessity to grind/drill the heads on our ball joints. I can pick up an air chisel pretty cheap and have a pretty big compressor.

Using an Air Hammer (with a chisel bit), and ONLY an Air Hammer may damage and/or oblong the holes in the Control Arm itself. I never, ever try to blast thick, hardened rivets like those without at the very least cutting the head in half with a cutoff wheel. Whenever there's room, I'll cut a cross in it (4 pieces). I've personally damaged Control Arms using just the chisel "method".
Also, look at that CA that guy is blasting. It's thick as hell, not thin stamped steel or aluminum.

Unless you're working on a tractor, please don't beat the shit outta your Control Arms with just an Air Hammer. Cut the heads first....please.

Take the CA off the car, put it in a vice, and change the Ball Joint. Plenty of room, maybe 10 more minutes of time to remove the whole CA...and don't be surprised if your Stab Link breaks in the process. It's not that difficult of a job on this platform.

^No worries there. I have pair of spare control arms to work with as I am replacing bushings too and powder coating as well. Will be upgrading my knuckles and other parts to go with some Lucerne/DTS/et al calipers. No need for new endlink assemblies have been replaced with poly not too long ago.

Just looking for the easiest method. I do see other drill the heads off of them as well. I have a drill press. Thanks for the advice!