ball joints questions.

[justpball]

how hard is it and can I do it with simple tools or are there tools just for it, and does anyone have a "How to" on it. it is 2wd half ton burb and it is both uppers and lowers.

[Twisted Minis]

I assume you mean replacing them? Technically all you need is a few wrenches, pliers to pull the cotter pins, a BFH and a pickle fork. You can buy a pickle fork at any auto store for about $15. If you're only going to replace them once, I would go that route. If you plan on doing it more often, I would buy a nicer one from Matco or Snap-On. I've shattered some of the cheaper ones.

[justpball]

yea I need to replace them and the idler arm...do you have a diy on it?

[meansting04]

I am not sure about the newer models,but on my 70 the upper is bolted in and the lower is pressed in. The 4wd is totaly diff. i would guess. I used a jack, jackstands, common hand tools and a 76 ton press to complete my uppers and lowers. Mine were in the lower control arms good. Took about 25-30 tons to get them out.

[Twisted Minis]

I forgot about the lowers being pressed in.

So you will also need a press.

I don't have an article on doing it. It's really basic. If you look at it, I'm sure you can figure it out.

[justpball]

m budd owns a body shop so I should have all the tools i would need and I can use his lift, so do I need to remove the a-arms? the bottoms yes, for the press but what about the top?

[Primer70]

If you've got access to a ball joint service tool kit you could press them out & back in with the control arms on the truck just by removing the spindles.

[LONGHAIR]

I absolutely cringe every time I see the work "pickle fork".....those things are evil. They destroy the boots, which is "somewhat" ok, when you are taking it apart to replace the joints. But then you fall into the rut of using it for any disassembly (spring replacement, changing spindles, etc)....because you "invested in a tool".
Every one in a while someone posts a thread asking "Where can I buy boots w/o the entire joint?" just becasue it this.

A big hammer to the side of the spindle, where the taper goes through, will accomplish the same thing w/o damaging the boot.

[cparman]

longhair is correct, BUT if you are going to replace all of the balljoints tearing a boot does not matter. I agree with all that this can be done without removing the control arms. If memory is correct the uppers on a 90 2WD will be riveted in. Cut the rivets off with an air chisel, and the new ball joints bolt in. The lowers will come out with a BFH. You do need a press ( ball joint install tool ) to get them back in place. If your friend owns a body shop, I would assume he has or knows someone with a ball joint press. not hard to do just time consuming.

[bdydrp97s10]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

A big hammer to the side of the spindle, where the taper goes through, will accomplish the same thing w/o damaging the boot.

not always.. i always try this method first
but it has never worked for me

i think it just depends how long the spindles have been bolted on there

[justpball]

thanks for all the info guys! is there a write up on it anywhere? I have never pulled the front down that far before.

[Twisted Minis]

Originally Posted by bdydrp97s10

not always.. i always try this method first
but it has never worked for me

i think it just depends how long the spindles have been bolted on there

I generally use this method first. I stick a small ball pein against the spindle, and hit the ball pein with a BFH. This generally works just fine. I recently had a spindle that would not seperate from the balljoint with just about anything. That trick did not work, pickle fork did not work. I ended up heating the spindle and breaking it loos with an air hammer and a flat ended stud.

[custom63]

I ended up using a pickle fork for my disassembly. The question I have is....How do I install my new drop spindles back into the ball joints? Do I just use the ball joint nuts and wrench them back down til they seat inplace or what?

[chevydog66]

Yep, you will need a ball joint tool for the lower. You can leave the upper and lower A arms on the truck. I think you can rent them at some local parts stores, like Auto Zone, or I have seen them for sale at the cheap tool stores like Harbor Freight Co.

[breeh]

Another alternative is to take the control arms into a machine shop and have them press the ball joints out and in. I think that cost me $14.00

[HotRodYJ]

You can install the new lowers with a BFH and a vice if you use a piece of pipe to beat on so you don't destroy the new joint. I have also installed press in lowers still on the truck using the weight of the truck and a floor jack to do the pressing. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. Now I use either the Harbor Freight BJ tool, or a hydraulic press now that I have both.

And yes, when you install your new dropped spindles, just bolt them up and they will seat themselves on the tappers as you tighten the nuts.