Lower Ball Joint Installation

[67Step]

Just a quick question for you guys. When replacing the lower ball joint do these need to be put in with a press? I tried putting mine in and they wont pull up so figured I would try pressing them in. Any other suggestions?

[john]

Yes a press would be the right tool.

[19673ontree]

if you don't have a press here is another way to do it

#1 put the new ball joint's in your freezer for a day
#2 heat the lower A-arm's slightly with just a normal propane torch (IT'S NOT HOT ENOUGH TO HURT ANYTHING)
#3 find a peice of thick pipe or ? just something that will fit over the ball joint and rest on the metal lip of the A-arm
#4 sit the ball joint in the A-arm fresh out of the frezzer will the A-arm still hot and with the ball joint resting on a big socket or something hit the assemblie from the top thus driving the A-arm down onto the ball joint
hit it till it bottom's good and let it all warm and cool ,,,,,

someone told me that would work !

[PanelDeland]

Or you could just rent the ball joint press from the auto parts store.Also NT or HF will hAVE ONE FOR AROUND $20.00

[ERASER5]

If the A-arm is still attached to the truck, ball joint press.

If the A-arm is removed from the truck, use any press you can find. A swing press (hammer) will work, but it can be a LOT of work.

If possible, cool the joint and heat the A-arm as 19673onthe tree said.

I like the ball joint press my self.

[VDOG]

I took mine out and had the local autoparts store press them in for me at $10.00 each. The top ones I just bolted in after removing the rivets.

[67Step]

I took the lower A arms down to my local parts store. They were kind enough to let me use their press in the back. I installed the lower ball joints in both A arms in about 10 minutes. I now have the front end together with new tie rod ends and all. We put the 454 and 700R4 in the newly painted frame today. It is slowly coming along. The hedman headers worked out really well. We had to cut the frame a little bit on the passenger side.

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by 67Step

I took the lower A arms down to my local parts store. They were kind enough to let me use their press in the back. I installed the lower ball joints in both A arms in about 10 minutes. I now have the front end together with new tie rod ends and all.

Did you remember to add grease to the new tie rods and ball joints?
My local auto shop told me they did, they only did one.