lower ball joints

[old Rusty C10]

Im about to undertake this job on my truck and its been a long time since ive had to do such things. can anyone give me any advice or shortcuts? these are pressed in right? Do i have to remove the whole lower control arm ( im doin springs anyway) to have it pressed out at a machine shop and the new one pressed in? thanks in advance!

[Slonaker]

It is easy to remove yourself. I just did mine a few days ago. I am told you can hammer them in and out, but I used this press. I bought one on sale at Harbor Freight for $30, but my local auto parts store loans them out as well.



http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=4065

With the press, it is a piece of cake to push the old one out and the new one in. You can do it on the truck after you pop the ball joint loose from the spindle and pull the springs.

If you aren't doing the bushings at the same time, you can pull the ball joint and the spring together. Just loosen the nut on the ball joint a little bit so it stays together, and whack it a few times until they pop apart.

Take the tension off the nut by raising the LCA a little with a floor jack. Remove the nut completely, and slowly drop the LCA with the jack. Do it from the front in case the spring pops out. You might want to chain the spring in place just in case.

Let me know if you have more questions. I have done this a couple of times.

BTW, make sure you get the right springs. The auto parts store I bought my first set from initially sold me HD springs, because these are the ones they keep in stock. It took me a year of waiting for them to "settle in" before I checked part numbers and found I had the wrong ones. It raised the fron up higher than the back. People kept asking me if it was 4WD.

I have the HD and regular part numbers at home if you need them. They are the same number at O'Reilly Auto Parts and Auto Zone, even though they sell different dbrands. TRW used the same number, also, I believe.

EDIT: My press set looks very similar, but is not labeled as a 4WD kit like the one pictured.

Slonaker

[8t5Silverado]

I thought replacement balljoints always bolted in place...

[swervin ervin]

Slonaker nailed it. I also bought the tool from Harbor Freight.

The bottom ball joints are press in fit. The replacemnt top ones bolt in. The old ones are riveted in.

[Slonaker]

The uppers bolt in after you remove the originals that are riveted in. The lowers press in.

Slonaker

EDIT: Damn you, Swervin. Stop typing so fast!

[swervin ervin]

:p

[1972C10]

ive got a prerry scientific method for removing mine and it works really well.Get a jackstand under the truck around the door area

Then get the spindle off and hang it up with wire or rachet stap i found a hole in my inner fender that i coudl put a bolt trou to tie the strap to and then put the other hook over a lug nut

To remove the ball joint i let the a frame down a little and still have the jack under it and simply beat it out with a hammer i use a 5 lb little sledge shop hammer ,

To install the new on i take a small bottle jack put it under the new ball joint jack it untill its to the point where the truck is almost about to lift then put the floor jack to the lower a arm like under the spring just in case

Then hit the lower a arm with a hammer on the left of the ball joint on the right of the ball joint and in front it normally knocks down with one or two whacks

not as nifty as a press just my way of doin it ..

Autozone will lend you that cool little tool Just have to put up a 50 dollar deposit that you will get back upon returning it.

[old Rusty C10]

thanks for the help guys ive bookmarked this one cause at 20 degrees out there i aint gonna do it yet lol