Lower Ball Joint Install?!

[chevylookin]

Hello, hope Im not beating a dead horse. Looked through some threads, couldnt find nothing. Trying to install new lower ball joint. Got the tops in as they just bolt in nowadays. Having trouble "squeezing" in the new lowers. I have put a jack on the bottom of them and started whacking away at the top of the arm. No luck. I have a lil less than a 1?2 inch to go and do not want to damage these lil boogers. I tried tapping from the bottom of the joints too but I think its a bad idea cuz I could damage the joint. Any advice for the tree shade mechanic who has his 64 front end apart in the garage? (I didnt take the bottom arms off, so this has to be done in my garage) Please dont tell me I have to get them pressed in at a shop! Gulp!

[dallas71]

rent a ball joint press from autozone and use a breaker bar and or a 1/2 inch drive ratchet (long one for leverlage) and they will press right in....just make sure you have the ball joint square before you start pressing. No need to remove lower a arms

[TR65]

Chevy,

Here is the rig your are looking for just for reference. It presses ball joints in and out, presses universal joints, and brake pins.

TR

[mbgmike]

we take them to a shop that does benchwork. like $8.00 each. if only one time you do this , no need to buy the tool. We have the tool and still take them in. of course thats if you remove the arm

[andyh1956]

get a 3/4" drive short socket that just fits the bottom of your ball joint. then put a bottle jack under the socket. make sure bore in control arm is clean & lightly lubed. then you can tap the control arm around the ball joint opening & it will walk right in. works every time. don't heat control arm to expand the hole, it won't return to it's original size.
andy

[chevylookin]

I had a 1 1/4" socket Andy. I did exactly what you said and with a few bangs of the hammer, it slipped right in! I have it all together now and installed the disc brake conversion (bleeder nipples up) I learned that on the second time around, Erh! But I have a very squeeky passenger side noise that has started now & at lower speeds around 5-10 mph, there is a slight "grabbing" of the brakes on that side. The only thing I can think that might be causing this is that I didnt tighten the spindle castle nut has far down as it could go, then back it off to fit the cotter pin. Maybe a slight wobble to the wheel. I am goin to tear into it this weekend. Thank you forum. I tried looking for the ball joint installer to rent at my local auto store, but turned up nothing. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Im also picking up my T5 camaro with analog speedo and .63 OD this weekend!