1st Gen Moog Balljoint Pn's

[Brock94]

Great pics DeRocha! I sure wish I had all that to look at when I was trying to figure this out.

 

[CarFreak146]

Wow!! Thanks for the info, that should help me out a LOT!! I was up until 2:30 this morning tryin to figure it out, of course it didn't help that I didn't get started until 10pm. That make it a LITTLE harder to get help when its so late, but I'd like to thank HuskyFan for responding last night. I will try what you two told me (Brock and DeRocha) when I get off work tonight, and I will let you guys know... I am also KINDA takin pictures alogn the way, which I will try and post when I finish

--Ryan

 

[DeRocha]

Thanks Brock94.. I'm actually in the process of writing up the whole process. Take a peek at my photo gallery for pics. BTW when re-installing the spindles I would get some anti-Sieze and apply it on the spindle/knuckle mating surfaces to ensure an easy dis-assembly in the future (u-joints). Also don't over torque the 5 spindle nuts as they only get 40-50ft/lbs... See HuskyFans broken stud thread

 

[CarFreak146]

alright, as far as marking positions of bolts when removing them, the only ones I need to do this to is the camber bolt and steering linkage bolts?

 

[DeRocha]

You only need to mark (count the threads) on the outer Tie rods if you replace them with new ones. Otherwise you only need to record the Camber bushing position... Do you want my cell # in-case you run into problems tonight?

 

[CarFreak146]

if you want to, that would be really helpful. It would be pretty late though, (like after midnight), so if you think you would be up,. that would be great.

--Ryan

 

[CarFreak146]

PLEASE HELP!!!! I can't get the knuckles free of the axle arms.... I have pounded on them with a 3lb. hammer now for ever. I remove the snap ring on the top balljoint, and I loosened the nut on the lower balljoint. Please help ASAP as to how to do it.

--ryan

 

[huskyfan23]

A couple square hits got mine free. Maybe there's some rust? Use some PB Blaster or Deep Creep.

And you took the nut off the upper? I took both nuts off, they say keep one on so the knuckle doesn't come falling down.

 

[DeRocha]

The knuckles are held in by the taper of the lower ball joint. That is why you loosen it's castle nut and leve it on by a few threads. Basically hitting the knuckle is trying to loosen the ball joint taper within the arm and let (the knuckle) fall straight down. I hit mine in various places for more than an hour before it fell strainght down.. I used a pickle fork on the other side and removed it within 1 minute....

I am assuming you removed the upper pinch bolt and camber bushing correct? I seam to recall the haynes manual may have omitted that part. But just removed the pinch bolt and use a large screw driver to tap the camber bushing up and out.

 

[CarFreak146]

I didn't remove the camber bushing, but I did remove the punch bolt. Do you think tha tthe camber bushing it whats making me have the problem?? is the best way to get that bushing out just by using an adjustable wrench to the size of the bushings hex head?

Thanks
--Ryan

 

[DeRocha]

The camber bushing is not threaded (It has a smooth internal & external bore). I used a hammer and big screwdriver to tap the bushing up and and off. Just to re-state what is going on: The knuckle is removed when the lower ball joint tapper is loosened up (by hitting around the lower knuckle, or by using a pickle fork). If the upper Camber bushing is still in place then it is acting like an anchor and negating the effects of you hitting around the knuckle. Make sure the lower castle nut is on by a few thread as the entire knuckle will pop and immediately fall when it is freed.

 

[Brock94]

I did not have to remove the camber bushing on either side, but I did use a pickle fork that I borrowed from Autozone. I few blows of the hammer to drive that into the lower ball joint made the knuckle come loose.

 

[CarFreak146]

ok, thanks guys.... I tried the pickle fork last night, but it sounds like my 3lb. sldege wasn't big enough I am at work now, so I will try the fork again with a bigger hammer tonight when I get home.

--Ryan

 

[huskyfan23]

I never even used the pickle fork. Wish I could've found mine when I was taking the balljoints off the knuckles. I think you should bring the knuckles into a shop and get the joints pressed out and new ones pressed in. It'll save you LOTS of time that way.

 

[CarFreak146]

I think you should bring the knuckles into a shop and get the joints pressed out and new ones pressed in. It'll save you LOTS of time that way.

I would, but around here, most shops won't just allow walk-ins like that, and they'd probably charge me, and I don't have the moeny.... I rented the "balljoint tool'' lat night.

--Ryan

 

[huskyfan23]

Do you have a vise or someone heavy to stand on the press? Don't say I didn't warn you

 

[CarFreak146]

umm..... I have a vise that I can attach, ain't nothing big though. just a simple bench vise. is it really that hard to get the balljoints out?? you're worryin me. haha

 

[Brock94]

I didn't have a vise, so I laid the knuckle on the floor, set up the balljoint press on the balljoint so that the torque of turning the press screw would force the "C-clamp" portion of the press against the knuckle. I then stood on the knuckle to hold it still and used a breaker-bar and socket to turn the press screw-- once started, I was able to switch over to a 1/2 inch ratchet. It wasn't that hard.

 

[DeRocha]

I used a vice with the "C" clamp free rental tool from AutoZone. I Kind of cheated though and use my impact gun It removed each ball joint in under a minute. The hardest part was getting everything lined up correctly so the tool applied force straight up and down and not at an angle. As such I had to stop and start several times to re-position the tool to ensure the threaded part wasn't going to contact the side. In the pics below where I'm pressing out the joints you will notice the threaded part of the "C" clamp is slightly off center. It started centered but kind of wandered off to the side. Make sure it doesn't contact the inner ball joint bore or it will screw it up.

 

[huskyfan23]

IMPACT GUN! GREAT IDEA! I used a ratchet and a hammer