98' lower ball joint replacement

[mynameisaric]

ok, quick history: i love this site. i used search and didnt find much. i got my lift on (TT/Shackles, 2" BL) and i went in for the alignment after my TT, so that my car is all good when i put my new tires on. Just Tires told me that my lower ball joints are worn down and i need to replace them before they can do the alignment... i kind of think they are just makin it up to suck some more money out of "stupid teenager", but i got the ball joints from autozone ($32 a piece i beleive) and rented the ball joint press, but when trying to remove the lower control arm from the steering knuckle.. i couldnt. i looked at the new joints and it looks like it presses into the steering knuckle and i need a gear puller of some sort to press it out? any body know? its killin me to have 5 33's in the basement and worn out 235/75's on my car. any help would be appreciated. thank you.

 

[stretch]

I just recently did my driver's side and I had to remove the upper ball joint from the spindle before I could get the lower ball joint out. It also helps to use a jack under the lower A arm to take the bind out off all the joints. Jefe's thread should help you out alot. Once you remove the castle nut the spindle should just slide off (might need to "persuade" it a little) and then use the ball joint press to remove it from the A arm. Just reverse the order to reinstall the new one. I can't remember but you may need to remove the axle nut so you can pull the spindle off of the axle to get it out of the way. Good luck.

 

[TAS98xlt]

Here's another good wite-up for the ball joints. http://www.haroh.com/explorer/ball_joint.html

 

[etc]

Make sure you're using the largest cup in the kit. I tried pressing it out with the medium sized one and it went nowhere. The larege cup should *just* fit inside the control arm lip, if not it'll need a little encouragement.

 

[mynameisaric]

thanks alot guys. just one more quick question and then i think my pops and i are gonna try it again tomorow. Q.) the ball joints are just pressed into the a-arms, and not the steering knuckle>?

and i did try using the jack to releive pressure.. but the torsion bars are so tight it made the whole truck lean, but i had 2 jack stands under the passenger side frame rail when raising the driver side. so i think i might try and lift it a bit to take more bind out. Q.) do u think it would be easier to loosen the torsion bars, and then crank them back up when i'm done? since i need an alignment anyway.

thanks in advance.

 

[etc]

The balljoint is pressed into the lower control arm. The stud of the balljoint goes through the spindle and a nut on the end. Unthread most of the nut, leaving it on the bj stud. Then give it a couple of small taps from underneath with a hammer(hitting the nut). The spindle should drop.(The nut is there to catch the spindle from falling out completely). Then swing the spindle out of the way and use the press.

 

[mynameisaric]

thanks alot. i appreciate it. i'll let you guys know how it went saturday, but i gotta go to work and make more money to feed "the mod bug"

 

[stretch]

and i did try using the jack to releive pressure.. but the torsion bars are so tight it made the whole truck lean, but i had 2 jack stands under the passenger side frame rail when raising the driver side. so i think i might try and lift it a bit to take more bind out. Q.) do u think it would be easier to loosen the torsion bars, and then crank them back up when i'm done? since i need an alignment anyway.

thanks in advance.

Yes, it will help to loosen the torsion bars. Strangely enough, I didn't need to do this and mine are cranked all the way up.

 

[TAS98xlt]

Make sure you're using the largest cup in the kit. I tried pressing it out with the medium sized one and it went nowhere. The larege cup should *just* fit inside the control arm lip, if not it'll need a little encouragement.

Good tip! I just changed out my ball joints today and this came in handy.

 

[mynameisaric]

well all done. at 2 am. but i guess thats the way things go when ur figuring stuff out. the first side took.. let me think 8 hours with dinner in between some where, and the second side took all of 2, and that was putting all the tools away and puttin on my new tires. i'll put pictures up tomorow, if they even work. thanks for all your help guys.