Historical Details of Ball Joint Replacement
Thanks, used a torch on the lower control arm and froze new lower ball joint, slipped in quite easily. Completed a right up for my own records, did not completely edit for accuracy, yet general ideas are there:
1.) Two days before work, spray all nuts and bolts to be loosened with PB blaster penetrating fluid.
2.) Disconnected battery negative terminal.
3.) Removed cap over lug nuts, loosened lug nuts, losen axel nut (could be 31-mm, used 32-mm socket). Be sure in park and brake set tightly, rear wheels blocked.
4.) Raised vehicle using Craftsman floor jack, placed 4”x8” block of wood on jack, situated under front cross member and raised slowly. When high enough, placed two of the 6-ton jack stands under framing along outer edge of vehicle under brackets (should place piece of pipe inside bracket to prevent bending of bracket). Placing those jack stands under front cross-member like so many of us do I found to be unstable as jack stands are not far enough apart from each other, vehicle more easily can rock and slip off. Under front cross member found to be too dangerous, car can tip too easily to one side or the other and is too close to jack. Chose to leave floor jack under cross member to serve as a third leg in supporting vehicle.
5.) Remove lug nuts from one side only (start with passenger) and remove wheel. Loosen large axle nut all the way, do not remove unless necessary.
6.) Spray penetrating fluid (PB Blaster) on all nuts/bolts to be loosened. Remove the two 13-mm bolts from brake caliper, inspect brake pads set pads aside, tie back caliper.
7.) Remove the two 15-mm bolts from back of steering knuckle holding the brake caliper bracket. Remove brake caliper bracket and set aside. Remove rotor and set aside.
8.) Measure geometry and position of upper control arm using various reference points so as to better reinstall back to aligned position. Remove 15-mm nut on upper steering knuckle which holds the upper control arm and ball joint to the steering knuckle.
9.) Use smaller ball peen hammer and rapidly tap around shaft of upper steering knuckle to help loosen ball joint shaft.
10.) Remove two large nuts (24-mm?) from upper control arm.
11.) Remove cotter pit from lower ball joint and remove nut.
12.) Use ball joint splitter and begin separating both the upper and lower ball joints. Be sure both the upper and lower ball joints have bolt and nut removed, respectively.
13.) With upper control arm removed, prepare to secure this to steering knuckle or other. Disconnect ABS wire from restraining brackets and be sure this wire is not pulled hard on or damaged.
14.) Remove CV axle from bearing hub and tie back using wire or heavy bungy.
15.) Now prepare remove lower ball joint by first removing snap ring using needle nose pliers, use tips of needle nose inserted into snap ring holes and spread apart, no screw driver is necessary and using a screw driver is dangerous as ring can fly or risk stabbing hand or leg with screw driver. Use MAPP gas torch and heat the lower control arm around area where lower ball joint is pressed in. Be sure no penetrating fluid or other flammable objects are nearby. Keep a fire extinguisher and wet rag close by to dampen down any small fluid fires. Definitely wear leather gloves to prevent burning hands. Heating will help expand the opening and allow for easier removal of ball joint. Once heated sufficiently, preferably using a ball joint press to force the ball joint out bottom of lower control arm. Pounding with 3-lb hammer will work, yet presents risk of damaging control arm either by distorting control arm or dents from missed blows. May not seem to be damaging it, yet it can for sure in particular with massive sledge used repeatedly.
16.) With lower ball joint removed, immediately press in the new ball joint using ball joint press or any other clever method for seating the joint in place. The ball joint should be completely seated. Look under control arm and be sure ball joint has seated all the way against the control arm seat. Again, is important to look under the control arm for proper seating of ball joint against control arm.
17.) Install new snap ring using needle nose, no screw drivers.
18.) Install boot over ball joint if boot is not already affixed to ball joint.
19.) Place steering knuckle simultaneously back together with CV axle (be sure to grease shaft if dry) and lower ball joint shaft and immediately hand tighten castle nut to lower ball joint then snug down with end wrench. Tighten castle nut firmly to expose the hole for passing cotter pin. Do not exceed torque specifications for diameter of ball joint shaft/nut. Check torque sheet if need be and torque the nut into position for cotter pin and install cotter pin, bend over pin.
20.) Carefully clean out inside of shaft of upper steering knuckle. Apply anti-sieze or at the very least use grease in shaft, do not install dry as can be a nightmare removing later when rusted in. Install new upper control arm, be sure boot is in place, place nuts over bolts yet do not tighten all the way down. Tap with just enough strength to drive ball joint shaft back down into the upper steering knuckle. While tapping, insert retaining bolt into upper steering knuckle until it just lightly bumps into ball joint shaft, press slightly while taping down shaft where when bolt slides in---the ball joint shaft is now full seated. Torque 15-mm bolts to 30-ft/lbs. Do NOT exceed 35-ft/lbs of torque on this nut or bolt (in particular if is the original bolt) can snap easily.
21.) Be sure upper control arm is aligned back to original geometry and torque nuts down to specification following torque sheet for size of shaft. Can get this sheet on Internet…have learned not to trust torque specifications in shop manuals, typoes and incorrect entries in shop manual have resulted in bolts too loose or snapped off. Use mechanics sense over a book value.
22.) Begin reinstalling all parts removed in reverse order and be sure to not over tighten bolts and nuts, 15-mm at 30-35 ft/lbs, 13-mm at 20-25 ft/lbs or as best determined. Snug down CV axle nut 31-mm, snug down lug lug nuts, then torque all the way to 200 and 80 ft/lbs, respectively when lowered.
23.) Do the exact same thing to passenger side yet with one difference, the upper control arm. When removing the upper control arm on drivers side, the bolts/nuts are located in a tight spot. In particular, the bolt near fuel and brake lines. To help avoid damaging these lines and to allow bolt to clear the frame, loosen BOTH BOLT/NUTS first. This is very important. Both nuts on both sides must be loose before removing the right side bolt in tight spot. To clear lines, tap the control arm back, the shaft for bolt on bracket has slot rather than hole allowing for movement of bolt shaft back and away from frame and lines. Still, the lines will be in the way partially due to the cam on bolt head, may be necessary to remove one fuel line from restraining bracket. Avoid using excessive force. The job is doable without removing lines. Lightly pry and manipulate bolt while keeping the shaft all the way back in slot or bolt will absolutely never come out other side. Is by far the most difficult task and risk to damaging vehicle through entire job.
24.) When all ball joints and control arms are done, lower vehicle and torque down CV nut and lug nuts.
25.) Before test driving, measure the ride height of vehicle and adjust to specifications by tightening bolts for adjusting the torsion bars. Regardless of “specifications” Ride height should not be so low that the wheels develop negative camber and should not be so high to develop positive camber resulting in excessive wear to inner or outer edge of tire, excessive stress on CV joints, excessive stress ball joints and excessive inner or outer lateral stress on wheel bearings. The normal force of the vehicle should be exactly perpendicular to the wheel bearings an CV axle at rest---if not, yet is correct with tires/wheel, the wrong size tire/wheels are in place or wheels are distorted. Avoid extreme settings with the ride height.
26.) The above steps are historical. No liability can be ensued for anyone following the above, use common mechanical sense/experience over book values and procedures such as outlined above.
