PeNZ Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 I was quoted by a local shop forr $500us! That is way too much, I could buy the parts and do it my self for well under $100. My question is how hard is it to do this with normal hand tools? I have a propane torch, and a monster ratchet, otherwise just normal tools. Is there a guide anyone has written up? I havent replaced ball joints before so I have no idea on how to replace them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmin Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 it'a little different with air tools. i've never done it without. you usually take out the cotter pin, zip off the nut (the shaft may spin especially with hand tools; you'll have to hold it somehow unless its really rusty). sometimes, you can smack the control arm with a bfh and it will come down and other times, you need a pretty good prybar to get it off. after the arm is off, it's easy to get out (4 bolts). after you replace it, you have to get the arm back on the shaft. it def helps to have someone else to put the nut on while you hold the arm up. probably wont be too rusty, but it could be. $500 is ridiculous. it's probably 2 hours max and the parts would be 100 max. that's max, and that's under 300. not sure how they got 500. i would get moog parts from like carquest. i did have trouble with the grease zerk fitting on mine though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 It's a simple job, just a PITF'nA. Last 2 times I did them (one on my 88 and one on my 95) I just took my grinder to the 4 little bolts cause they were rusted to hell. The balljoint has to pop "up" so you need a balljoint remover, or you can put a chisle under it and pound the fucker out. $500 is fucking insane!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeNZ Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Inst that called a ball joint fork or something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmin Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 oh, yeah, i forgot i had to air chisel some of the bolts out; well, i guess i didnt have to but it was easier. yeah, it's called a fork. forgot about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Inst that called a ball joint fork or something like that? I think Pickle Fork is the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Just last week I was quoted $125 per side for lower ball joints. $250 total. $65 per side for outer tierods. Local shop up here in NorthWest Wisconsin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 On my old car, there were rivets I had to drill out, and then the new one had nuts and bolts I put in their place. I did it with a normal drill though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutlessSupreme Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 On my old car, there were rivets I had to drill out, and then the new one had nuts and bolts I put in their place. x2 we propane plasted the fucker but I don't remember where we went from there.. possibly a chisel/BFH/drill combo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 The rivets are a HUGE PITA using a regular drill. It took me a really long time to get them drilled out, and then pounded out. At times I alternated between a drill and a drill-mounted grinder. Next time I have to do it, I'm trying an angle grinder! Getting the balljoint separated isn't real difficult. A pickle fork will work, although if you have the Kent-moore balljoint tool, you don't even have to put any muscle into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Holy shit! It was almost zero problem for me, starting with small bits and getting bigger, I did have a big crowbar and a BFH to pound a chisel in with, though. I am the BALL-JOINT MASTA!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99RegalGS Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 John, you will need a pickle fork, and an angle grinder also. The biggest pain will be getting the old ones out, espically with the factory rivets. Here's a quick walkthrough. 1. Jack front of car up. 2. Take off the wheel. 3. Remove brake caliper. Use a coat hanger or wire to tie the caliper up. DON'T let it hang. 4. Heat up the caliper bracket, were the bolts for the bracket go, with your torch, and remove the caliper bracket bolts. 5. Remove Brake rotor. 6. Remove cotter pin on balljoint. 7. Remove nut on the bottom of the ball joint. 8. Place pickle fork between the control arm and the balljoint boot. 9. Give the pickle fork a few good hits with a hammer (bigger the better ). 10. Pry control arm down and pull the strut base towards you untill the balljoint comes out of the lower control arm. 11. Remove the balljoint heat shield. (IIRC 2 10mm bolts) 12. take an angle grinder and grind off the rivet heads. Don't worry about grinding too far because you're going to throw away the balljoint anyway. 13. after all rivet heads are removed take a punch and a hammer and punch out the rivet core. 14. Remove balljoint. 15. Place new balljoint on the strut and bolt it up. 16. Put heat shield on the new balljoint. 17. Pry the lower control arm down and put the balljoint into the lower control arm hole. 18. Start the nut on the balljoint shaft, follow the directions that come with the balljoint for proper tightening procedure. Put cotter pin through the nut and the shaft. 19. Put the brake rotor back onto the hub. 20. Bolt caliper brakcet back onto the strut. 21. Put caliper back on and bolt it up. 22. Put wheel back on. I think that covers most of it. You don't have to remove the brakes in order to do this, but it will give you a little more room to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeNZ Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Im stuck, I cannot get this ball joint out for the life of me. I even rented a ball joint press from autozone and it doesnt work at all. Anyone have any tips for me. What is this ring thing?? The ball joint looks like its attatched to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp90se Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 It looks like you didnt seperate the balljoint from the lower control arm first, I dont think you can seperate them without the balljoint attached to the knuckle. throw 2 bolts back in the balljoint and beat it out with the pickle fork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeNZ Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 just tried that and it wont budge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 You need to put more muscle into it. :read: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp90se Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 beat the control arm with a 3lb sledge a few times, see if it pops out. If it doesnt, beat it some more and pickle fork it again. worst case, propane torch the control arm and beat the pickle fork again. I have a tie rod end that wont budge, but no torch. if all else fails, wedge the pickle fork with the sledge, get a big breaker bar, slide it over the end and pull up. your going to need a good 3-4 steel bar and a whole lotta musle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 After reading that, I'm sure glad I have the Kent-Moore tool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp90se Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 man, link me to these kent-moore tools, sounds like something I should invest in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 This is it: Kent-Moore J-35917. Cost me $90, but sounds like it was worth it. You don't need much muscle to pop the balljoint out of the control arm with it. More pics in this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 i am definately going to buy that tool. it's too easy to rip the ball joint boot when using a pickle fork & BFH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp90se Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 searching, found a few different 1s Cheap http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product?storeId=10101&Pr=p_Product.CATENTRY_ID%3A2004158&TID=100&TID=100&productId=2004158&catalogId=10101 List on Ebay http://motors.search.ebay.com/ball-joint_Automotive-Tools_W0QQbsZSearchQQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfclZ3QQfgtpZQQfposZ02464QQfromZR2QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQlopgZQQsacatZ34998QQsadisZ200QQsaprchiZQQsaprcloZQQsargnZQ2d1QQsaslcZ2QQsbrftogZ1QQsofocusZunknown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeNZ Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 fuck one of those tools would be prime right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp90se Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 quit posting and go hammer that thing out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeNZ Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 it wont budge, im going to have to buy one of these pullers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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