replacing ball joints

[SY_1306]

How hard is it to replace the upper and lower ball joints? Any special tools needed. Any tips i need to know?

 

[BigBadSmoosh]

it sucks.. need a hell of a wedge, and alot of time and sweat.

 

[jimmyz79]

Just did the lowers on my Sonoma - major bitch. A lot of drilling and chiseling. Haven't done the uppers yet, but they look easier. No special tools needed that I used.

A dictionary of swear words would be helpful during periods of high stress though.

 

[WS6Clint]

Get a big ass pry bar. Drill the center out of the heads of the rivits. Use an air chisel to knock off the heads. Pry the little bastards out of their home. Also needed is lots o' beer.

 

[SY_1306]

i replace my upper driver side tonight. Instead of drilling out the rivets i just busted out the grinder and then tapped the remainder or the rivetts out. Didnt really take very long. How can you tell if the lower ball joint is bad. I tried to wiggle the wheel after i replaced the upper joint and no play at all.

 

[dgoodhue]

The lower ones are usually the one that go bad. I was shock to find out at 47K miles my Sy Ball joint are already gone. To test them, place a jack on the lower a arm, use pry bar and lift up on the tire.

 

[Tydriver]

Consider drilling about 1/8" into the head of the rivets with an appropriate size drill bit. You dont want to go too deep as to upset the hole in the A-arm. It makes removing the rivets a snap. Not much to it when you remove the material, after you drill part way through you can take a punch and whack it with a hammer and the rivets should push through. If that doesnt work just you can also attempt to hit the remaining heads of the rivets with a chisel and they should slide off. Again, just make sure you dont go deep enough to elongate the A-arm.

 

[SY_1306]

my truck only has 45000 miles on it. i was supprised to hear that my ball joints had gone bad with that low of mileage

 

[MattGE]

A BFH (big fu#king hammer) to knock the ball joints loose and an Air hammer for the rivets. Watch the cladding when ya swing. Also a good time to replace control arm bushings.

 

[grahamstein]

Grinder sounds like the best choice to me. Definately my favorite tool

 

[lSyclonel]

to check the lower ball joints. you have to get the torsion bar tenstion off the lower control arm. that means get the front of the truck off the gound with jack stands, and jack the lower control arm up till it starts to lift the truck off the jack stand. now wiggle the tire.

hope it helps.