ball joint R&R?

[rrubel]

While replacing my brakes with C5 ones, I noticed a large amount of grease around the underside of the upper ball joint on the passenger side. Closer inspection shows the boot to be separated from the joint on the underside of the A-arm. Is this something that can be fixed, or is a new joint in my near future?

Anyone have recommendations for a good replacement brand, and how hard a job this would be?

Thanks.
[RICHR]

 

[jmccloud]

Ball Joints

It's pretty common for ball joint boots to split, come loose and eventually leak. Usually it's due to an overzealous grease job (pumping in too much grease and splitting or dislodging the boot). The true evaluation of a lower ball joint is to check the play, usually by supporting the lower 'A' arm while lifting and lowering the tire/wheel with a crow bar. A second pair of hands is helpful. The tolerable clearance is probably listed in the service manual. The tolerable clearance is not zero and many front end shops will use this test to scare an owner into doing an unjustified ball joint replacement.
I don't know how your ball joints are attached. If they're bolted in, just use a 'pickle fork' to separate the joint and unbolt the old joint. That is of course after adequately supporting the car and lower 'A' arm and removing the castellated nut.
If they're still riveted rather than bolted, I use a Makita right angle grinder (small but very powerful) to grind off the rivet heads, taking great care to not grind the 'A' arm. New ball joints will bolt in.
Some cars have pressed in ball joints; they're a real chore and justify taking the car in for a thorough front end rebuild (new 'A' arm bushings etc.) even though it's huge bucks.
Good luck

 

[tigmaned]

Rich

if you need to change the lowers and there pressed in let me know i have a pretty nice press we could use at work.
Ed

 

[Moonunit 451]

I did one on mine last year Rich. It was a miserable job. They are pressed in, and I wouild recomend getting the job done by someone who will do it right. My freind is a top notch front end guy, but he beat the living crap out of my A arm not using a press.

I was there with him and just wanted to It took a couple hours with his knowledge and strengh. This is one I might actually take to a dealership. It would be the first time in my life.

 

[rrubel]

Argh. I was afraid of that. It looks like a bear to get out because I can't even see how it's held in.... there are some rivets on top but they don't look like they go through, so it must indeed be pressed in.

Is there a way to repair the boot? The joint itself seems fine, and wasn't dry at all. I may have caused this myself last time I greased the zerks; the gun didn't seem to be putting anything out so I kept shooting it.

[RICHR]

 

[tigmaned]

Rich

heres the place i was telling you about for the poly parts. if i got it right, 4 ball joint dust boots are $6.00.
1-800-291-5340
suspension restro parts
319-B motor city court, modesto CA 95356

Again thanks for geting the headlight knob, and nice to finally meet and talk corvettes

ED

 

[froggy47]

A friend who had a Vette told me you can replace just the boot, cut the old one out & stuff new one on (poly boots). But make sure the ball joint is not worn out of spec.

I'm getting 2 new uppers next week thru dealer. I found the driver side to be split. No idea how it happened.

 

[rrubel]

Ed, thanks for the #. I'll give them a call.

The joints *seem* OK; there's essentially zero play when grabbing the tire and wiggling it around. I'm afraid to mess around too much with a crowbar - I've bent things (not on the vette) in the past too easily.
[RICHR]

 

[jmccloud]

Ball Joints

My '95 had riveted joints on top and pressed in joints on the bottom. So replacing the top should be relatively easy (compared to the bottoms).
If you do the bottoms, take the time to replace the control arm bushings and be very careful taking out the control arms. It would be a good time to inspect the spring too. Running into lots of $$$ by then.

 

[jsinga]

I've never replaced a boot but I think it has a metal ring that is a press fit around the joint. You still have to take it loose from the spindle. The shop manual shows a tool that goes between the two studs and will pop the joint out of the spindle. You can make it out of common hardware store stuff, I did.
If you aren't squimish take the nut loose and wack the side of the spindle and it will pop right out. That's what all the front end mech's do.
You more than likely need a seal tool to get the new boot back in right.
Lower ball joints are pressed in. They are actually easier to do than the uppers. Go to AutoZone and rent for free (they charge your credit card and then refund it when you bring it back) The frontend press tool kit. It is the same tools they show in the shop manual. It only took me about 2 hrs to do both lower ball joints and I had never done one before. They slide right out with the right tool.

JS

 

[AdvancedAutoCC]

I've never replaced a boot but I think it has a metal ring that is a press fit around the joint. You still have to take it loose from the spindle. The shop manual shows a tool that goes between the two studs and will pop the joint out of the spindle. You can make it out of common hardware store stuff, I did.
If you aren't squimish take the nut loose and wack the side of the spindle and it will pop right out. That's what all the front end mech's do.
You more than likely need a seal tool to get the new boot back in right.
Lower ball joints are pressed in. They are actually easier to do than the uppers. Go to AutoZone and rent for free (they charge your credit card and then refund it when you bring it back) The frontend press tool kit. It is the same tools they show in the shop manual. It only took me about 2 hrs to do both lower ball joints and I had never done one before. They slide right out with the right tool.

JS

Well, I wouldn't whack the side of the aluminum spindle personally (I do it on cast iron ones), mostly for appearance issues. You can also rent a pickle fork to separate the joint properly when you're renting the balljoint press. C4 Vettes are among the easiest cars to do balljoints in. The uppers are cake as well...cut off the rivets and bolt in the new ones. Just be careful and use common sense (support the lower A-arm and have the castle nut on by a couple of threads when separating the joints so as not to have the spindle come flying out at you). Good luck!