Ball Joints

[Tim81]

Ok, It looks to me as if this forum could use some activity so I just happen to have a question for you all. I am getting ready to change the upr and lwr ball joints and was wondering if it is possible to remove the lwr ball joint without removing the spring? Everything I've read say to remove the spring, but from what I can see I think it could be done without removing it and perhaps just keep a floor jack under it to support the lower A arm. I could be wrong plus I have never done this before. Please advise......Tim ;help

 

[Hib Halverson]

If you don't take out the spring and remove the lower control arm, how are you going to drill-out the rivets which hold the old ball joint in place?

 

[Tim81]

I didn't think that the Lwr ball joints were riveted in. I think my have been replaced before because I have bolts holding them in....Thanks Tim

 

[procketus]

Yes, you can do it that way. But be warned that when that joint comes loose the car will lift up off the jackstand. Just tore my frontend apart for some new bushings and had to be careful because of that. Besides, the shock will hold the spring from coming out.

 

[Tim81]

Thanks procketus, Sounds a little risky to me. I don't understand how the joint will pop loose with the shock attached. I will have to be careful and keep a close eye on things. Thanks Tim

 

[Peer81]

To be honest, you need to keep the spring under tension to remove the balljoint. I would also remove the shock, it's not going to hold the tension of the spring neither will the upper part of your chassis where the shock is connected to (I think).
The thing is getting the spring out is also not a very nice thing to do but removing the balljoint without the spring in the way it's always saver then with.

Groeten Peter

 

[Tim81]

I'm beginning to think that the little bit of time I might save by not removing the spring is not worth it. I lean to the safe side and remove the spring.

 

[helphos]

Ball Joint repair

If you support the lower control arm with a jackstand, then nothing bad will happen when you remove the ball joint from the spindle. I'm in the middle of doing that right now. I'm at the stage where I'm trying to press teh ball joint out of the Lower Control Arm with a C Clamp style Ball joint press. My problem is that the diameter of the ball joint shaft is too great to allow the part of the press that is supposed to slide onto it to work.

I don;t really want to remove the lower control arm (which entails removing the shock, spring, and long LCA bolt. But I've tried 2 different ball joint removal tools and neither has a big enough hole in its adapter to fit over the ball joint shaft.
Any ideas?