Correct sequence for ball joint replacement

[jwmdnm]

I'm replacing the ball joints on my '67 Stepside Shortie. Any advice about the correct sequence for removing (and replacing) the upper and lower ball joints? I see the upper ball joint nut, the two bolts through the brake backing plate to the steering mechanism and the nut to the lower ball joint.

Also any advice about how to lower the lower arm without having the coil spring come out with possible consequences to me or the truck?

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Jim

[jholley]

Put the front of the truck on jackstands then put your floor jack underneath the lower control arm. Jack it up just enough to start compressing the spring then give the ball joint a good whack with the splitter or on the inside of the spindle. Should pop right out then you can lower the jack. Works like a charm. I've never had a spring pop out with that method but I still stand off to the side anyway.

[PanelDeland]

Try this link.It was just put up Sat. and has some pics.IIRC there is also a good write up in the FAQ's section.

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...&highlight=ten

[jwmdnm]

Well I got started today but I'm struggling a little after grinding and drilling the rivets holding the upper ball joint.

I can't figure out whether or not f I need to do the following:

1. remove the shocks?
2. separate the tie-rod end from the steering spindle?
3. disconnect the front brake line?
4. remove the lower ball joint first?
5 remove the upper ball joint last?

I'm assuming reassembly is the reverse of the steps to replace both ball joints?

Many thanks to those who have already responded and to anyone who may.

Jim



6. reassembly is basically the reverse of those steps above?

woi

[71meangreenc10]

Just curious,
Have you taken the tension off the coil spring yet by seperating the spindle from the ball joints?

Smitty

[jwmdnm]

No I have not (relieved pressure on the coil spring). I'm so in the dark about how to do this I've spent all day drilling out four rivets on one of the upper ball joint while banging on various parts with a BFH in hopes that something that looks like an old ball joint might miraculously appear on the shop floor. Sure am glad I'm retired and have time to do this.

However, at this rate I may not live long enough to finish this job (just kidding). But it is sorta fun.

Thanks for any suggestions

Jim

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by jwmdnm

No I have not (relieved pressure on the coil spring). I'm so in the dark about how to do this I've spent all day drilling out four rivets on one of the upper ball joint while banging on various parts with a BFH in hopes that something that looks like an old ball joint might miraculously appear on the shop floor. Sure am glad I'm retired and have time to do this.

However, at this rate I may not live long enough to finish this job (just kidding). But it is sorta fun.

Thanks for any suggestions

Jim

No suggestions....but your post really made me laugh. BTW I'll be doing this job sometime soon, and like you I have no idea.

[Hottrucks]

STOP!!!!!!!!!!! do not loosen the ball joint from the control arm until you get the ball joints out of the spindle!!

heres a quick how to........
jack up the truck place jackstands under the frame ( bothsides make it easy on your self) take off the wheels ( use them as a chairs) now I find it easy to remove the tie rod...so fight the cotter pin out and loosen the nut leaving it on about 1/2 a nut now get your BFH ( this project this will be your most usefull tool) now SMACK the cast tie rod ( the part on the spindle) because the tie rods and ball jionts are tapered the shock makes them pop apart ( thats why you left the nut on a bit) it may take a couple hits but don't be afraid!!! ok now that that is out of the way you can turn the drum/spindle to get to the nuts on the upper and lower ball joints..get them almost off ( remeber to leave them on a bit) ..place your floor jack under the spring pocket and jack the truck up just enought to put a load back on the spring...now get your favorite tool ( BFH) SMACK the part where the ball joint goes though the spindle ( remeber the taper thing) once you see them pop apart remove the nuts AND SLOWLY lower the jack keeping in mind the spindle will fall to the ground and put a bone streching on your brake line so have something close to slide under it ( mlk crates kick azz) now the load is off the spring and you have a upper A arm a Lower A arm and the spindle seperated...... grind off the old bolts or rivets and take out the old joints.......reistall the new ones then flip your puter upside down and read this backwards.......keep in mind it will be a good time to give stuff a qyick coat of paint while your there..........


Good luck

[Hottrucks]

by the way when putting it back together you can leave out the BFH parts

[cparman]

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ME:
Jack the truck up on the crossmember. Put your jackstands under the lower control arms, kind of under the coil springs. Let the truck down off of the jack and let it settle on the jackstands. Remove the wheels. IF you are not trying to set a record time to get this done, I would:
1. remove the tie rod end from the spindle. Remove the cotter pin, loosen the nut, hit the spindle where the tie rod end attaches, hit the spindle with a BFH. the tie rod should fall loose at this point.

Remove both the upper and lower ball joint cotter pins. loosen both of the balljoint nuts. It is time for the BFH, or a pickle fork ( ball joint separator ) separate the ball joints from the spindle.

At this point if I had not done this a bunch of times, I would remove the spindle/brake set up. sit it on the floor.

BFH time hit the lower ball joint on the stud a bunch of times and eventually it will fall out.

Unbolt the upper control arm and put it in a vise. Making sure that you noted how many alignment shims were behind each bolt. There are two studs on each side that hold alignment shims.

Cut the rivets off of the upper BJ, and bolt the new one in.

The lower BJ will require a BJ press or the BFH, and some patience. If you could rent a ball joint press, and you have jacked the truck up high enough to get the press in place and you have an air gun and compressor you should be able to install the lower BJ.
Once the BJ's are in place reinstall the spindle/brake stuff and you are on your way.

If you do this my way, you will need to bleed the brakes when finished, and no matter how you do it , I would recommend having the truck aligned when done.

[PanelDeland]

The Auto parts store will have a ball joint press as a loaner tool.It will not work.It's a basic kit and does not fit these trucks.I bought one for $30 or so at HF and cut a pipe nipple to different lengths at work with a porta band.Here's another thread that may also help....

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...ht=Ball+joints

[Hottrucks]

if you do nt put a jack under the lower control arm to release the spring YOU WILL BE HURT when you smak the ball joint loose from the spindle or finish taking the nut off

on a side note Autozone around here has a tool loan program, a ball joint fork and press will help things go smoother and safer..I have done one or two (lol) of these and I wouldn't pull the control arms

[71meangreenc10]

Yeah,,

I was just going to add that if you dont get the spring took care of, you start smacking stuff and that tension pops,,,,It could get ugly and dangerous, I run a heavy duty strap securely around both A Arms and then seperate the control arms from the spindle, after the brakes are removed and set aside. carefully I seperate the spindle, the strap catches the spring tension, then I drill and cut out the upper ball joint, which takes the longest, then I have a ball joint press that does the bottom in minutes... I ve done this many times and its safe for me,,ensure you wear safety glasses too, you never know what will fly in the air. Also I have a tie rod tool that seperates without damaging the tie rods,,,beat on it wrong and youll have to replace it. If you want PM me and Ill call you and walk you through it.. And send pics of the tools I have.


Smitty

[jwmdnm]

Thanks so much guys. It's back to the shop. I'm not coming out for food or water until I have some progress to report. If there is none in the near future, start the search for me under the truck just in case something went terribly wrong.....................

Jim

[jwmdnm]

Thanks to all those who took time to help me with this project. I am proud to say that I have safely removed the ball joints from the drivers side without killing myself or tearing anything up.

The first biggie that I learned (that I did not understand before) was that the brakes and brake backing plate must be removed to expose the 3rd bolt that connects the brake backing plate (behind the brake drum) to the spindle. Also that separating the tie-rod from the steering cradle as well as the brake line so that all that can be moved out of the way. This is pretty important info for the first timer.

Using the floor jack very cautiously was a good idea to help separate the ball joints from the spindle by lowering the truck just a little (to apply pressure while banging with the BFH); leaving the nut loosened on the ball joint while doing this is a big safety necessity to keep everything from flying apart!

Last but not least the correct tool helps enormously. A local guy here who got tired of my whining loaned me the "factory GM ball joint press" which allows removal of the lower ball joints in minutes.

I'm gonna admire my work for a day or two (or until my sore back is not so sore), then clean/paint and as one member said "reverse my putter" to put it all back together. Finally, I'll forever remember how to replace ball joints in my truck cause I'll get to do it all over again on the other side!

Jim

[Hottrucks]

ok heres a secret when you do the other side leave ALL the brake parts on the spindle it will be a bit heavier but you can do the job with out doing all that


congrats by te way now get back in the garage

[jwmdnm]

Soooooooo disconnect the tie-rod, and do everything else w/o taking all that brake stuff loose?

Man that sounds so much easier and quicker than the way I did it.

(Why didn't I think of that).

Thanks Hottrucks!!

Jim

[westofb]

I was reading through these answers to your question. I may have missed it, or my comprehension of what was being advised was poor. I keep seeing that everyone is tell you to put pressure on the lower control arm prior to smacking it with the bfh? This is what I would do:
1. jack up truck, put jac stands under frame.
2. remove wheels, if disc front remove calibers from spindles and hang them out the way with some wire.
3. remove the tie rod end from the spindle, I do this by take out cotter pin, loosed nut till it lines up with the end of stud, hit end of stud with bfh, usually one or two whacks will knock it loose, remove nut and drop tie rod out of way (this allows you to move the spidle which ever way you like).
4. get the cotter pins out of the ball joints, put jack under lower control arm, put pressure on it then loosen the ball joint nuts, both of them, leave nuts on the ball joints with them setting about even with the end of the stud.
5. lower jack, then take bfh and beat on the spindle, strike it at the ball join location, the coil spring will apply pressure on the ball joints and a few good strikes will cause the ball joints to "pop" loose. Turn you spindle whichever way you need to get the best access to hit the ball joint area.
6. put the jack under the control arm, apply pressure, you should be able to see the ball joints start pushing back together, then remove the both ball joint nuts. upper control arm should be able to lift it up to get the ball joint to come out of the spindle, then grab spindle and remove it from the truck. Really no need to lower the jack, but you can lower it slightly to aid in spindle removal. However, you need to keep some pressure on it to keep the coil spring seated.
7. remove the ball joints, you may need a special tool to get the lower one out, but in the past, I have got them out by using the bfh, you will have to beat the sh*t out of them to get them out, but will usually knock them out.

Installation is the reverse of the removal, except for beating the crap out of stuff with the bfh...lol. I hope this helps you out. What I was reading in other posts, they left out my step 5 (or were unclear on this step), let the coil spring do the work for you!

[Hottrucks]

most people seem to agree about most everything the only reason I use the jack is because it's safe and I have had JUNK ball joints spin when you goto take the last half nut off.....also I think that most will lower te jack pull the spring and have a safe unloaded lower to work with wether changing the ball joint or giving it the once over with a rattle can.....

Just my $.02

Jeff

[jwmdnm]

Now that I'm an "expert" at removing ball joints, I hope to never have to do it again (at least on my truck). I've got the two on the drivers side replaced perfectly and will replace the other two this morning. Then its off to the front end alignment shop and then to junkyard in search of a sway bar from a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.

Many thanks to all who have helped. The info was very useful and provided exactly the specifics I needed. Couldn't have done it w/o you.

Jim

[Hottrucks]

you must be an expert the first side took you a week and your going to have this side done today........now if I can just get my cab together I can worry about the small things on my truck.......like brakes, exhaust, lower A arms cups..........

[tjs69gmc]

just to put my two cents in i have done a couple of ball joint replacement projects, and i found out if you put the ball joints in the freezer for a couple of days they go in alot easier

[rbkagey]

Not sure if anybody can help...i started my project 8 years ago...mine is a 69 c10...i bought some spindles and rear end from a 79 chevy and started my swap...i replaced both upper and lower ball joints with 69....should that of worked? I did this about 6 years ago so I dont remember alot of details but i am now ready to do some more work to it and not sure that step was correct? Help please

[custom10nut]

I found that there's a steep learning curve on this task. The first one takes about 80% longer than the second.after you've done one truck, it's easy peasy. Glad you can still use your fingers to count to ten.

[Steeveedee]

If you had rivets on your ball joints, they are quite likely the originals. So, if you keep the truck in the family, your grandson might have to change them out in another 40+ years. I did my front suspension when I converted to disc brakes this year. Mine were also original, and weren't really all that loose, but since I had to change the ball joints anyway, I did the control arm bushings.

I also had the original brake flex lines, which was unbelievable, to me. My wife inherited the truck from her dad. As I was moving the passenger's spindle assembly around, the flexible brake like broke. That is a bullet I dodged. If yours are original, this would be an excellent time to change them (all three).