lower ball joint removal

[johntom]

Is there an easy way to push them things out?

And also, would I be able to press some new ones back in myself or do I need a shop to do it?

[mr48chev]

I don't know if you can rent a ball joint press at a parts house or not.

The tool you need looks like this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38335

That one is a knockoff of the OTC brand one I have which I see has gone down in price a lot since I bought mine.
http://www.ntxtools.com/network-tool.../OTC-7249.html
With one of these you press the old ball joint out and press the new one in and it works slick. You want to grease up the threads on the screw pretty good though.

The C clamp part works great for changing U-joints and I use mine for that all the time.

[Smallz72project]

You can do it yourself with or with out the balljoint press. The press makes it ALOT easier and faster but its not absolutely needed. If you have access to a vise, a BFH, and a thick punch of some fashion you can accomplish it. I would recommend spraying the ball joint with your favorite penetrating oil liberally, and just smack the living turd out of it till she pops. Just be careful not to hit the knuckle to much and mare it, if so no biggie nothing a die grinder cant fix. Also take some emery cloth and clean the bore of the knuckle really well, it will make the ball joint go in smoother along with grease. As far as going in...if you can find something large enough to fit around the balljoint and rest on the flange, just pound away again until shes flush. Oh and be sure to take the snap ring off first as well. If getting it in just isnt working, Id take it to a shop. They shouldnt charge much if anything to press it back in for you. At least I know that I dont ever at my shop. Usually takes me 10-15 minutes to put balljoints in with cleaning up the knuckle, but thats using a OTC press.

[hotrod 80]

I just did this on the 68' Camaro . I paid a local shop $75 to replace the top and bottom ball joints and upper and lower controll arm bushings ( me supplying parts ) . I also paid in full , but took them 1 at a time as i have limited space and had to turn the car around to do the other side . Anyway they did all the removal with a hammer for both the lower ball joints . The guy just set the lca on the vise and another guy held it and whack it came flying out in one hit . Of coarse the rivots had to be removed from the uppers and the bushings he knocked in with a hammer and socket . He made it look easy . I brought them 2 pepperoni pizzas when i picked up the second set . We'll see if i get a cheap alignment or not

[Bus Ted Knuckle]

support the LCA with a block of wood set BEHIND the lower ball joint. Smack the bj with a BFH. Three hits or less and it will be sitting in the floor.

[Nathan28]

You can go to Autozone or Napa. They have a loan a tool program . You just have to leave a deposit for the tool, but you get it back when your done. That is how I did mine .

[johntom]

Sweet! Thanks guys, I am totally going to AutoZone. I forgot about the tool loaning they have there.