Bushings and Ball Joints

[87TIGN]

I have to do both the Upper and lower control arm bushings on both front sides along with upper and lower ball joints on each side in the front. What is the best way to go about this? I was planning on taking the upper control arm off and than compressing my spring taking the lower off than taking them to my work to press the old bushings out and put the new in. Any tips to make this easier would be greatly appreciated as I am not looking forward to this at all. The nice thing is that my motor is out right now which should make it easier. Also how far do I press the new bushings in? Thanks in advance.
-Andrew

 

[Welby]

Put a floor jack under the lower ball joint to support everything when you take the upper arm off... It's not a fun job, that's for sure. Nothing really difficult, just tedious.

As fas as the bushings go, the upper ones have a 'step' in them, so they can only go in so far and that's it. I've never done the lowers, but I'd assume you just press them in until they're centered in the arm

 

[87TIGN]

So after i take the upper arm off than I will have to put it back in to do the lowers huh? Ok so I can prob put jackstands under the lower ball joints on each side so I can do both uppers at once right? Than can I just jack up under the car compress spring and remove shocks to do both lowrs at once? Do I have to remove brakes?

 

[agteacher]

Safety 1st!!!!
Put a short piece of chain thru the spring and the lower control arm.
This way the spring will not pop-out of the pocket and "come-a- hunting you" when you separate the knuck on the lower control arm.

 

[chopped39]

If you have the money snap sells a spring compressor . you pull the shock out and this tool has a rod that goes down through shock hole and has two jaws that grab spring . you tighten bolt and it compresses spring into frame. then you can pull control arm off and change bushings .this tool works like a charm. i think i paid 120.00 for it. i have been doing front end work for over 20 years and this is the best tool i have seen for front springs. i will post tool number tomorrow if you want it . let me know. and be very careful when working around front springs. does not matter what tool you use. wear eye protection . good luck

 

[V6POWER]

What brand of bushings/ball joints are you using?

 

[87TIGN]

Yes I would like that part number for that compressor if possible. I am using energy suspension bushings. When reading the manual on how to do this thing it says you will need a bushing flaring tool to do the lower control arm bushings. Is this neccesary or can I press them in. I have acess to a 10-ton hydralic press and I was just going to measure the ones in there now and than slowly press in the new ones to the same measurements. Will that work?

 

[86 TR]

As far a changing the lower ball joints go to your local parts store like Autozone or other and rent a balljoint press. It only takes about 1 hour to change both lower balljoints with the proper tool.

 

[87TIGN]

Yea just rented a crazy ball joint set which should eliminate half the pain!! Haha. Neone know about the lower bushings and if I can just press them in?

 

[86 TR]

Yeah you have to remove the lower control arm. I used a air chisel to remove the bushings. But be careful not to damage the control arm. As far as pressing them in I used my Dads 10-ton press. But you must have a spacer to go between the inside of the control arm otherwise you will crush it. I used a socket as a spacer and go sloowly.

 

[chopped39]

here is the snap on tool . this thing works great. as for your lower bushings. when you are pressing them in you have to put something in control arm to keep iit from squeezing together. if you have the energy suspension kit i believe you have to reuse the rear sleeve which is a pita. you can use small angle iron piece to keep arm from pushing together. you will know what i mean when you start pressing. i used big sockets and ball joint press to install mine . i bought the del a lum lower bushings from global west. the housings are aluminum so they went in pretty easy. the uppers i replaced the whole arm. good luck. see if auto zone has control arm bushing press you can rent. they work awesome

 

[86 TR]

Ok. Take a floor jack place it underneath the lower control arm. Remove the brakes, tie rods, shocks, and loosen the lower ball joint castle nut don't remove it yet. It will keep the coil spring from shooting out at you. Break it loose by either hitting the spindle with a hammer or using a pickle fork. Once it pops loose remove the castle nut and carefully lower the jack slowly. Once all the tension is off of the control arm remove the coil spring then unbolt the control arm from the frame. Then you can remove the upper control arm by breaking loose the upper ball joint to the spindle using a pickle fork or air chisel with pickel fork end. Then remove the two nuts on the crosshaft on top of the upper control arm and the two nuts on the end of the crosshaft remove it from the car. The upper ball joints have rivets from the factory. take an air chisel to bust the rivets or a grinder, or a drill bit. the replacement ball joints will bolt in with bolts and nuts. I like to use an air chisel to remove the old control arm bushings. Upper and lower.
But be careful not to damage the control arm. The lower ball joints need to be pressed in. I used a hydraulic press. Or you can rent a balljoint press. But be sure to use a spacer inside the control arm when pressing the bushings in with a press otherwise you will distort the control arm.

Put the upper control arm back on the car and leave the bolts and nuts loose and tighten the upper ball joint castle nut and put the cotter key in. Put lower control arm onto frame leaving bolts loose. Put coil spring on lower control arm and carefully raise the floor jack I would use a safety chain so the spring doesn't come out at you. Once you get the lower ball joint through the spindle put the nut on.
Tighten the castle nut put cotter key in. Put shocks back in tie rods, brakes etc. lower car onto the ground and tighten lower control arm bolt, upper control arms bolts and nuts. Then go get an alignment.

Its not too hard just alot of tedious work. Good luck.

 

[chopped39]

I just noticed you said engine is out of car .be careful if you use jack to change springs. you have alot of weight of front of car. so tring to compress springs with floor jack might be difficult to do. you might have to get some friends to sit on front of car to help compress spring so you can get castle nuts back on. even seperating the ball joints might be a little hairy. what i would do is loosen upper ball joint castle nut about 5 threads and give knuckle a wack and see how much pressure is on upper control arm. if you can push upper control arm down and see castle nut move down.then you should be ok. if you cant move upper control down enough to loosen castle nut you have to add weight to car to help compress spring. be careful lol

 

[87TIGN]

Ok I REALLY appreciate everyones help first of all!! You guys are great!! So I am a very visual person and I dont understand the spacer on the lower control arms for the bushings. I am guessing I dont need one for the upper bushings to go in. Is there a picture of what you guys mean by a spacer so I dont damage the control arm? I am sorry Im not getting this. I understand the rest perfectly I just cant visualize the spacer part... Maybe the spacer is between the press and the bushing so as not to damage the bushing? Thanks for your support and help!!
-Andrew

 

[chopped39]

the spacer is for the control arm. it keeps it from crushing the arm together. the arm is a c channel where bushing goes in . so you need something to keep it from crushing the c channel closed. once you start pressing it you will see what we mean. if lower arm was boxed where bushing goes in you would not have to use a spacer. you have to use spacer for uppers also. hope this helps

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Do Not..

Put a floor jack under the lower ball joint to support everything when you take the upper arm off... It's not a fun job, that's for sure. Nothing really difficult, just tedious.

As fas as the bushings go, the upper ones have a 'step' in them, so they can only go in so far and that's it. I've never done the lowers, but I'd assume you just press them in until they're centered in the arm

take the upper off, and expect the wt of the car to keep the spring in place!! Without the engine/trans wt, the car can easily be knocked off the jack...

 

[87TIGN]

Got everything out ok... Took about 5 hours and was the WORST thing I have ever had to do on a car. The first one was terrible cause I was going in blind and the second side was really not that bad to be honest. Thanks for your help!! Oh by the way I can totally see what you are talkin about using a spacer to press them thanks.
-Andrew