How do i remive the lower ball joints?!

[Azrial89]

I am removing and replacing all the ball joints and I have been reading in my manual that I need to remove the lower control arm and take it to a machine shop to remove the lower ball joint... Is there any way to do this without taking it to a shop?

 

[WH1_T-Type]

You can get a ball joint press from your local parts store. Costs about $50 up front to rent it. Of course you get that back upon return of the tool.

There are most likely rivets or something holding the ball joint on so look for those and break them up. (chisel? Air chisel?)

Then get the tool you rented, all it is is a big "C" clamp with a hollow piece that you can fit onto the bottom of the clamp. You hook the clamp with the fitted piece to where the LCA is between the open portion, put the top of the clamp on the top of the ball joint, and start turning the treaded portion, It will press out the ball joint.

Personally, the tool I rented was too small to work. The mouth of the "C" clamp couldn't fit over the ball joint. It cost me $15 each arm to have the old joint pressed out and the new one pressed in. TOTALLY worth it to save the frustration. If you do that though, make sure you check to make sure the shop didn't press in the ball joint upside down....

 

[novaderrik]

the uppers just have some rivets that need to be ground off and pounded out, then the balljoint comes out of the arm with a good whack with a hammer.

the lowers are pressed in.

 

[charlief1]

If the lowers are on the car still get the knuckle out of the way and use a 3 lb hand sledge to knock them out of the bottom. Then use the ball joint press to put the new ones in. If the uppers haven't been changed before they have rivits holding them in place. Cut the heads off them and a few good whacks with the same hammer should remove them. If they've been changed before then they'll have bolts holding them in.

 

[EVIL]

I just did the S10 front brake swap and had an issue putting on the new lower ball joints.
They were Moog ball joints with the knurl around the part that presses on and they would NOT go on.
I had two mechanic friends come down and still a no go. I verified the number and it was correct.
I then went to Napa and bought their $16 lowers for our cars and once i lined them up evenly they went right in with the press tool i rented

D

 

[T-CHRGD]

They were Moog ball joints with the knurl around the part that presses on and they would NOT go on.

D

The knurled ball joint are oversize, if you have stretched out arms. Tough to get in without a big press.

 

[TRICKSIXPA]

I agree with Charlie, Jack up the front end put some jack stand to hold the car up and put a jack under the control arm and swing away if you have a torch heat helps them come out easier. Sometimes they fall right out after a couple hits but usually some cursing might be involved....

 

[Morbid]

I used the tool from Harbor Freight --> http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-ball-joint-u-joint-c-frame-press-service-kit-38335.html
to remove the stock ones and press in the Moog K6145T (Problem Solver) BJ's. Arms weren't on the car but that shouldn't make any difference

The Moog BJ's are knurled and I had to use the handle from a floor jack as a breaker bar to get them in. Not sure what problems they are meant to solve but your
arms will have the indentations from the knurling once they are installed.

 

[John Larkin]

10-4. Those Moog lowers have to be pressed in with something powerful, the Autozone tool was beefy for easy removal but not enough leverage for install. And the dust boots are a pain to get on.