Need help with ball joints!!! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

longhorn396 · 02-22-2010, 03:42 PM

Hey guys i need some help. My dad is tellin me the only way to get ball joints out(without a separator) is to just beat and beat and beat on them. It took us four and a half hours yesterday to change one. And when we put the new one in. Guess what we beat around the piece that it goes in and it took an hour and a half of that time to put it in. (NOTE: the four and a half hours was with breaks haha but only like 10 minutes.) There has to be an easier way. Help??? I really dont want to go threw the same crap with the other side.

cdowns · 02-22-2010, 03:54 PM

you can buy the proper tools and have them for the rest of your life

some autoparts stores have a policy of loaning tools to do the job //you put down a deposit that you get back upon returning tools

longhorn396 · 02-22-2010, 03:59 PM

I know that. but my dad insists he doesnt want to do that and said u can go just as fast without a separator. Is there a tool to make them go in faster??? with out just pushing them from the bottom with a bottle jack and a big socket to put on the bottom. and hitting the top with a good sized hammer on top

grs · 02-22-2010, 04:01 PM

If there is an Autozone store near by they loan tools. Get a ball joint remover and installer. It works very well. When installing them they will start to go in sideways. You will have to place a small piece of metal where needed to straighten it up. Also the grease boot will need this tool to press it into place. I found this out after they where installed. I hope you bought Moog joints. This is pretty fast. I installed them by myself.

*Fitz* · 02-22-2010, 04:02 PM

Try this;

48 bucks @ amazon.com:

grs · 02-22-2010, 04:05 PM

That is what I borrowed from Autozone.

longhorn396 · 02-22-2010, 04:06 PM

Does that tool work on top and bottom joints

grs · 02-22-2010, 04:13 PM

The top are riveted in. You cut the top of the rivet, and then have to pop the rivet down and out. I used an impact chisel hammer. These rivets are really in.
Make sure you install correctly.

longhorn396 · 02-22-2010, 04:17 PM

My gpa said to just put 5/16 bolts back in in place of the rivets

grs · 02-22-2010, 04:23 PM

Moog joints came with instructions and bolts, and washers.

PanelDeland · 02-22-2010, 05:08 PM

Make sure you put the nuts up on the upper ball Joints.There was a video posted a while back on ball joint removal,at least the part where it comes out of the spindle.The tool makes taking them out of the LCA's much easier.Less chance of damaging them going back in also.

Shyguy · 02-22-2010, 05:25 PM

Some old timers may suggest putting the lower ball joints in a freezer over-night, it shrinks them slightly.

I have used the tool mentioned above without freezing the lower ball joints and it works great. I bought mine from Harbor Freight and it can also be used on u-joints.

I think I paid around $50 for it, but since we use it often it was well worth it.

Auto Zone and O'Reilly's both have the tool in their loan-a-tool program. All you pay is a deposit that you get back when you return the tool.

Danny

big_al_71 · 02-22-2010, 05:44 PM

When we replaced mine it was a TOTAL !@%$ with the correct tools. I even posted it on here what a mission it was...Taking them off was nothing installing the two lower one holy mother of ball joints....good luck

ERASER5 · 02-22-2010, 06:23 PM

Heat expands, cold contracts. So, freeze the ball joint, and just before installing the cold joint, heat the A-arm with a torch. Be quick.

I have the proper tool, but my impact was on the fritz, so it did not help. I had the A-arm off, that helped. I used the 20-lb sledge,and the proper cups. A couple of love taps, and the joints were in like Flyn!

jbristo67 · 02-22-2010, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longhorn396

I know that. but my dad insists he doesnt want to do that and said u can go just as fast without a separator. Is there a tool to make them go in faster??? with out just pushing them from the bottom with a bottle jack and a big socket to put on the bottom. and hitting the top with a good sized hammer on top

I changed all four of my ball joints out in less than four hours with a ball joint press that I borrowed from autozone

71meangreenc10 · 02-22-2010, 08:42 PM

I bought the Astro master kit, some what like the one pictured above, best money spent, done 3 sets of these ball joints and NEVER had a problem. NEVER NEVER beat them out, youll miss and mess up your control arms. Then more cash needed to fix it again...

Smitty

57larry · 02-22-2010, 09:01 PM

pickle fork to take out the ball joints

longhorn396 · 02-23-2010, 10:17 AM

Im gonna go to autozone and get that stuff then. How much is the deposit??

gkesseru · 02-23-2010, 02:57 PM

How important is it to have nuts/bolts for the upper ball joint nut side up? I already put everything together the other way and seem to have no collision problems. I would hate to redo the whole job.

Slick67 · 02-23-2010, 03:01 PM

To get the lower ball joint out you can hit the LCA with a BFH on the bottom side right where the ball joint goes in 2 to 3 hits and the ball joint pops out. I was told it would work and didn't beleive this myself until I did it. Getting them back in is harder, the tool mentioned above it the way to go. O'Reilley held a deposit of I think $120 and gave it back when I dropped the kit off. It took a total of an hour and a half to do both sides.

*Shane* · 02-23-2010, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 57larry

pickle fork to take out the ball joints

a pickle-fork only breaks he ball joint loose from the spindle ... it does nothing in the way of removing the ball joint from the control arm.

PanelDeland · 02-23-2010, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkesseru

How important is it to have nuts/bolts for the upper ball joint nut side up? I already put everything together the other way and seem to have no collision problems. I would hate to redo the whole job.

It may be OK but you will not know until you let the truck down off the jackstands.It may not even hit then but may on bumps.If you turn them over now you wont have to do it over.I have had people tell me it worked the way you have them and other have had to do it over.Your call but I prefer to do stuff once.

OhOneWS6 · 02-23-2010, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkesseru

How important is it to have nuts/bolts for the upper ball joint nut side up? I already put everything together the other way and seem to have no collision problems. I would hate to redo the whole job.

Personally I would fix it now. Just pull one bolt at a time and put it back in the right way. No need to take it all back apart. The tension from the spring is pulling the upper ball joint down anyway. It will be a lot easier to fix the bolts now rather than wishing you had fixed them later.

longhorn396 · 02-25-2010, 02:59 PM

My boss is letting me use his ball joint press and spring compressor.

cdowns · 02-25-2010, 03:34 PM

the nuts need to be up very important

02-22-2010, 03:42 PM	#1
longhorn396 S.D.M.F. Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westport, In Posts: 639	Need help with ball joints!!! Hey guys i need some help. My dad is tellin me the only way to get ball joints out(without a separator) is to just beat and beat and beat on them. It took us four and a half hours yesterday to change one. And when we put the new one in. Guess what we beat around the piece that it goes in and it took an hour and a half of that time to put it in. (NOTE: the four and a half hours was with breaks haha but only like 10 minutes.) There has to be an easier way. Help??? I really dont want to go threw the same crap with the other side. __________________ 1969 Chevy Longhorn 396/400 3/4 ton. 1991 Chevy Camaro RS 305/700r4 1978 Honda XL175 and XL350(the evil twin) 2006 Kawasaki ZX-14r drag bike-best e.t. 9.4@145 mph without nitrous 1971 BSA Thunderbolt 650cc

02-22-2010, 03:54 PM	#2
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! you can buy the proper tools and have them for the rest of your life some autoparts stores have a policy of loaning tools to do the job //you put down a deposit that you get back upon returning tools __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

02-22-2010, 03:59 PM	#3
longhorn396 S.D.M.F. Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westport, In Posts: 639	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! I know that. but my dad insists he doesnt want to do that and said u can go just as fast without a separator. Is there a tool to make them go in faster??? with out just pushing them from the bottom with a bottle jack and a big socket to put on the bottom. and hitting the top with a good sized hammer on top __________________ 1969 Chevy Longhorn 396/400 3/4 ton. 1991 Chevy Camaro RS 305/700r4 1978 Honda XL175 and XL350(the evil twin) 2006 Kawasaki ZX-14r drag bike-best e.t. 9.4@145 mph without nitrous 1971 BSA Thunderbolt 650cc Last edited by longhorn396; 02-22-2010 at 04:00 PM.

02-22-2010, 04:01 PM	#4
grs Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Roanoke, Tx. Posts: 1,561	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! If there is an Autozone store near by they loan tools. Get a ball joint remover and installer. It works very well. When installing them they will start to go in sideways. You will have to place a small piece of metal where needed to straighten it up. Also the grease boot will need this tool to press it into place. I found this out after they where installed. I hope you bought Moog joints. This is pretty fast. I installed them by myself. Last edited by grs; 02-22-2010 at 04:03 PM.

02-22-2010, 04:02 PM	#5
Fitz Account Suspended Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tucson Posts: 2,183	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! Try this; 48 bucks @ amazon.com: Attached Images

02-22-2010, 04:05 PM	#6
grs Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Roanoke, Tx. Posts: 1,561	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! That is what I borrowed from Autozone.

02-22-2010, 04:06 PM	#7
longhorn396 S.D.M.F. Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westport, In Posts: 639	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! Does that tool work on top and bottom joints __________________ 1969 Chevy Longhorn 396/400 3/4 ton. 1991 Chevy Camaro RS 305/700r4 1978 Honda XL175 and XL350(the evil twin) 2006 Kawasaki ZX-14r drag bike-best e.t. 9.4@145 mph without nitrous 1971 BSA Thunderbolt 650cc

02-22-2010, 04:13 PM	#8
grs Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Roanoke, Tx. Posts: 1,561	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! The top are riveted in. You cut the top of the rivet, and then have to pop the rivet down and out. I used an impact chisel hammer. These rivets are really in. Make sure you install correctly.

02-22-2010, 04:17 PM	#9
longhorn396 S.D.M.F. Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westport, In Posts: 639	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! My gpa said to just put 5/16 bolts back in in place of the rivets __________________ 1969 Chevy Longhorn 396/400 3/4 ton. 1991 Chevy Camaro RS 305/700r4 1978 Honda XL175 and XL350(the evil twin) 2006 Kawasaki ZX-14r drag bike-best e.t. 9.4@145 mph without nitrous 1971 BSA Thunderbolt 650cc

02-22-2010, 04:23 PM	#10
grs Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Roanoke, Tx. Posts: 1,561	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! Moog joints came with instructions and bolts, and washers.

02-22-2010, 05:08 PM	#11
PanelDeland I am a Referee of life. Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Greensboro N.C. Posts: 13,992	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! Make sure you put the nuts up on the upper ball Joints.There was a video posted a while back on ball joint removal,at least the part where it comes out of the spindle.The tool makes taking them out of the LCA's much easier.Less chance of damaging them going back in also. __________________ The 47-present Chevrolet and GMC Truck Message Board Network,it's owners,moderators,members,and associates of any type should not be held responsible for my opinion. You can't fix stupid,not even with duct tape. "My appearance is due to the fact that "GOD" does punish you for having too much fun!" Barrett-Jackson has perfected alchemy,they make rust into gold! "You can lead a horse to water but you can't saddle a duck" "Cleverly disguised as a 'Responsible Adult' "Sometimes your Knight in shining armor is just a retard in tinfoil"

02-22-2010, 05:25 PM	#12
Shyguy Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Southeast Missouri Posts: 2,436	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! Some old timers may suggest putting the lower ball joints in a freezer over-night, it shrinks them slightly. I have used the tool mentioned above without freezing the lower ball joints and it works great. I bought mine from Harbor Freight and it can also be used on u-joints. I think I paid around $50 for it, but since we use it often it was well worth it. Auto Zone and O'Reilly's both have the tool in their loan-a-tool program. All you pay is a deposit that you get back when you return the tool. Danny __________________ '67 Chevy C-20 short stepper - build complete, 454/SM-465. '75 C-30 Single Cab DRW-350 small block/NP-435. '77 GMC-6500 Dump Truck, 427 Tall Deck. '92 GMC K-3500 Duallie, 454/4L80E.

02-22-2010, 05:44 PM	#13
big_al_71 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 11,375	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! When we replaced mine it was a TOTAL !@%$ with the correct tools. I even posted it on here what a mission it was...Taking them off was nothing installing the two lower one holy mother of ball joints....good luck __________________ Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please!!!!!. Sylvester's build thread >>>http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ht=big+rebuild

02-22-2010, 06:23 PM	#14
ERASER5 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,859	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! Heat expands, cold contracts. So, freeze the ball joint, and just before installing the cold joint, heat the A-arm with a torch. Be quick. I have the proper tool, but my impact was on the fritz, so it did not help. I had the A-arm off, that helped. I used the 20-lb sledge,and the proper cups. A couple of love taps, and the joints were in like Flyn! __________________ '70 GMC C1500 LWB Power disc brakes. WooHoo! Posi 6 Lug Dana 60

02-22-2010, 08:42 PM	#16
71meangreenc10 Its a Truck Thing...... Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona Posts: 3,179	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! I bought the Astro master kit, some what like the one pictured above, best money spent, done 3 sets of these ball joints and NEVER had a problem. NEVER NEVER beat them out, youll miss and mess up your control arms. Then more cash needed to fix it again... Smitty __________________ 71 C10 283/3SPD Full Resto 71 GMC 1500 Sierra Grande http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=518599 70 C10 Suburban Former military GSA truck. 72 Chevy Blazer 4X4, Sloppy Jo, Mountain Climber. Wife says no more trucks. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=707378 72 GMC 1 Ton Motor Home, wife said no more trucks until she saw this one. Gen 3 6.0/4L80E 4.10 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=761110 68 GMC Suburban was 3/4 ton, now 1/2.Wife shook her head 71 C30 Wrecker 71 C20 Scott-Bilt As weird as it gets..BB Cheyenne AC Truck 68 GMC Long Stepside. They keep following me home 69 C30 Former Motor Home, Flat Bed time 70 G20 Red-E-Kamp Conversion "I'm your Boogy Van"



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02-22-2010, 09:01 PM	#17
57larry Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 1,161	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! pickle fork to take out the ball joints

02-23-2010, 10:17 AM	#18
longhorn396 S.D.M.F. Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westport, In Posts: 639	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! Im gonna go to autozone and get that stuff then. How much is the deposit?? __________________ 1969 Chevy Longhorn 396/400 3/4 ton. 1991 Chevy Camaro RS 305/700r4 1978 Honda XL175 and XL350(the evil twin) 2006 Kawasaki ZX-14r drag bike-best e.t. 9.4@145 mph without nitrous 1971 BSA Thunderbolt 650cc

02-23-2010, 02:57 PM	#19
gkesseru Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: California, Maryland Posts: 544	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! How important is it to have nuts/bolts for the upper ball joint nut side up? I already put everything together the other way and seem to have no collision problems. I would hate to redo the whole job. __________________ 72 Fleet (died) 78 Step (sold) 55 Step named Fred (sold) 00 F150 68 Step (named El Scorcho by PO) Build thread for the new El Scorcho http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=392932

02-23-2010, 03:01 PM	#20
Slick67 Sofa King Crazy!! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 3,090	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! To get the lower ball joint out you can hit the LCA with a BFH on the bottom side right where the ball joint goes in 2 to 3 hits and the ball joint pops out. I was told it would work and didn't beleive this myself until I did it. Getting them back in is harder, the tool mentioned above it the way to go. O'Reilley held a deposit of I think $120 and gave it back when I dropped the kit off. It took a total of an hour and a half to do both sides. __________________ You found the Tater. *My Blazer Build (New)* - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=654650 *My 67 Build* - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=335650 67 Chevy LWB big window a/c AKA TOTALLED BY A JACKASS. 1972 2wd Blazer "Porterbuilt and Sloshed"

02-25-2010, 02:59 PM	#24
longhorn396 S.D.M.F. Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westport, In Posts: 639	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! My boss is letting me use his ball joint press and spring compressor. __________________ 1969 Chevy Longhorn 396/400 3/4 ton. 1991 Chevy Camaro RS 305/700r4 1978 Honda XL175 and XL350(the evil twin) 2006 Kawasaki ZX-14r drag bike-best e.t. 9.4@145 mph without nitrous 1971 BSA Thunderbolt 650cc

02-25-2010, 03:34 PM	#25
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	Re: Need help with ball joints!!! the nuts need to be up very important __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

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