Ball Joint Replacement - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

dkooi · 03-03-2003, 06:49 PM

OK Guys, I need reassurance (advice) on my thoughts of replacing my upper and lower ball joints on my 72 Chevy 1/2 ton. From what I can tell on the UPPERS, it looks like a guy can grind the rivets holding on the grease fitting "plate", pound the rivets out, and remove the ball joints. I think I've seen replacement packages that come with bolts to replace the rivets.

For the LOWERS, it appears they are pressed in. Now for this, I was thinking that I could possibly pound them out with a sledge. Or are they typically pretty tight? I want to get these out so I can take them to the powder coater without any issues. I'm sure there are guys out there who have been down this road and can tell me the DO's and DONT's of this particular job. Thanks in advance!

Trick76 · 03-03-2003, 08:33 PM

I took my lower control arm (from a '76) to the local Chevy dealer. They pressed out the old ball joint and pressed in the new one for 30 bucks. They could press out the old ones, you could powdercoat, then have the new ones pressed in. Chiltons says you need a press to install them properly

Derek

72c10 · 03-03-2003, 09:00 PM

I bought a 3 in 1 ball joint servicing tool from harbor frieght for $20.00 it looks like a large c-clamp that you put the atachments in and use a socket to turn and press the ball joints out. it worked real well and mine came out with no problems.

and for the upper ball joints I drilled the rivets out almest deep enough to reach the upper a-arm then used an ait chisel ( mallet and regular chisel will work also) to cet the rivet heads off and used a punch in the air hammer to push them out the bottom ( regular punch and mallet will work hear too.

Good luck

**COBALT** · 03-03-2003, 11:44 PM

I used an angle grinder on the rivets and a punch to knock them out once the heads were ground off. Then, I bought a ball joint service set from Ontool.com (no longer in business). I wouldn't buy from Harbor Freight ever again. Their stuff is crap.

outlaw · 03-05-2003, 03:55 PM

the top ball joints are pretty easy to replace just use a air chisel to knock the heads off the rivits, the bottom ball joints are pressed in, make sure you have a bind on the control arm so that the coil spring will not fly out and kill someone, if you have the time and effort I have knocked the lower balljoints in and out with a 2 lb. shop hammer not hard at all to knock out just got to make sure you are backing the ball joint out evenly, good luck

phantom dually · 03-05-2003, 10:47 PM

I found the easiest way to do the top ones is to take a center punch and make a small divet on top of each rivet. Then take a good sharp drill bit that is a bit smaller than the head of the rivet and drill it out. This is pretty fast and then you can knock it the rest of the way out with a hammer. The lowers are also cake. Go to your local auto parts that rents the tool needed to press them out and to press them in. You will not get them in to fast without this. The lower is actually easier than the top if you use the press tool. They typical run $20 at autozone rent a tool program.

dkooi · 03-06-2003, 11:22 AM

Thanks for all the advice guys! I took a grinder and a punch to the rivets on the uppper ball joints and got them out with a little hammering. The lowers however are putting up quite a fight. I tried to pouns them out myself, but wasn't making any progress at all. Thinking about just taking them somewhere and having them pressed out. Maybe I'll look into renting the tool that Phantom Dually spoke about and press them out myself. I hope that tool doesn't require using the threads on the ball joints cause I messed those up pretty bad when seperating the spindle and the A-frame (My pickle fork wasn't working so I had to pound on them to get them seperated). Thanks Again!

72c10 · 03-06-2003, 03:21 PM

The ball joint press should not use the treads. it is like a big C-clamp that has a cylinder looking thing on one end for the ball joint to slid into when the other end is pressed. ill try to atach a pic. of what mine looks like they are all pretymush the same. they are easy to use and self expanitory. good luck

(3.1415)lot · 03-07-2003, 01:25 AM

I was going to suggest what phantom said, in fact I think the Chilton's book suggests drilling the rivets out (which makes sense) and just knocking out any remaining metal. It's fast, easy, and doesn't matter anyway since you're going to replace them with bolts anyway. The only problem might be figuring out how to finagle your drill in there to get the right angle on 'em (haven't done it yet, but I've got a front-end rebuild coming up myself). Dremel makes a flexible shaft that might work in a tight spot that you could use if necessary (that one's come in handy before). Good luck!

72c10 · 03-07-2003, 08:17 AM

I think he is asking about the bottom ones since he stated that the top where out. the bottom ball joints dont have rivets. phantom dually is right though, you can rent them from autozone. and the last time I rented a tool thier when I returned it I got my money back. so unless its changed it used to work where you would give them a deposit, usualy the caust of the tool and then got it back when you return it whitch is nice.

**COBALT** · 03-07-2003, 01:12 PM

The easiest way to take the springs out are as follows:

1. After lifting and securing your truck on jack stands put your floor jack under the lower control arm center bar.

2. Raise the jack until it is tight up against the bar. Don't lift the truck at all.

3. Remove both U-bolts that hold the center bar to the cross member.

4. Make sure you have PLENTY of room, and putting a workbench in front of you is probably a good precaution. SLOWLY lower the floor jack a tiny bit at a time until the control arm comes loose and the spring falls out.

5. Take the lower ball joint loose easily without tension on the spring binding up the spindle!

...the conventional way was NOT going to work for me. Those 3/4 ton drum spindles are tougher than nails.

dkooi · 03-11-2003, 12:43 PM

Hey Guys, just wanted to thank you all again for the advice on removing my ball joints. 72c10, the pic was a great help! I rented the tool last night on my way home from work and within an hour I was done. So, now it's off to the powder coater. I better hurry cause the body is done and painted and the guy wants it out of the shop but I have no room! Thanks again to everyone for the help!

03-03-2003, 06:49 PM	#1
dkooi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 173	Ball Joint Replacement OK Guys, I need reassurance (advice) on my thoughts of replacing my upper and lower ball joints on my 72 Chevy 1/2 ton. From what I can tell on the UPPERS, it looks like a guy can grind the rivets holding on the grease fitting "plate", pound the rivets out, and remove the ball joints. I think I've seen replacement packages that come with bolts to replace the rivets. For the LOWERS, it appears they are pressed in. Now for this, I was thinking that I could possibly pound them out with a sledge. Or are they typically pretty tight? I want to get these out so I can take them to the powder coater without any issues. I'm sure there are guys out there who have been down this road and can tell me the DO's and DONT's of this particular job. Thanks in advance!

03-03-2003, 08:33 PM	#2
Trick76 Living la vida broka Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: P'ville California Posts: 221	I took my lower control arm (from a '76) to the local Chevy dealer. They pressed out the old ball joint and pressed in the new one for 30 bucks. They could press out the old ones, you could powdercoat, then have the new ones pressed in. Chiltons says you need a press to install them properly Derek __________________ 1976 C10 Longbed lowered 5/7, hot 355/TH350. ~ SOLD 1974 C10 Shortbed Stepside 350/Saginaw ~ SOLD 1984 C10 Longbed 6.2l diesel 700r4. ~SOLD 1985 GMC C20 350 700r4, ~under the knife

03-03-2003, 11:44 PM	#4
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	I used an angle grinder on the rivets and a punch to knock them out once the heads were ground off. Then, I bought a ball joint service set from Ontool.com (no longer in business). I wouldn't buy from Harbor Freight ever again. Their stuff is crap. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

03-05-2003, 10:47 PM	#6
phantom dually Project92 SWB stepside Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 4,792	I found the easiest way to do the top ones is to take a center punch and make a small divet on top of each rivet. Then take a good sharp drill bit that is a bit smaller than the head of the rivet and drill it out. This is pretty fast and then you can knock it the rest of the way out with a hammer. The lowers are also cake. Go to your local auto parts that rents the tool needed to press them out and to press them in. You will not get them in to fast without this. The lower is actually easier than the top if you use the press tool. They typical run $20 at autozone rent a tool program. __________________ 92 C1500 stepside 496 Stroker Competiton Engineering Ladder bars/QA1 coilovers. Dana 60 rear with 4.10 gear and posi. Bonspeed Palisade 20x12 in rear w/335/30/20 and 20x8.5 front w/245/40/20. 5/8 drop with Belltech springs/DJM spindles/drop shocks. WWS Progress thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=140448

03-06-2003, 03:21 PM	#8
72c10 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: burlington KY Posts: 175	The ball joint press should not use the treads. it is like a big C-clamp that has a cylinder looking thing on one end for the ball joint to slid into when the other end is pressed. ill try to atach a pic. of what mine looks like they are all pretymush the same. they are easy to use and self expanitory. good luck Attached Images

03-03-2003, 09:00 PM	#3
72c10 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: burlington KY Posts: 175	I bought a 3 in 1 ball joint servicing tool from harbor frieght for $20.00 it looks like a large c-clamp that you put the atachments in and use a socket to turn and press the ball joints out. it worked real well and mine came out with no problems. and for the upper ball joints I drilled the rivets out almest deep enough to reach the upper a-arm then used an ait chisel ( mallet and regular chisel will work also) to cet the rivet heads off and used a punch in the air hammer to push them out the bottom ( regular punch and mallet will work hear too. Good luck

03-05-2003, 03:55 PM	#5
outlaw Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Leesville, Louisiana Posts: 80	the top ball joints are pretty easy to replace just use a air chisel to knock the heads off the rivits, the bottom ball joints are pressed in, make sure you have a bind on the control arm so that the coil spring will not fly out and kill someone, if you have the time and effort I have knocked the lower balljoints in and out with a 2 lb. shop hammer not hard at all to knock out just got to make sure you are backing the ball joint out evenly, good luck

03-06-2003, 11:22 AM	#7
dkooi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 173	Thanks for all the advice guys! I took a grinder and a punch to the rivets on the uppper ball joints and got them out with a little hammering. The lowers however are putting up quite a fight. I tried to pouns them out myself, but wasn't making any progress at all. Thinking about just taking them somewhere and having them pressed out. Maybe I'll look into renting the tool that Phantom Dually spoke about and press them out myself. I hope that tool doesn't require using the threads on the ball joints cause I messed those up pretty bad when seperating the spindle and the A-frame (My pickle fork wasn't working so I had to pound on them to get them seperated). Thanks Again!

03-07-2003, 01:25 AM	#9
(3.1415)lot At Last. . . Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 179	I was going to suggest what phantom said, in fact I think the Chilton's book suggests drilling the rivets out (which makes sense) and just knocking out any remaining metal. It's fast, easy, and doesn't matter anyway since you're going to replace them with bolts anyway. The only problem might be figuring out how to finagle your drill in there to get the right angle on 'em (haven't done it yet, but I've got a front-end rebuild coming up myself). Dremel makes a flexible shaft that might work in a tight spot that you could use if necessary (that one's come in handy before). Good luck! __________________ ----------------------------------------------- 1988 GMC Sierra "K" 2500 4x4 5.7L TBI Daily Driver / Project / Obsession / Money Pit ------------------------------------------------ Current Tasks: Front-End Rebuild Brakes & Rotors A/C System (Clardy) ------------------------------------------------ It never ends. . .

03-07-2003, 08:17 AM	#10
72c10 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: burlington KY Posts: 175	I think he is asking about the bottom ones since he stated that the top where out. the bottom ball joints dont have rivets. phantom dually is right though, you can rent them from autozone. and the last time I rented a tool thier when I returned it I got my money back. so unless its changed it used to work where you would give them a deposit, usualy the caust of the tool and then got it back when you return it whitch is nice.

03-07-2003, 01:12 PM	#11
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	The easiest way to take the springs out are as follows: 1. After lifting and securing your truck on jack stands put your floor jack under the lower control arm center bar. 2. Raise the jack until it is tight up against the bar. Don't lift the truck at all. 3. Remove both U-bolts that hold the center bar to the cross member. 4. Make sure you have PLENTY of room, and putting a workbench in front of you is probably a good precaution. SLOWLY lower the floor jack a tiny bit at a time until the control arm comes loose and the spring falls out. 5. Take the lower ball joint loose easily without tension on the spring binding up the spindle! ...the conventional way was NOT going to work for me. Those 3/4 ton drum spindles are tougher than nails. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

03-11-2003, 12:43 PM	#12
dkooi Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 173	Hey Guys, just wanted to thank you all again for the advice on removing my ball joints. 72c10, the pic was a great help! I rented the tool last night on my way home from work and within an hour I was done. So, now it's off to the powder coater. I better hurry cause the body is done and painted and the guy wants it out of the shop but I have no room! Thanks again to everyone for the help!



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