BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT HOW TO (w/ pix) - Page 4

old_master · 06-22-2007, 11:39 PM

First of all, the hub must be removed to replace the lower ball joint. The upper joint can be replaced without hub or axle removal. Three bolts hold the hub to the knuckle. When the 36mm axle nut is removed, the axle shaft should move inward about one inch. Also, the ABS sensor should not be removed from the hub. Clean all rust and dirt from both mounting surfaces before reinstalling the sensor, then hope for the best. Air gap clearance is critical to ABS operation, the slightest bit of dirt/rust where the sensor mounts will cause ABS problems.

swusa · 06-26-2007, 11:50 PM

Ajkolar,

Hopefully you removed the axle nut (36mm) AND the WASHER.
I got mine to move by whacking it hard with the "hammer" side of an axe. It moved once i finally gave it a good whack...metal to metal. There was no thread damage. Good Luck.

skatendestroy · 07-03-2007, 01:08 PM

i found a little trick in getting the botom ball joint out than sitting there and beating on it i put a hydrolic jack in between the arms and pumped it till it popped off the knuckle because man it was rusted solid in there

haha well ok im going back to my dodge neon forums

mamex · 07-29-2007, 01:30 AM

Anybody knows if spicer ball joints will fit, 2000 blazer S-10 stock ball joints. I'm trying to buy the ball joints from an internet store, and I would hate to send them back if they do not fit. Any help is greatly appreciated

NINFan · 06-01-2008, 04:40 PM

guys-
just did a lower ball joint on my son's 99 blazer 4X4. while it's true that it can't be done without taking the hub off, i found it's a lot easier to break the upper ball joint, take of the hub retaining nut, bang the spline shaft back out and that allows you enough clearance to get to the ball joint. you don't need to completely undo the whole hub assembly.
another tip for removing the spline shaft - take the nut completely off. thread it back on with the bottom of the nut facing out until it is just flush with the end of the spline shaft. then you can bang the hell out of the spline shaft without risking messing up the threads, and if you hit off center, you'll only hit the back of the nut. no real risk of damage, unless your a complete loser ;-)

andydandy · 06-16-2009, 02:02 PM

nice post! i thought i was going to have to rent a press but apperantly not. im working on a 92 S10 4WD so im hoping its the same! where exactly do i put my jack stand?

2001jimmy · 06-25-2009, 09:27 PM

Just started mine today on a 2001 4wd. Sheared the top of the rivets off with a dremel on the top ball joint and then spent the next hour trying to get it to pop loose. Then I realized I need to also drill them out. spent another 2 hours with the pickle fork, but it just wouldn't budge. The top control arm looked like it was bending instead of the ball joint coming out.There just wasn't much room to be swinging a hammer.Just as I was about to give up and put it all back together, I smacked the pickle fork one last time and it popped right out. , By then I think I had said every curse word I knew.

Started the bottom one and the nut was rusted on, had to cut about 2 1/2 sides of the nut off with the dremel and then was able to get the nut off. Thats as far as I got today. About 5 hours total so far.

I got enough ball joints to do both sides of the car, but having second thoughts about doing the other side, this is little more of a pain in the ass then I was expecting.

Also there were no cotter pins top or bottom, they had probably rusted away, or factory never put them in.

JoulesWinfield · 06-26-2009, 05:02 AM

Just finish the job. If you do it half a$$ed you will regret it.
Put good parts in there and know its done right. Otherwise Im afraid youre just waiting for a bad situation to get worse.

FantasticChadwick · 06-26-2009, 06:39 AM

yeah, if you think this project is bad, try replacing your heater core! I'd replace my ball joints again ANY day!

get a bigger hammer

Don't bend your control arm though. It's been a few years now since I did my ball joints, but it seems you need to pop them loose with the pickle fork before you drill the rivets. Maybe that will add some stability to what you're doing. I used a little hand held sledge hammer on mine and they were pretty easy. I had to take some serious swings at em even with that big of a hammer, so I would imagine if you're using a little chicken sh!t hammer, you're probably going to have to work a lot harder.

FantasticChadwick · 06-26-2009, 06:41 AM

Oh, and forget about the dremel. Just drill them with a small drill bit (don't take metal off of the control arms - only take out rivet material) and them shear them off with a chisel. It's about nine thousand times faster that way and very easy.

2001jimmy · 06-26-2009, 02:52 PM

Got the job done on the drivers side, the side that was bad. I would have to say the hardest part was popping the ball joint with the pickle fork. I was using a 4lb mini sledge but was really worried about it screwing up another part as I was pounding it in. Before I do the other side, I am going to pick up a ball joint remover tool. I was doing some searching and this seems to be an easier way to get them out.

NINFan · 06-26-2009, 05:34 PM

^^
heat wrench is the easiest way.

btw, blazers are notorious for going through ball joints. don't waste your money on the cheap autozone ones - you'll be replacing them in a few months. i got the close to the top ones from napa and have had good luck with them.

JoulesWinfield · 06-27-2009, 09:16 AM

Moog or TRW.

I dont know about the ball joint remover tool. Ive never used one. Maybe it would be worth it.

old_master · 06-27-2009, 07:00 PM

The "ball joint remover tool" is used for ball joints that are pressed into the control arm. 4WD Blazer ball joints are either riveted or bolted in, (the press will not work). First separate the ball joint from the steering knuckle with a pickle fork, then remove the bolts or grind the rivet heads off and knock the rivets out.

2001jimmy · 06-29-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old_master

The "ball joint remover tool" is used for ball joints that are pressed into the control arm. 4WD Blazer ball joints are either riveted or bolted in, (the press will not work). First separate the ball joint from the steering knuckle with a pickle fork, then remove the bolts or grind the rivet heads off and knock the rivets out.

Not the tool to press out the ball joint, there is another tool used to pop out the stud from spindle. Instead of using pickle fork.

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