Removal and installation of 1G driver side lower ball joint.

firesdoom · #1 11-25-2006, 12:50 PM

Alright, the Haynes manual says it's impossible and I need a control arm. Autozone and some other sources say otherwise. I recently busted my DSM CD and I need to know how you remove and install the ball joint.

firesdoom · #2 11-25-2006, 07:44 PM

Well after at least three hours of labor it looks to be back on. Should have had snap ring pliers. Should have taken out the axle to impact the nut. I didn't realize there was a snap ring there so I bent my control arm a bit. Don't really know how bad. Now I need to take the axle off to impact the nut back on. I'll have to do that tomorrow. I'm so glad I broke my DSM cd, the Haynes manual won't tell you how to do it, and you guys couldn't give me anything.

blk_srt · #3 11-25-2006, 11:32 PM

you need a whole new lower control arm and that should cost you around $130

firesdoom · #4 11-26-2006, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blk_srt

you need a whole new lower control arm and that should cost you around $130

I think the junkyard will give me something a little more reasonable than that. I'm not gonna try driving an hour away to the dealer in a fucked up astro van. Right now it's three in the morning and I'm late for work and I'm trying to disconnect the axle from the steering knuckle so I can use the impact to tighten the ball joint nut. This shit fucking sucks.

firesdoom · #5 11-26-2006, 04:50 AM

Well it didn't work out. I never could get the snap ring in there perfect because the control arm is bent from trying to press the ball joint out without removing the snap ring. I've checked a lot of posts on ball joints and nobody mentions a snap ring.

So, when I get the new lower control arm on how do I tighten the ball joint nut? It seems to me like you would have to remove the axle so you could get an impact on it. But how would you get the axle back on when it's tightened though? Doesn't seem possible. Can you jack up the control are by the ball joint and tighten it? Will that work?

I really need to know how to tighten the ball joint nut.

blk_srt · #6 11-26-2006, 11:43 AM

Dont you have a parts store around you? you dont need a dealer. I have no idea what snap ring your talking about

firesdoom · #7 11-27-2006, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blk_srt

Dont you have a parts store around you? you dont need a dealer. I have no idea what snap ring your talking about

Parts stores don't sell the lower control arm for this car. The only options are dealer or junkyard. There is a snap ring that holds the ball joint in place. It's there...trust me.

blk_srt · #8 11-27-2006, 03:41 PM

I just called advanced auto and they have 2 lower ball joints in stock for your car and they are less than $40 and that is without my discount. And carquest has the control arm for $197 and I think that includes the ball joint. If you cant find it you obviously arent looking to hard. If you want I will order the parts for you and ship them if you give me the money for everything.

firesdoom · #9 11-27-2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blk_srt

I just called advanced auto and they have 2 lower ball joints in stock for your car and they are less than $40 and that is without my discount. And carquest has the control arm for $197 and I think that includes the ball joint. If you cant find it you obviously arent looking to hard. If you want I will order the parts for you and ship them if you give me the money for everything.

$197 is more money than I'll have in two weeks. I got a control arm at the junkyard for 35. Put it on and realized that the threads on the ball joint are fucked up. Now I gotta get a shop to put in the new ball joint because the autozone tool doesn't fit the control arm properly. The advance one is more money to rent than I have.

Thor06 · #10 11-27-2006, 07:13 PM

Check www.rockauto.com. They have good deals and a huge ass selection of some of the most random shit in the world. Check there, you will have to wait for shipping but right now buying a new one is going to be better than continually dumpin money into cheap ass parts/tools that arent doing you any good.

blk_srt · #11 11-28-2006, 02:29 AM

EDMUND65 · #12 11-28-2006, 08:10 AM

I'm not sure why you say he needs a whole new control arm, i had my talon and baljoint went and i pressed it in and put the new snapring in and grease boot...problem solved 13.99$ from my parts store

blk_srt · #13 11-28-2006, 12:13 PM

because he forgot the snap ring and bent the whole arm while he was trying to press it out

firesdoom · #14 11-28-2006, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor06

Check www.rockauto.com. They have good deals and a huge ass selection of some of the most random shit in the world. Check there, you will have to wait for shipping but right now buying a new one is going to be better than continually dumpin money into cheap ass parts/tools that arent doing you any good.

Speaking of cheap ass tools my 14 wrench broke yesterday on the sway bar end link. Thanks for the link, I might order something from them when I have a back up car to drive. Right now my biggest concern is having a working car. I like to buy the best parts in my price range for my car when I can. Right now I'm lucky to be getting by though.

firesdoom · #15 11-28-2006, 06:19 PM

Well I got it all back together...mostly.

I'll have to drive to work without a sway bar end link.

Let me add that the best way to attach the ball joint to the steering knuckle is by taking the whole control arm off. That way you can put the ball joint in the knuckle and put the nut on it to protect the threads as you attach everything else. Just thought I'd share that since I haven't seen anyone mention it.

Thanks for the help dudes.

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