Slykin
Well-Known Member
As the title says, this is a write up on how to replace ball joints. A lot of people are scared of doing this, and possibly for good reason. I just finished my fourth one, and honestly, it wasn't very hard. The problem comes with having no experience using the the ball joint press, and knowing where to put your jacks etc. I think I have it down fairly well, so hopefully you guys will go out and replace your balljoints. Getting a shop to do it is expensive.
Tools Needed:
Wrenches up through 1-1/16 and through 21MM
A small 1/2 inch impact wrench
A ball joint press. You can rent these from Autozone. They cost $100, but you get all of your money back when you return it.
An air compressor
Jack stands and floor jacks
Mini-sledge
Claw hammer or any small hammer
Small needle nose pliers
Grease gun.
First off: Properly raise your car up on jack stands. DO NOT use just floor jacks, as this is dangerous. Make sure to that the bottom of your control arm is at least 2ft off of the ground. This will ensure that you have room to fit the ball joint press under the balljoint. If you do not get it high enough, you will have to raise it later, which is a pain, and not particularly safe.
1) Once the car is off of the ground with the wheel removed, the first step is to remove your brake caliper. To do this you need to remove the clip on the back side of this pin.
Remove it with some needle nose pliers, and be sure to put it back on the pin once the pin is removed.
Use something similar to bailing wire to hang your caliper off of any hole/bolt in the fenderwell. Do not let it hang by the brake hose, this can damage it, especially if it is a steel braided line.
2) Now you need to remove remove your brake caliper bracket. There are two 15MM bolts on the back side of the rotor that are loc-tited in. Just be tough with them, they'll come out. Be sure to loc-tite them back in when you reassemble.
Now remove the rotor. It may need a lot of beating with a hammer to break the rust. Make sure if you hit it, to hit the hat(middle of the rotor) or the edges of the rotor. Do not hit the braking surface. I've found hitting the edge works best, just try not to destroy the rotor. You'll be left with this.
This would also be a good time to remove some of the grime that is built up around your ABS rings etc. Hit them with a wire brush, and I like to scrape off stuff with a screwdriver.. Makes me happy.
The removed grime.
3) Now is a good time to put a floor jack under your control arm. You have to do this before you remove your sway bar end links and strut, or else your spring might fly out of the control arm and kill you. Seriously. As you can see, my car is not as high off of the ground as your car should be. This is because I was also replacing my springs at the time and was able to lift up my control arm farther.
4) Remove your strut from the spindle. I believe the bolts were 21MM on one side and 15/16 on the other, but don't hold me to that. You will also have to remove the ABS bracket. Should be 15/16. Once again, make sure your floor jack is under the control arm and supporting it before you do this.
Tools Needed:
Wrenches up through 1-1/16 and through 21MM
A small 1/2 inch impact wrench
A ball joint press. You can rent these from Autozone. They cost $100, but you get all of your money back when you return it.
An air compressor
Jack stands and floor jacks
Mini-sledge
Claw hammer or any small hammer
Small needle nose pliers
Grease gun.
First off: Properly raise your car up on jack stands. DO NOT use just floor jacks, as this is dangerous. Make sure to that the bottom of your control arm is at least 2ft off of the ground. This will ensure that you have room to fit the ball joint press under the balljoint. If you do not get it high enough, you will have to raise it later, which is a pain, and not particularly safe.
1) Once the car is off of the ground with the wheel removed, the first step is to remove your brake caliper. To do this you need to remove the clip on the back side of this pin.
Remove it with some needle nose pliers, and be sure to put it back on the pin once the pin is removed.
Use something similar to bailing wire to hang your caliper off of any hole/bolt in the fenderwell. Do not let it hang by the brake hose, this can damage it, especially if it is a steel braided line.
2) Now you need to remove remove your brake caliper bracket. There are two 15MM bolts on the back side of the rotor that are loc-tited in. Just be tough with them, they'll come out. Be sure to loc-tite them back in when you reassemble.
Now remove the rotor. It may need a lot of beating with a hammer to break the rust. Make sure if you hit it, to hit the hat(middle of the rotor) or the edges of the rotor. Do not hit the braking surface. I've found hitting the edge works best, just try not to destroy the rotor. You'll be left with this.
This would also be a good time to remove some of the grime that is built up around your ABS rings etc. Hit them with a wire brush, and I like to scrape off stuff with a screwdriver.. Makes me happy.
The removed grime.
3) Now is a good time to put a floor jack under your control arm. You have to do this before you remove your sway bar end links and strut, or else your spring might fly out of the control arm and kill you. Seriously. As you can see, my car is not as high off of the ground as your car should be. This is because I was also replacing my springs at the time and was able to lift up my control arm farther.
4) Remove your strut from the spindle. I believe the bolts were 21MM on one side and 15/16 on the other, but don't hold me to that. You will also have to remove the ABS bracket. Should be 15/16. Once again, make sure your floor jack is under the control arm and supporting it before you do this.