How To Install Lower Ball Joint Without Press

There are some ball joints that don't require a press, but when it comes to certain suspensions that us pressed-in ball joints. Well, there is also a solution for this one as well, but y'all might not like it.

What is a ball joint?

A ball articulation is part of the suspension organisation. It is a brawl continued to rod that connects the steering knuckle to the command arm. It is substantially a pivot that provides a wide-angle of movement for your suspension from the wheel. Some suspensions come with both upper and lower brawl joints.

Why replace a brawl joint?

Uncomplicated; if the ball joint is worn, the angle of pivot will be affected, sometimes to such a degree that it affects your control over manoeuvrability at low speeds. If this is the case, so you don't want to go to high speeds considering you will almost probably lose command.

Replacing a Ball joint without a Press

OK, think I started out with stating at that place were two types of ball joints? Well, this is how to replace the ane that doesn't like being replaced without a press.

You cant, you demand to take the whole control arm assembly out and requite it to a professional or find a press.

I told yous, y'all wouldn't like information technology.

Now for all the rest

Footstep 1: Preparation and Rubber

Make sure you are on a flat and even surface. Prepare a jack and 4 jack posts. Don't jack up your vehicle yet, that's in step ii.

Step ii: Identifying

Take a look at the suspension units, and focus on the ball joints that yous desire to replace. First, ascertain if you have strut or control-arm style suspension.

At present cheque the brawl joints

Control-Arm Type: Jack upward the control arm near the ball joint, this will prove you lot wheel play.
Strut-Style: Jack up the vehicle and use a pry-bar to define wheel play.

If the joints have whatever space betwixt them, or the wheel is moving a lot, so you need to supplant the joint.

Footstep 3: Remove the Wheel

Remove the bicycle where you want to replace the ball joint. This is a straightforward replace wheel removal operation.

Step iv: Make more room

Once the wheel is out of place, look to come across if y'all need to move aside the brakes. If you lot do, when y'all disconnect them, hang them using a wire hook, don't dangle them. IN some instances y'all will want to loosen the control arm or sway bar mounts likewise. Remove the wheel and access the ball joint. Depending on the steering assembly, you may also accept to move aside the brakes. If and then, apply a wire to hang the brakes and don't dangle them by the brake lines. You'll also need to loosen the mounts holding the control arm or sway bar in place to give you more room to move suspension parts away.

Pace 5: Set up the ball articulation for removal

Every bit with all ferrous components, there tin can be rust and dust to compromise removal. I ever suggest you lot soak the bolts with solvent and metal cleaner. Recollect, the suspension system is the dirtiest part of the car, information technology gets all the crap off the road stuck to it, and in many cases is never actually cleaned properly.

Step 6: Removing the Ball Joint

After cleaning up the area, locate the cotter pin and now loosen the castellated nut. The reason it chosen a castellated nut is that the top looks similar a castle in a chessboard. Don't have the nut off, just loosen it with a few turns. There are some models that come with a "pinch bolt". Remove the pinch bolt which will remove the clamp on the stud. Now you can remove the brawl joint by guiding information technology through the upper half of the steering knuckle. In many cases, this is a tight fit, and this fit is fabricated and so for maintaining the ball joint in identify, but it too helps pile on the toad grime. I expect you volition demand to use a hammer and tie rod separator or "pickle fork", which provides the leverage required. Next, have a wrench and unscrew the castellated nut correct off the joint, you might desire to supercede it with a new nut, this will forestall the ball articulation from exploding out when you lot go hit information technology. Yous don't need to put another nut on though. At present place the fork or tie rod between the steering knuckle and the control arm and hit hard. Y'all volition ruin the gasket in the process, but that'due south a foregone determination before we started work. If you lot did put a new castellated nut on, and so the ball articulation will have been stopped from thunking out. You can unscrew the nut and remove the joint with ease.

Pace 7: Remove the Control Arm

Now you can unscrew the Allen bolts that hold the control arm in place. Slide information technology free and loosen all the bolts or drill out the rivets that concur the ball joint in the arm.

Step 8: Installing the new ball joint

Have the new ball joint and slide it in the control arm through the knuckle hole. Now have the safety boot and slide that over the stud so push the joint all the way through the knuckle pigsty. Next, close the joint using the hardware that came with the kit. Practise not use whatever of the old bolts hardware. Using a torque wrench, tighten the bolts up to the manufacturer's requirements. Now insert the grease fitting and fill the assembly with grease.

Pace 9: Reattach the Bike Assembly

Now yous have to reassemble the components you took autonomously as well every bit re-attach the bike as well.

All done.

Editorial Staff

Source: https://ballisticparts.com/how-to-install-lower-ball-joint-without-press/