pressing ball joints

[the_boozer]

After asking the oldman to go and buy change over lower arms hes come home with the ball joint and 1 of the bushes (not the bush I want to replace of course) In fairness to him we didn't have the arms off when he went, anyway I would like to see a picture of how the arms are held in the press to get the ball joint out .Trying to decide if I can can them or I have to get a real mechanic to do it.

[ari666]

nightmare... you can hit it out with a big enough hammer. hitting mine sent the back of the balljoint flying and smashing into various objects in my garage, so i was forced to press the casing out. used a thick (15mm) piece of steel under the left "higher-bit" and just let the lower bit rest on the press plate. you dont need it to be over a hole, cos as soon as you get 2mm of movement, it pretty much just falls out.

getting the new one in required my mechanic and his various pieces of steel tubing/dead sockets/dead wheel bearing casings etc. exhaust pipe doesnt work, trust me, it just bends. freezing it before hand doesnt work either. hitting it doesnt work either. and tightening up the ball joint on the car and hoping the weight of the car pulls it into place doesnt work either.

[the_boozer]

I decided my press is shit ended up getting out with the oxy, and pushing the new s in straight away .
Tip for anyone thinking of buying a press the bottlejack type are shit the other week I was swearing even worse doing some hr ball joints

[ari666]

couldve told me that a few months ago before i bought my bottle jack press

[azkwazere]

Ball joints like that are very difficult to get out when they are off the car.
Its easier to use the scissor/screw type press while the arm is on the car.

You cant get good pressure on the joint or the arm using a standard press, its just really awkward.

aZk.

[vkberlina]

Just a tip when pressing the ball joints out leave them attached with the nut on and use a puller to press them out and they only pop as far as the nut, then remove the nut and they fall appart, else when removed with a big washer with the nut back on.
I just recently bought a 5 or 6 piece kit its a proper trade pack with various shapped pullers sililar kit to this FRONT END SERVICE SET | CENS.com | Supplier Site - PARGET INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.

Also as boozer said a bit of heat helps or a hit on the side with a hammer under pressure they usually release

Scott

[the_boozer]

my oldman has a thing for red

[ari666]

Lol!!!! .

[Jonno]

Lol!! Woah!

[Mad84VK]

wow.. when i did mine a just left them that crap black ... that will stand out nicely

[the_boozer]

Are the upper bushes left and right handed I noticed on some other 1s i have around they are marked LH and RH and the 2 new 1s I have are both marked LH are they the same or do i have 2 left?

the bearings have a fair bit of slop in the ones that came out of it can the bearings be changed in that type ? On a car for a pensioner does it need them?

[Mad84VK]

2 left ones buy the sounds of it.. i wouldn't change the bearings i would just clean and repack with grease if they are all there and all in good condition

[the_boozer]

according to burnsons they are both the same they went in all right. Ill up date this after I drive the car and do a front end alignment if its wrong.

[ari666]

you should measure where the center of the shock is. just get a ruler on each bolt in a triangle and itll give you a good idea. both sides need to be the same position. turning the strut top will bring your camber in and out, but will affect castor. i hear that swapping left to right is the best way to add camber without affecting castor, but i never got round to doing it.

[chrisso 82]

Heres a bit of advice i tried to do the same thing with my VB purchase ball joints ,bushes and so forth... But buy the time you purchase these parts and pay a mechanic to press them in!!!!! You can buy the whole lower control arm (NEW)from PEDDERS for only $100 each side and have a 2year unconditional warranty even if fitted by yourself!!!!!!! CHEAP I THOUGHT!!!!!!!!!

[VBRED]

I did the same except I used Nolathane lower arms. That way you can be assurred that they are not bent and they are quality items. I think the Nolathanes were like $129 each.