Replacing Ball Joints - just how hard is it?
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Replacing Ball Joints - just how hard is it?
As I need to replace my upper shock mounts and one of my lower ball joints has a torn boot I've decided to go out and replace everything on both sides. Shocks, control arm bushings, ball joints upper and lower, tie rod ends. This should make the car ride and handle like new.
My concern is the ball joints, do I need to take these to a machine shop to remove and install or is this something I can DIY?
My concern is the ball joints, do I need to take these to a machine shop to remove and install or is this something I can DIY?
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Summerville, South Carolina
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I replaced the upper ball joints myself with a Press and it wasn't too bad, but the lower is more difficult because of the angle it is pressed in. To save myself a ton of trouble, I just took the lower control arms to a local machine shop and had the old ball joints pressed out and new ones pressed in. They charged me $50 which was money well spent.
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Uppers and lowers can be done by yourself without a press, but it is not easy.
See how here https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e2/#post696240
See how here https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e2/#post696240
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Jandreu (05-25-2014)
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Well RaceD I just finished reading your full adventure, man my hat is off to you. What a rusted mess you had to deal with. I feel like a sissy for even asking about my problem now. Found the answer to my question about the C clamp in your thread, thanks. Very nice trip after the repairs, I hope one day to tour Europe, living on Maui my long distance driving is very limited and I long for a good road trip.
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If you chose to do job yourself, do yourself a favor and put new parts in the freezer for awhile, that will shrink that part. Clean the bore where the new part goes real good with emory cloth or sandpaper.Before you assemble take a heat gun or even hair dryer and let it warm the area where the part goes, that will expand that area. Doing this should make it easier to press parts together. A little bit of lubricant on the part before you press it in doesn't hurt either, try not to stop in the middle of pressing as that will allow the parts to equalize taking away any advantage you had.
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Jandreu (05-26-2014)
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Being the one asking the question I do appreciate everyone's input and we all have different experience and ability. That's the reason I asked the question, to learn and gain information so I can make a decision based on my ability and experience. So, I would not go so far as to call everyone else's own experience as nonsense. I fully appreciate everyone's input good or bad, at least those replying are involved in my question and helping as best they can.
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Well just finished inspecting both sides and the passenger side lower BJ is trashed, at least it looks like it. boot is almost gone and inside looks bad. So, if I replace one might as well Replace all four. My game plan is to tear everything down and give replacing them a shot myself. If I run into trouble I'll take the parts to a shop to have the BJ's pressed out and in.
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Nobody was saying the the lower one is easy to do at home with the C clamp. Well I show on the photo that it can be done.
I didn't take the photo when it was fully in, as I was happy and in a rush to get the arm back on the car and forgot to take a photo.
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He does not seem to be disagreeing with using a ball joint press, indeed he is illustrating a trick that makes it easier with a ball joint press.
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yes, scrolled through everything, but there are also posts regarding the upper mount done with a press.
Nobody was saying the the lower one is easy to do at home with the C clamp. Well I show on the photo that it can be done.
I didn't take the photo when it was fully in, as I was happy and in a rush to get the arm back on the car and forgot to take a photo.
Nobody was saying the the lower one is easy to do at home with the C clamp. Well I show on the photo that it can be done.
I didn't take the photo when it was fully in, as I was happy and in a rush to get the arm back on the car and forgot to take a photo.
Jochem00, why is my post above nonsense?
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