Guidance For Ball Joint Replacement

admin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:57:44 +0000

An automobile bears some spherical parts which connect the control arms to the steering knuckles; these are called as the ball joints. You need to seek the advice of online information with regards to ball joint replacement. They are vital between the wheels and for the suspension of an automobile. Lack of lubrication and oiling may result in its urgent replacement, and hence the necessity of ball joint replacement.

Before going ahead with the replacement procedure, like in all the other automobile part’s repair process, some safety measures are must.

The vehicle should be lifted up using a jack.
The hand brakes or the parking brakes need to be engaged.
Lying under the vehicle for any kind of repair should be avoided, as there always is a risk of jack malfunctioning.

The reinstallation procedure requires a rubber boot, grease fitting, castellated nut, and cotter pin. Before going ahead with ball joint replacement procedure, the part should be washed to remove dirt and grease. Instead of an air chisel, a drill can also be installed.

Pull out the ball joint by removing the four top bolts by using a nine by sixteen inches socket and wrench.
This should be followed by removal of the cotter pin and the slotted nut from the lower bolt, thereby tossing out the old pin. Using a separator, hammer heavily till the ball joint comes out.
Clean the grease and debris clutter around the hole in the hub and the upper control arm.
Put a new ball joint on the empty space in the upper control arm.
It should be bolted firstly to the hub and later to the A arm.
Tighten the slotted nut by hands.
Tighten the nuts and the bolts, and insert a new cotter pin.
Install back the wheels.

A car has a single joint per slide. It is therefore advised to buy only the specific brand parts, manufactured by a reputed company.

How to do a Ball Joint Replacement at Home

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:01:56 +0000

What can start out as a simple mild tap in the steering wheel could end up giving car owners a very big mechanical problem in the future. A bad ball joint can start out silently, but as the mileages build over the next few days, the tapping gets stronger. When this happens, a ball joint replacement is required. The front suspension will eventually wear out sooner or later, but a sudden onset of slop from the cars ball joint means that there is a lubrication failure present. Ball joints that are permanently lubed despite manufacturers claim for an infinite life do still have a definite life span. When this happens, it is important to replace it as early as possible.

As always, consult the car’s manual first before taking any mechanical action. To save car drivers from taking a trip to the mechanic, here are the steps on how to do a ball joint replacement at home. Before starting a ball joint replacement, it’s best to use premium-quality ball joints for this because of their durability and their odds of outlasting OEM parts due to their built in grease fitting feature.

1. Park the car and block both rear wheels in both directions. Loosen the lag nuts, making a half turn and jack up the vehicle. Provide support by using cements or an old stump. Remove the wheel and place them somewhere underneath the car for added security just in case something goes wrong with the support.

2. Lift the entire car’s front end and drop off both of the suspension’s sides. Avoid attempting to lift up only side of the corner.

3. Remove the disc and the caliper from the strut to gain access to the ball joint. Avoid hanging the caliper from flexible rubber hose. Instead of hanging them, use a piece of wire to suspend them. Loosen the sway bar to lower the control arm.

4. After this, remove the pinch bolt located in the bottom of the strut. Give the lower control arm and the stud a good blow enough to tap them smartly using a bigger hammer to make the stud move. There is a thick bar that is up against the bottom of the control arm that prevents any type of movement. Deal with this by raising the strut and moving it enough to hold one corner of the car.

5. Before proceeding, remember that the suspension needs to have a full droop to allow clearance. Ball joints might be attached to the control arm, just remove the bolts and install in the new parts. After this eyeball the stud, slide the boot over including the stud back up into the strut. Reinstall the pinch bolt, screw the grease fitting, and pump grease into it until some of the grease comes out. Just do the exact opposite of what’s been done earlier and everything will turn out fine.