I have a Chilton's Auto Repair Manual year 1967. To remove upper ball joint it tells me to Jackup lower arm, remove wheel, drum, ball joint nut and remove rivets then force it out . It says to remove the lower ball joint, the process is the same? Does that mean I have to remove the upper ball joint as well? The lower one doesn't have any rivets.
To be honest I've never removed a ball joint before. My father says he has, but he has never done lowers before.
Could someone help me and give some incite?
Thank you!
-- Edited by blackbird307 on Wednesday 19th of June 2013 12:08:43 PM
Put a large short socket or pipe under on a floor jack, under the control arm, that fits loose to the ball joint, jack up the jack, and hit the ball joint with a large hammer.
I just put the cup of the floor jack on the outer portion of the control arm and whale away. Lots of aggression required, so make sure your mad (not mad enough to swing outside the upper fender lip though).
I don't know how it will be coming out, from the looks of it i'd have to remove the spindle. Where will I be hitting it from? Is it going to coming up or going down?
Stop and look over the whole assembly. The threaded end of the ball joint will go down out of the spindle. If there is nothing holding it, the front coil spring will push the lower control arm down - the ball joint keeps the spring compressed. Make sure the spring cannot pop out. Once the ball joint comes apart, the lower control arm can swing down unless the jack under it is secure. If the shock is in place it should hold the spring in but I like to wrap a chain around the spring just to be sure it can't pop out.
To seperate the lower control arm from the spindle, you need to rent a "tuning fork", or spindle removal tool.
... or called a pickle fork.
-- Edited by Pontiacanada on Thursday 20th of June 2013 11:22:46 AM
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Yes....be careful!! If that spring is not secure it can pop out...which is very dangerous!! To seperate the lower control arm from the spindle, you need to rent a "tuning fork", or spindle removal tool. It looks like a giant piano tuning fork, and the tynes go between the ball joint and the spindle, and when u hit the end of it, the spindle will seperate. The lower ball joint is pressed on, and you should be able to rent a tool for removing and installing. Google Chevelle Lower Ball Joint removal.....there are lots of sites and tips that will help....
Forget the fork ... take a hammer and (with everything loose) wallop the side of the knuckle at the ball joint (right below those threads) and that sucker'll pop loose. Yes chain the spring ... I'd think you'd want to undo the end link too. I didn't think they pressed in the ball joints in '66. I distinctly remember rivets on a '66 Malibu.
I got it off the spindle so I assume im going to have to hammer it out through the bottom next. Will it be just as hard to get the new one it? Or would you advise buying a remover clamp thing.
Press it back in with your floor jack, using the right sized socket/pipe and the weight of the car. Make sure the hole is nice and clean and put a bit of grease around the joint to make it slide in easier