ball joint removal

[nismostate]

Im taking my front passenger lower ball joint out. I know it needs to be pressed out of the control arm but is there another alternative? I rented the huge c clamp tool at autozone but it doesn't seem to work. I tried every way but the tool its not doing it. I plan on buying a press from harbor freight but if i don't have to, I wont get it now. Also, does anyone know how to put the cylinder back into the caliper? Mine popped out in the rear. :help

[Dori Dori]

The huge c-clamp tool should work fine...chances are you aren't using it right. It was easier for me to use that tool than use a press. Make sure the collector peice is larger than the ball joint or you'll just be squeezing it together. Also, make sure you removed the clip from the ball joints. If worse comes to worse, take the lca off and use a bfh. As for the cylinder, as long as the boot is still seated properly, it should just slide back in. Spray some brake cleaner in there if it's dirty.

[nismostate]

thanks dori. well, me and a buddy tried several ways but im going to try taking off the control arm first. is the collector piece the drift or the piece where the drift goes onto? do you put the drift underneath the control arm or above? when i put a larger drift underneath the control arm its too big to sit right. the smaller size drift is too small. what is a bfh? i'll try my best to get that done but I'll post if anything happens. i'll have pics too.

[Dori Dori]

Even though it's a little too big, use it, that's the only way.

Also, with the lca off, unless you put it in a big table vice, you'll never get the ball joint out.

[Def]

BFH = Big F'in Hammer

Crucial knowledge if you're going to be working on your car without the aid of "fancy" tools like a lift or air tools.

[nismostate]

oh, haha. my buddy told me what it was. lol. anyways, i've been working on suspension for awhile and I have all the tools. pathfinder suspension lift was fun :p It's just weird how this one works. sounds more of rigging it then doing it right. but anyways, I think some pieces might be missing so im getting another set today. do i put the drift under or above the control arm? do I use both of the base that they give me? one under the drift and the other on the bolt of the ball joint? __l l 1 l J l 2 L_Ok, do I put the drift at 1 or at 2? J is where the balljoint is with bolt pointing up.. I tried putting a big enough drift with base at 2 and press on the bolt part of the joint. the bolt keeps on sliding out.

[Dori Dori]

I'm not sure what you are calling the 'drift'. I used the instructions on the box...

Anyway, the ball joint gets pushed out going down (towards the ground), so that's where the collector needs to be (the big ring)...that's why it has to be larger than the base of the ball joint. On the top is a saucer looking thing that slides over the threaded part of the ball joint. Sorry if this is a little vauge, but IIRC there was a saucer thing on top, ball joint, collector ring, and another saucer sized for the 3 different collector rings.

[VitaminT]

Make sure to remove the snap ring before pressing.

[VitaminT]

BTW...I used the c-clamp from autozone without any problems.

[nismostate]

thanks guys. I returned the c clamp and got another one with instructions! hehe. got it out with ease. now my problem is pressing it back on. is it suppose to be just as easy? I was trying to press the new one in but it kept going in crooked. I tried taking the control arm off but damn! the bolt that holds it in wont come out. anyways, i damaged the joint like a dumbass. so i returned it and got a new one.:rolleyes any hints on getting it straight?

[VitaminT]

Mine wanted to go in crooked. I just retried and ended up pressing it in slightly crooked.

[Dori Dori]

Hmmm, I didn't have any problems getting it in straight...

BTW, that bolt on the lca is tough to get out b/c it's binding on the bushing. The best thing to do is allow the control arm to turn till it gets stuck on something (the ground or your strut)...a few good turns like that and the bolt should then come out w/ ease.

[Dori Dori]

Mine wanted to go in crooked. I just retried and ended up pressing it in slightly crooked.

How did you get the snap ring in?

[VitaminT]

When I pressed them all the way in they straightened up and I could put it in. It was only slightly off at the begining and the last few turns straightened it up.