Okay, im currently in the middle of installing new ball joints and wheel bearings. I know the old ball joints were bad, and we realised that when they nearly came apart while pressing them out. The wheel bearings dont look to hot either... lot of play in the inner race, and the outer races look like crud.

Anyways.. As i've said before, i've done this balljoint business several times before, but I cannot, for the love of me, get this one in straight! I spent nearly 5 hours pressing it in a little bit, backing it out, adjusting, repeat. Is there some trick to this that i'm missing? And yes, I am 99.9% sure that im using my rental ball joint press correctly.

Usually i'd gently start the ball joint with a brass hammer to get it set in straight, then press it all the way in. For some reason that's just not working.. so what would you guys reccomend I try?

PS: My tie rods would appear to be O.K. No excessive play in any of the steering linkages. Too lazy to check control arm bushings.. I do NOT wanna take that thing off!

 

I'm not sure how they could go in crooked... perhaps you need the slightly oversized ball joint, that compensates for control arm wear?

 

By ball joints do you mean LOWER balljoints? If so, just ignore the fact that they're not going in perfectly straight, and keep pressing. Eventually, they will seat properly. I would suggest that you use a hydraulic press other than the screw type press. Always grease the mating surfaces, that'll make it a tiny bit easier.

 

Points noted.. but I thought it was common knowledge that a MacPherson strut setup didnt have upper ball joint?

Seriously, am I missing something?

BTW, How the hell do I get a hydraulic press?

 

your not gonna get the lowers in without a hydraulic press. Go to a shop and ask them to do it. Will take about 10 minutes total, and might (MIGHT) do it for free. But yes, with press ins you push till they stop, and they only stop when they are level.\

Glad to see you replaced them before they fell apart. Scary feeling huh?

 

I applied anti-sieze to the hole in the LCA, as RBob suggested, to help things out. I used a c-frame screw press (by OTC), but I had the LCA off the car.

If it's slightly crooked, it'll straighten out. Try not to let the c-frame press "hang" on the balljoint; if you have to, have a friend help "hold" the press in the air while you tighten it down on the balljoint. Letting the press hang by itself on the balljoint could make it tilt the joint.

 

Whats the point? I've got everything off the car, i've got a press, and the car needs to be back on the road tomorrow. Taking off the LCA's is just gonna set me even further behind schedule.

I left the ball joints in the freezer overnight. Im going to grease the mating surfaces like you said, and damnit, they are going in today!

 

Okay, new ball joints are in, but its still doing the symptoms I described in my "Fubar'd suspension" thread.

I put new wheel bearings in too, BTW.

On a positive note, no more popping when the wheel is turned to the lock, and it steers easier and better.

 

the locking is tie rod ends.

 

Really? Did you say that in my other thread, because if you did I missed it.

Oh well, I needed the joints and wheel bearings any ways, so thats one more repair out of the way.

I dont think ive ever replaced an outer tie rod end.. what will I need?

 

pretty sure I mentioned it.

Outter is no prob most of the time. Again, lots of penetrating fluid and waiting.
undo the outter (closest to the wheel) lock bolt of the tie rod adjuster (13 MM?). Then undo the lock bolt on outter tie rod. Undo the cotter pin and castle nut on tie rod shaft on spindle. Pickle fork (air hammer) the shaft out of the spindle. Mark the old tie rod end (how far it was in the adjuster-tape works great) Unscrew the tie rod end.
When installing the new tie rod end, compare lengths. If the same, screw in as far as the mark was on the old tie rod end. This will get your alignment close. Still have to have one done afterwards. Or at least checked.

Also, while you have the tie rod loose, (I know it's a pain) but undo the ball joint from the spindle too. Then try to move the a arm front and back and try to twist it. If it moves at all, you also need bushings. That will cause a "spongy" steering/ "Floating" front end problem. If the A arm can move when you apply pressure, just imagine the movement under full load.

 

You guy use the different presses.. I have always used a bottle jack and a hydro jack and a piece of wood. Just let the weight of the car pop it back in.