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Originally Posted by happykorn
ok then if i do get the joints from autozone and get a loaner tool, what other tools besides basic tools would i need to replace the control arms and about how long?? would it be easily done underneath a car using a jack and not a lift? it seems like a pretty easy job after looking at the haynes manual, but the manual says it's best to replace the whole thing if the bad ball joint does any sorta damage to the arm, i've been on this bad joint a while now so should i just replace the whole thing then?
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Off the top of my head for tools besides the BJ press:
Snap ring pliers
Large pry bar (to lift the knuckle off the ball joint)
Pickle fork (cheap to buy at harbor frieght, but can also be loaned from Autozone. Get different sizes to be sure one works)
Some metric sockets and wrenches
Some needlenose pliers/vise grips/or diagonal cutters to pull out cotter pins
Maybe new cotter pins
I couldn't say how long it took me, cuz I did them with a clutch replacement. If had to guess, 1-2 hours depending on tools and experience. Maybe less. Its very easy if you are mechanically inclined at all. I would not change the arm personally, because so far I have never run into a car that needed to go that far. You can easily do this job with the front of the car on jack stands. I am recalling from memory, and I had to pull my driveshafts for the clutch change anyhow, but to the best of my recollection it goes something like this:
Put the front of the car on jackstands and pull the wheels off.
Loosen the nut on top of the ball joint. It will not come off completely, because part of the arm is in the way. Just get it up as high as you can.
Remove the snap rings, or at least get them up out of the way.
Use the pickle fork to break the taper lock loose on the BJ.
Once the BJ drops down some get the nut and the snap ring off.
Get someone to use the pry bar to get the ball joint out of its fitting in the knuckle. Move knuckle out of the way. The BJ should be exposed, still pressed in its seat.
Take the big C-clamp looking press you borrowed from the parts store. Eyeball the fittings in the kit until you find an arrangement that fits your ball joint reasonably well. Press it out. It should be pretty easy, if it isn't check to make sure the fittings from the press arent binding on anything.
Put new BJ in the arm and install the snap ring to hold it in place. I can't remember if we had to press it in with the clamp or not, you'll figure it out when you see it. It should seat snuggly, without any slop. If there is slop, compare the new BJ to the old one to make sure the parts store gave you the right one (gave me the wrong ones once). If they are right, return them and get the arms... you know you need them now.
Use pry bar to get the new BJ's into the knuckle (be careful of damaging the threads!). Once its through, keep a little force on the pry bar to allow you to get the new nut started. Once its on far enough to remove the prybar, tighten down the nut to seat the taper lock. Install cotter pin if needed (some use castle nuts, some have ny-lock nuts, ymmv).
Install wheels, remove jack, and your done. I think you need an alignment afterwards, I did but I also did my tie rod ends at the same time (both used ball joint press).
If I messed something up, someone please let me know. I was doing a bunch of things at once and I may have missed a step in this write up.
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