dsmuts
Moderator
Are your ball joints worn out or bushings shot? It's easier to change the whole lower control arm (lca) out then to change just the failed part and through rockauto they are only a little over $100 shipped for both sides. Here is my how-to on changing them.
Tools you need:
18mm wrench
21mm wrench
3/4" wrench
T-55 torx bit
13mm wrench and socket
Hammer
Pliers either needlenose or a pair of side snips
Screwdriver
Pickle fork
Impact really speeds things up
Possibly a sawzall
1. Jack the vehicle up and remove the tire.
2. Pop all the plastic clips off that hold the wires for the wheel speed sensor. Screwdriver works well for this.
3.Take the bolt out on the rear of the lca. 18mm and 21mm wrench.
4.Take the sway bar endlink off. 13mm wrench and socket. If yours are fairly old they will most likely snap so this is where the sawzall comes in handy.
5.Take the front bolt out on the lca. T-55 torx and 21 mm. You can see the bushing is shot on this one.
6. Remove the cotter pin on the ball joint and take off the castle nut on the ball joint. Pliers and 18mm. If the ball joint doesn't cooperate the sawzall will come in handy again.
7. Use pickle fork and hammer it inbetween the ball joint and spindle. Sorry I didn't get a pic of this I was pretty greasy by this time.
8. Put new lca in place and put the new nut that comes with it on the ball joint. Don't put the grease zerk in until the end just in case you have to jack it up to get stuff in place. Tighten the nut (3/4" on the new one) and install the new cotter pin.
9. Put the rear bolt into place wiggling it around and using the screwdriver to line it up. 18mm and 21mm wrench
10. Put front bolt in using the same technique. T-55 torx and 21mm
11. Put sway bar end link back in. 13mm wrench and socket
12. Put all the clips back in on the wheel speed sensor wire.
13. Put the wheel back on and release the jack
14. Enjoy the new found no clunking front end.
Tools you need:
18mm wrench
21mm wrench
3/4" wrench
T-55 torx bit
13mm wrench and socket
Hammer
Pliers either needlenose or a pair of side snips
Screwdriver
Pickle fork
Impact really speeds things up
Possibly a sawzall
1. Jack the vehicle up and remove the tire.
2. Pop all the plastic clips off that hold the wires for the wheel speed sensor. Screwdriver works well for this.
3.Take the bolt out on the rear of the lca. 18mm and 21mm wrench.
4.Take the sway bar endlink off. 13mm wrench and socket. If yours are fairly old they will most likely snap so this is where the sawzall comes in handy.
5.Take the front bolt out on the lca. T-55 torx and 21 mm. You can see the bushing is shot on this one.
6. Remove the cotter pin on the ball joint and take off the castle nut on the ball joint. Pliers and 18mm. If the ball joint doesn't cooperate the sawzall will come in handy again.
7. Use pickle fork and hammer it inbetween the ball joint and spindle. Sorry I didn't get a pic of this I was pretty greasy by this time.
8. Put new lca in place and put the new nut that comes with it on the ball joint. Don't put the grease zerk in until the end just in case you have to jack it up to get stuff in place. Tighten the nut (3/4" on the new one) and install the new cotter pin.
9. Put the rear bolt into place wiggling it around and using the screwdriver to line it up. 18mm and 21mm wrench
10. Put front bolt in using the same technique. T-55 torx and 21mm
11. Put sway bar end link back in. 13mm wrench and socket
12. Put all the clips back in on the wheel speed sensor wire.
13. Put the wheel back on and release the jack
14. Enjoy the new found no clunking front end.
