ball joint
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
GM is a good source... so is Ecklers, The Last Detail, NAPA...
Tricks? You will need a tool to remove and incert the thing. Autozone or a parts store like that can rent/loan them.
Where are you? In the UK? Then most of what I just said is rather pointless.
What year is the Vette?
Tricks? You will need a tool to remove and incert the thing. Autozone or a parts store like that can rent/loan them.
Where are you? In the UK? Then most of what I just said is rather pointless.
What year is the Vette?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 2
I just changed all 4 ball joints on my '85. The upper joints were very straight forward. Drill off the rivet heads, drive out the rivets with a punch. The lowers were easy to remove with a ball joint press (a big c-clamp device with spacers and cast iron supports).
The lower joint installation was a different matter. The press I was using only had simple round supports for spacing back from the a-arm. The lower a-arm has ribs that come down right at the edge of the hole for the joint. I had to machine (lucky I have a machine shop at the house) a custom spacer/bridge to allow me to use the press. The press fit is very tight and alignment can be tricky. It took me 3 hours to get the two lowers to press in straight, they kept cocking to one side as I began to apply pressure. I would definitely use a fixed frame vertical press if I were to tackle this job again. By 2 hrs in I was almost determined to take the arms (already removed from the car for glass beading and clear coating) to a local shop and let them press the joints in on a fixed press.
Overall not hard, just frustrating.
Ryan
The lower joint installation was a different matter. The press I was using only had simple round supports for spacing back from the a-arm. The lower a-arm has ribs that come down right at the edge of the hole for the joint. I had to machine (lucky I have a machine shop at the house) a custom spacer/bridge to allow me to use the press. The press fit is very tight and alignment can be tricky. It took me 3 hours to get the two lowers to press in straight, they kept cocking to one side as I began to apply pressure. I would definitely use a fixed frame vertical press if I were to tackle this job again. By 2 hrs in I was almost determined to take the arms (already removed from the car for glass beading and clear coating) to a local shop and let them press the joints in on a fixed press.
Overall not hard, just frustrating.
Ryan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by Dartvader
Reidry, How many miles were on your car when you did the replacement? When should one start to look to replacing the ball joints on a C4?
The lower joints have wear indicators around the grease fitting, if the indicator is inside the joint (i.e. beyond flush) time to replace all four joints.
Ryan
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 65,811
Likes: 71
From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
The best place to buy them is anywhere that sells Moog. Might as well install the best if you're going to bother. Nascar teams use over the counter (not a special racing part) Moog joint for whatever front steer GM clip their chassis are based on these days.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by Corvette Kid NC
The best place to buy them is anywhere that sells Moog. Might as well install the best if you're going to bother. Nascar teams use over the counter (not a special racing part) Moog joint for whatever front steer GM clip their chassis are based on these days.
I started a long post on this very subject. Finally conceded and bought the Moog joints. I pleasantly discovered they are Made in the USA.
Ryan
Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 729
Likes: 4
From: Yukon OK
There is another post on this subject regarding the fit of the lower ball joints. Some of them are as much as 20 thousanths larger than the A-arm hole. This is way to much. New ball joint should be 6-8 thousanths over sized for a good fit.
Two of the issues raised in this thread are valid also;
1. Getting the ball joint to line up without cocking to one side when being pressed in. I found that the tool did not fit the ball joint properly and ended up making a spacer on a lathe that matched up the joint and tool. That took care of the alignment issue.
2. The install / removal tool had a round spacer that did not fit well into the space on the A-arm because some of the molding on the arm extended too close to the hole. Instead of making a new spacer, I just got out the die grinder and removed enough of the A-arm to make room for the spacer. It was not a lot.
I think bottom line is that you need;
1. The proper install / removal tool to press the joint out and back in.
2. Either a tool that fits the joint exactly or a lathe to make a spacer that will work.
3. Access to a lathe to get the ball joints to the right size to be pressed in.
Two of the issues raised in this thread are valid also;
1. Getting the ball joint to line up without cocking to one side when being pressed in. I found that the tool did not fit the ball joint properly and ended up making a spacer on a lathe that matched up the joint and tool. That took care of the alignment issue.
2. The install / removal tool had a round spacer that did not fit well into the space on the A-arm because some of the molding on the arm extended too close to the hole. Instead of making a new spacer, I just got out the die grinder and removed enough of the A-arm to make room for the spacer. It was not a lot.
I think bottom line is that you need;
1. The proper install / removal tool to press the joint out and back in.
2. Either a tool that fits the joint exactly or a lathe to make a spacer that will work.
3. Access to a lathe to get the ball joints to the right size to be pressed in.
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