Ball joint question
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,443
Likes: 340
From: SC
Ball joint question
I just received my ball joints from Rock auto. Kind of a newbie on this, but should the post rotate freely in the ball socket? It doesn't move at all. Is this normal or does it have to be greased first? They are Moog lowers.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 6
From: St Marys GA
They should rotate, but maybe not with the torque your hand can apply. When you install them, once you start torquing the nut it will begin rotating unless you clamp the control arm to the upright.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 13
From: Wallingford Vermont
Naw, they'll be REAL stiff when new. After a few thousand miles they'll loosen up.
Makes an impact wrench a requirement when dissasembling and re-assembling the suspension later on (hard to tighten a spinning ball joint or tie rod end).
Makes an impact wrench a requirement when dissasembling and re-assembling the suspension later on (hard to tighten a spinning ball joint or tie rod end).
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,383
Likes: 4
You can also use an air ratchet. Just pull/push the tierod into the other piece and the air tool will cinch it up. I would hate to have to do this by hand with clamps and such with limited space.
For removal, a tie rod seperator tool is a must. I like the screwy kind better than the tuning fork kind but YMMV.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,443
Likes: 340
From: SC
You can also use an air ratchet. Just pull/push the tierod into the other piece and the air tool will cinch it up. I would hate to have to do this by hand with clamps and such with limited space.
For removal, a tie rod seperator tool is a must. I like the screwy kind better than the tuning fork kind but YMMV.
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