are ball joints hard to replace?
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are ball joints hard to replace?
just did a search but couldnt get an answer.
ive gotta either have my ball joints done or do them myself, and i need to know what's involved in the diss assembly and reassembly.
the posts that i have read all give the procedure for testing the wheel but not the actual disassembly process. maybe some one has a link that will help me.
my truck has 4 leaf springs and is the later version of the 1977 model.
also if a shop does this, what are they going to charge me for all four parts and labor?
any info is greatly appreciated.
ive gotta either have my ball joints done or do them myself, and i need to know what's involved in the diss assembly and reassembly.
the posts that i have read all give the procedure for testing the wheel but not the actual disassembly process. maybe some one has a link that will help me.
my truck has 4 leaf springs and is the later version of the 1977 model.
also if a shop does this, what are they going to charge me for all four parts and labor?
any info is greatly appreciated.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
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From: Topsfield, MA
I was charged 700 bucks to put 4 new ball joints in my truck about 6 months ago. I could do everything except press the ball joints out. You have to remove the hub, rotor, spindle. The hardest part is actually getting the old ball joints out.
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thanks for the estimate. im never too worried about the remove and replace repairs. just the ones that require 5 different techniques to get one part loose!
ok, just for curiosity's sake, who out there has got the, "im too poor and or too far from the shop" repair. you know what i mean, the kind of repair that starts out, "if i had the real tool i'd use it but instead...."
ok, just for curiosity's sake, who out there has got the, "im too poor and or too far from the shop" repair. you know what i mean, the kind of repair that starts out, "if i had the real tool i'd use it but instead...."
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Joined: Mar 2004
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From: clinton iowa
just finished replacing the balljoints in my 86 bronco out in the parking lot of my apt complex used a bfh and large punch to drive out the ball joints then i found a large socket that fit over top of ball joint and rested on the rim and clearing the threads i believe it was a 1" drive socket and with punch and bfh drove them backin went really smooth and easy 
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From: clinton iowa
i must admit was expecting the worst but all went well must of been my day i guess.makes up for the other times the simple became impossible
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i guess you can seewhy i ask the question. there's something you know you can do and then there's the first time ...! how long did the job take you?
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From: clinton iowa
roughly guessing bout two hours per side including running to parts store twice cause first time they gave the wrong size ujoint for axle shaft which i changed while i had everything apart. spent more time putting wheel on checking bearing then pulling back off redoing then back on . i did quite a bit of reading prior to doing and fully expecting the worse but have read about some others not fairing so well and was quite surprised to see things go so smoothly like mentioned earlier once i knocked the old ones out i figured why not try it like this and found a big socket to fit over the stud and rest on shoulder then had a piece of sguare tube i had laying around about a foot in length so when i put socket over balljoint the threads stuck thru the socket and tubing worked out fine then tapped in with bfh was quite surprised i was able to drive them in . but barring no problems easily done in an afternoon . one other note fwiw i got mine from napa and they had a regular one and a heavy duty one i opted for the better one since i have such large tires any more ? i'll try to answere for ya
.)
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fordsrgrt, thank you so much for the info. i found some spicer joints and i think ill use those. i figure if the estimates are over 250.oo then im gonna do it!
i only have two more questions.
1. what size socket?(deep, drive, size etc...)
2. idont understand how the sq. tubing came into play. sorry if im being thick headed.
i only have two more questions.
1. what size socket?(deep, drive, size etc...)
2. idont understand how the sq. tubing came into play. sorry if im being thick headed.
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Joined: Mar 2004
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From: clinton iowa
up and off to work now butwill post socket size this afternoon when i get off .on the bottom ball joint its short enough that when i put socket over it i was able to hit the socket without the threads on balljoint sticking thru socket whereas top one is much taller hence the square tube which slide over threads sticking thru socket . or whatever else you may have that will accomplish the same task . also on bottom of lower ball joint is a c clip that needs to come off b4 removing lower joint .also lower joint out first and first to go back in . off to work ttyl
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that was vey informative. i can see now what the tubing is for. i guess when you said it was a foot long i got confused.
thankyou for the help i think im going to do this this weekend as this is my daily driver.
thankyou for the help i think im going to do this this weekend as this is my daily driver.