Replacing Worn Lower Ball Joints on a Rear Wheel Drive Vehicle

The lower ball joint is the most commonly replaced ball joint on conventional rear wheel drive vehicles. Most of the stress is on the lower ball joint, causing it to wear 70 percent faster than the upper ball joint. Keeping the ball joints lubricated will extend the life expectancy, but when they need replaced you can do it yourself.

There are several indications of worn ball joints. One such indicator is a severe shaking in the steering wheel when encountering a rough road surface at a speed in excess of 30 miles per hour. When a hard bump is encountered, the steering wheel will shake for a few moments before settling down. Stepping on the brake pedal lightly will stop the shaking. Another indication is slack or freeplay in the steering. This is obvious when the steering wheel can be turned ten to twenty degrees or more with no movement in the front tires. This will make steering a straight tract more difficult. The last indicator is the wear on the tires. More wear on one side than the other resulting in uneven wear.

Testing the ball joints for wear involves lifting the vehicle (by the frame) enough to raise the front tires about 2 inches off the ground. Insert a prybar under the tire and lift up and release several times. While performing this procedure, feel for obvious looseness. Have a helper lift up and release the prybar while you look at the ball joint from under the vehicle. Watch to see if the center of the ball joint-which is attached to the lower part of the spindle--to lift upward without moving the lower part of the ball joint or the cup. Any movement requires replacing the ball joint.

Required tools to replace lower ball joints:

Floor jack
Jack stands
Lug wrench
Tie rod and ball joint separator tool
Hammer
Ball joint press kit
½-inch drive ratchet
Set of ½-inch drive sockets
Snap ring pliers
Piece of wire
Pliers
Set of wrenches

Step 1: Lift the front of the vehicle with the floor jack and support the vehicle with jack stands under the frame.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels.

Step 3: Remove the two bolts securing the brake caliper to the caliper-mounting bracket. Lift the caliper off the rotor and hang it from the coil spring with a suitable piece of wire.

Step 4: Remove the cotter pins from the upper and lower ball joint studs.

Step 5: Remove the cotter pin from the tie rod end where it attaches to the spindle. Remove the nut on the tie rod end. Insert the tie rod separator tool and hit it with a hammer until it pops out of the spindle.

Step 6: Place the floor jack under the lower control arm and raise it enough to apply pressure to the lower control arm.

Step 7: Remove the nut from the upper and lower ball joints, which secure the joints to the spindle.

Step 8: Insert the ball joint and tie rod separator between the spindle and control arm. Separate the spindle from the arm. Do this to the upper and lower joints.

Step 9: Raise the upper control arm with its ball joint to allow the top of the spindle to move outward and lift the spindle off the lower ball joint and lay the spindle aside.

Step 10: Some vehicles have a snap ring securing the ball joint to the lower control arm. It will be found on the top around the stud, remove this snap ring.

Step 11: Move the ball joint stud vertically, and strike it hard on the top of the stud. The ball joint will be driven out of the lower control arm.

Step 12: Install the grease fitting on the new ball joint.

Step 13: Insert the ball joint up into the hole in the lower control arm and make sure it is going in straight. Push it in as far as possible by hand.

Step 14: Install the ball joint compressor kit and C clamp and press the ball joint in completely.

Step 15: Install the snap ring and grease the new ball joint.

Step 16: Install the spindle on the bottom ball joint stud and then lower the upper ball joint into the hole in the upper part of the spindle. Install both nuts--one in the upper and one in the lower ball joint--and tighten the nuts securely. Install the cotter pins.

Step 17: Install the tie rod end stud into the spindle, install the nut and tighten. Install the cotter pin.

Step 18: Lay the brake caliper on the rotor and install both the securing bolts and tighten.

Step 19: Install the tire.