Balljoint Replacement

[umcamara]

Haven't really come across any info on my particular question.

Gonna replace my ball joints today. I've never done it before, but I understand the basics.

For anyone who's done them on the MX-3, did you need a balljoint press or something to get the new one into the spindle? I've heard of guys having to remove the spindle and take it to a shop to have them press the balljoint in. Will this be necessary? Enlighten me before I strand myself this afternoon.

[Vanished]

nope your fine, let her rip!

You might need a ball joint puller (looks like a big two pronged fork, like 5 bucks). The only difficult part was getting them off..

MAKE SURE YOU JACK UP BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR! 1) it isn't safe and 2) it twists the frame of the car, makes it difficult to line thigns up.

Get yourself some liquid wrench, something to tap out the bolt with, and if you got MOOG joints you'll need a grease gun. Make sure you read the shop manual too, there is special way that you need to put in the bolt that goes into the steering knuckle!

Also make sure you torque everything down to spec, and get an aligement right after! It's only 3 bolts, you should be ok!

[shameem]

I had to take the car to a shop and cut it out with a torch - it was pretty much welded because of the corrosion - if thats not the case - then ball joints replacement is an easy job

[umcamara]

I just finished doing my balljoints, it took me about 4 hours. Not a difficult job, but that damn bolt that goes through the steering knuckle was completely seized in there. Stripped the head with the impact gun, and ended up heating it up with a torch and hammering it out with a sledge hammer.

*Vanished*, I couldn't find that info that you're talking about in the online shop manual. I just got some new 3/8" bolts and they slid in with a light tapping.

[Smith18]

haha tie-rod end's?

ball joint is below your spindle and is held on by two bolts.... takes two seconds..

tie-rod ends are easy if you have a torch:P heat the nut up and take it off with pliers..

[umcamara]

Yeah...I know what ball joints are. They're what I replaced yesterday, and they're held on by three bolts not two. The third bolt that goes through the spindle is what releases the balljoints stud, and that bolt is a B*&%$ to get out.

[marcdh]

I had the joy of this 2 days ago after failing MOT on it.

The removal of the spindle bolt - 3 hours (including buying a new dremel)
The removal of ball joint and installation of new one - 15 minutes

Damn corrosion My bolt and nut were both rounded (especially after the impact wrench) had to dremel off both ends and beat the hell out it!

[Mooneggs]

I'm about to do this as well and I am NOT looking forward to it

[wytbishop]

I must've gotten lucky. Mine came right off and the ball joint posts slid right out of the spindles. I did break the ratcheting mechanism in my 3/8" ratchet taking of one of the bolts on the LCA...but it was an old ratchet and what was i thinking using a 3/8" ratchet anyway?

[Kirk95gs]

I'm about to do this as well and I am NOT looking forward to it

I'm in the sambe boat.. still working on the swamp though.. haha who ever thought cleaning a engine bay would take this long.. lol

[umcamara]

Mooneggs. Do yourself a favour and start soaking that spindle nut and bolt with some liquid lubricant a couple of days in advance. Hopefully by the time you get around to replacing them, some of that corrosion weld will have been eaten up.

It's really a simple job, other than that one bolt and nut.

[Mooneggs]

that's a good idea...do you have any recommendations on the lubricant used? I've been using PB Blaster on most stuff...

[umcamara]

I've never really thought there was much of a difference between the different brands. I've always used WD-40 and Liquid Wrench, they seem to work just fine.

I'm not sure if you've replaced balljoints on the MX-3 before Mooneggs. But what worked really well for me was:

1) Soak with lubricant for awhile

2) With some luck remove nut from bolt going through knuckle.

3) The bolt will usually still be in there solid. If you can rotate it a little bit with a ratchet, preferrably impact wrench, it'll loosen it up a bit.

4) Then get a good sized mallet and crank on the end of the bolt. It should come out with some decent whacking.

5) Remove the two nuts from the bolts going through the control arm. These are generally not that bad. Then remove the one bolt. The other bolt IIRC is part of the ball joint.

6) Now get a chisel or something and smack the ball joint out of the spindle. It comes out pretty easily if you get that mother of a bolt out of the knuckle.


Good luck!

[2fazed]

I just did the swap yesterday. Luckily the bolt that holds the spindle on the ball joint wasn't frozen. It screwed off, very tightly. The ball joint was jammed pretty tight in the spindle. I used a tie rod end puller, and it worked perfectly. It shoved the ball joint right off. I don't like using pickle forks for these, especially on the tie rod ends, cause all it does is rip the rubber boots, and you'll have to replace them too.

[Vanished]

the bolt has a little indent in it were the rod from the ball joint goes into the spindle from....nevermind.