Magik

Well,

I started to replace the ball joint and wheel bearing this weekend and discovered that I needed a lower ball joint on one side and the other one on the other side was just starting to go (front). (Warning: Long but helpful if you ever do this)

So my Dad and I started...first with the top one, took off the wheel and then the caliper and took some wire and suspended that caliper from the spring (it wasn't going anywhere). Then removed the dust boot from the top of the'knuckle', we then released the tie rod end. We put a jack stand underneath the strut to maintain the compression and carried on. We then released the lower ball joint (requires removing a cotter pin and castle nut and giving a few good whaps with a hammer on the lower arm to get the ball joint bolt to pop free. We then had to go into the engine bay and release the fuse box so that we could have better access to the upper control arm bolts/nuts. Then went back to the wheel well and removed the cotter pin and castle nut from the upper ball joint and then pulled the whole "knuckle" out of the wheel well. We then release the nuts that secure the bolts on top of the control arm in the engine bay and pulled out the control arm with the bad ball joint.

At this point we have the bad control arm/joint removed and the knuckle containing the bad lowerball joint removed.

We then discovered to pop the lower ball joint (we tackled this first as we figured it would take the longest and if we broke anything the stores were only open until five)...there is a thing called a "knuckle ring" behind the front wheel bearing that has to come out. If you do not have a replacement for this be VERY careful not to bend it or brake it when removing it...with a little effort it does come out. Then came the lwr ball joint, if you do not have special tools, this can be interesting. Using a vice, a ball peen hammer, and a piezo electric torch...we got it out. Then using a vice we got it popped back in. (The new one) Now we have to put back the "Knuckle ring"...this little piece of tin...is a ROYAL PAIN IN THE ASS!. It has to be shaped 'just right' for it to fit back in properly. So we took a piece of pipe and reshaped the ring (didn't have a spare as we didn't even know it was there in the first place), then took a dremel tool and cleaned the "crud/rust" off of it and put it back together. We then mounted the new upper control arm...this is pretty straight forward and relatively easy. So we're slapping everything back together, joking about how relatively simple this all was...I'm going to put the wheel back on...it won't budge...won't turn at all... My Dad looks under the car, that little F**king piece of metal (knuckle ring) is popped loose and jamming things up. We take it all apart again This time we take a piece of cardboard (from the box the ball joint came in) and shape it to fit in to cover the wheel bearing...then we take the dremel and clean the knuckle of any and all crud in the area that the 'ring' has to go in...reshape...put back together...it works!!! :thumbup:

We then repeated these steps on the other side for the lower ball joint, we didn't have to replace the upper joint on that side. It went a little smoother this time, as we knew what to be prepared for. At this point, replaced two lower ball joints in the front and one upper ball joint/control arm assembly.

Now...the right rear wheel bearing...

Removed the wheel and the brake drum to expose the bad wheel bearing, we then took off the wheel bearing and there was a small "chase" on the axle, a couple of taps with a pry bar and a hammer and this was removed. Slip on the new bearing, it's nice and snug, close her all up and put the wheel back on.
Done and it works :thumbup:

Test drive...everything seemed fine...drove the 300kms home at basically 120kph the whole way...no problems...no knocks...

Home with a new front pipe, 3 new ball joints, and a new wheel bearing.

Now what am I gonna fix...

Jason

Spyfunkr

It warms my heart to see people answering their own questions with a DIY

What model/year is your car?

Im doing this job tomorrow on my 92, thanks for the tips. If it goes this well, Ill be putting in new rotors too. Should be fun, pics to follow.

Spy