Rear Ball Joints.. Ball Joint Press?

[95naSTA]

I was thinking about getting this ball joint press to do my rear ball joints. It seems like I might need to get a longer adapter or a piece of pipe to pull it all the way through.

For those that have done it, would you think this it true? Any tips/tricks?

[LakevilleSSEi]

I dunno.....If they're anything like the fronts and they're OEM....Best thing I've found is to use a Drill, with a hardened bit, angle grinder, or even a sawzall as long ans you are VERY carefull to not get into the control arm.

[SSEi95]

Nate, from what I rememebr when we did yours... Air tools and a sawzall were our best friends. It was 3 bolts to replace it, but they were pretty much age welded in there.

[95naSTA]

Yeah, The fronts are the kind that were originally riveted in with 3 large rivets. I know what I have to do with those. I'm just going to drill out the rivets and bolt the new ones up.

The rears are press fit into the actual control arm though.

[Jrs3800]

Yes the rears are pressed in... I would like to replace mine as well...

Mike if you get that kit, let me know how it works..

[95naSTA]

Yes the rears are pressed in... I would like to replace mine as well...

Mike if you get that kit, let me know how it works..

Alright, this should be happening within the next few weeks.

[b18jason]

I'd get that kit, we use that same style of press at work, they work pretty good. I'd also get that 14 piece adapter kit just to be on the safe side in case the press kit doesn't have the right adapters. You can't beat those prices.

[95naSTA]

Yesterday I stopped at an Advance Auto that I don't normally go to and they had all of their rental tools in stock. That almost never happens around here.. They had a pretty large ball joint kit so I grabbed it. I think it's a $150 refundable deposit.

I replaced both rear ball joints today pretty easily with this kit. I didn't have any trouble pressing the old one out or pressing the new one in. I was just careful to make sure that when I started to push the new one in, it was going in straight. The toughest part was getting the control arms to clear the back of the drums. I didn't want to loosen up the knuckle so my alignment would stay good.

[justhalc]

How do you keep the knuckle out of the way long enough to line up the ball joint and press to install the new ball joint? It took me forever to get it out of the way long enough to press the old one out. Any help would be appreciated, I'm stuck.

[justhalc]

Also, I tried removing the two bolts for the knuckle and they are seized...i removed the nuts, and soaked the bolts with PB-Blaster, but if I don't have to remove them, I don't want to. Also, I thought about removing the rear sway bar end-links to help free it up, but they are frozen as well, so I would have to cut them to remove them, but again, if I don't have to...

[harofreak00]

7 year old thread.

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