Changing ball joints

8A_Honda · March 9th, 2007, 12:40 AM

Think mine are bad cause my steering is all over the place and car has a new rack and good tierod ends. It's actually very scary at highway speeds trying to keep it straight. Have a couple of new ones sitting in the trunk that the previous owner had bought. Called around today and I really don't care to pay $166 to get it done if I can do it myself. Have any of you guys changed your ball joints and if so, what did ya use? Guessing they need to be pressed in/out with something? Thanks for any help on it. Searching ball joint/joints came up with a bunch of results about u-joints which doesn't help much. Thanks!

angermgt · March 9th, 2007, 01:09 AM

$166 isnt bad. if you dont know what you are doing its definately worth it. could sit here all night to try to explain. its pretty involved.

88LSC · March 9th, 2007, 05:01 AM

autozone has the tool that you can rent.have you checked your swaybar endlinks also?.

8A_Honda · March 9th, 2007, 08:58 AM

I'm not new to working on cars (although I'm new to Mustangs). Just short on free time....only reason I was gonna have someone else do it. Haven't checked the endlinks. I'll do that as well. Thanks.

5literJeff · March 9th, 2007, 11:10 AM

I did mine myself it was easy. I just took the control arms off and had a local machine shop replace the bearings for me with my new ones. Charged me like 20 bucks.

I did it at the same time time I was changing all the shocks and struts and some tie rods plus bushings so I fixed up the whole front suspension in one sitting.

NYHigH · March 9th, 2007, 12:19 PM

If you don't want to go that route of just changing the ball joints, summit sells the whole front control arms for 87-93 mustangs for $150 a pair and they come with the ball joints already in them. At the time i did mine this is how much i got them for. Not a bad deal but definetly get it fixed, i had ball joint problems and i got lucky. Just as i was about to get on the highway, i made a u turn and the wheel snapped half way off. Could of been going 60mph and had it happen. Do both sides.

8A_Honda · March 10th, 2007, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by 5literJeff

I did mine myself it was easy. I just took the control arms off and had a local machine shop replace the bearings for me with my new ones. Charged me like 20 bucks.

I did it at the same time time I was changing all the shocks and struts and some tie rods plus bushings so I fixed up the whole front suspension in one sitting.

Lol, no offense but if you took it to someone, you didn't do it yourself. I'm wanting to get the pressed out myself. Every bit of the job. Stopped at Autozone today and checked on the price and of course all I have to do is give $99 down payment, use it, return it, and get my money back. So I'm pretty much borrowing the tool for free and get the ball joints done

Stangzilla · March 10th, 2007, 12:37 AM

165 bucks aint bad.. Its cold where I am at... Worth every penny..

8A_Honda · March 10th, 2007, 12:43 AM

I'm in Florida, where it's close to 80 degrees and doing it myself for free is worth it even more

5literJeff · March 10th, 2007, 04:36 AM

Originally Posted by 8A_Honda

Originally Posted by 5literJeff

I did mine myself it was easy. I just took the control arms off and had a local machine shop replace the bearings for me with my new ones. Charged me like 20 bucks.

I did it at the same time time I was changing all the shocks and struts and some tie rods plus bushings so I fixed up the whole front suspension in one sitting.

Lol, no offense but if you took it to someone, you didn't do it yourself. I'm wanting to get the pressed out myself. Every bit of the job. Stopped at Autozone today and checked on the price and of course all I have to do is give $99 down payment, use it, return it, and get my money back. So I'm pretty much borrowing the tool for free and get the ball joints done

Eh, the 20 bucks was well spent in my opinion letting that guy use the press on it. Its almost a 35 min drive to the auto parts store from here and 35 min back, wheras the machine shop is 5 mins away. Time is money!

As for that not counting for doing it yourself, I disagree. The hard part in doing it is all the labor involved in tearing down then replacing the front suspenson.

The ball joints were coming off, one way or another regardless. I just opted for the easiest and most convient way for me to do that. Could I have done it with a rented tool? Absolutely. Would it matter in the end if I did it or the guy at the shop did it? Nope, except it would save me an hour+ time and the gas to drive back and forth, plus the hassle of buying something then returning it. I rather just get it done and move on then all that. To each his own though. Whatever makes you happy I guess.

8A_Honda · March 10th, 2007, 08:55 AM

Yeah, I totally agree. Just that for me, my work is right down the road from the autoparts store so it's no biggie for me. Plus, the more on my car that I do to it myself, the better it makes me feel. But I totally feel ya on the doing it the easiest way possible.

JBIGBOOTSY · March 10th, 2007, 09:57 AM

Pay to have It done!!!! Building a race engine gives you points as a car guy, changing a ball joint just gets you pissed off. If you do it yourself, when your done, you'll tell yourself "I'm never doin that again".

Racinjason81 · March 10th, 2007, 06:55 PM

if your taking the control arms out to have new balljoints pressed in it would be a good idea to get urethane control arm bushings

8A_Honda · March 11th, 2007, 12:00 AM

If I had the press to do them, would the control arms have to be taken out to press out the ball joints or can you press them out and back in with the control arms on the car?

JBIGBOOTSY · March 11th, 2007, 12:03 AM

you can do it on the car with a tool I think it's a 3 way ball-joint, universal joint, and somthing else. tool. It looks like a c-clamp with a a series of plates and collars.

8A_Honda · March 11th, 2007, 12:10 AM

Thought that'd be the case but wanted to be sure. Thanks.

goodyear1984 · March 11th, 2007, 05:40 PM

yea it takes no time at all to do the ball joints on the car u can buy a balljoint press very cheap and u will have it for other jobs ...if u really want u can use a air hammer not the best way to do it but it works

JBIGBOOTSY · March 11th, 2007, 09:31 PM

Spindle nuts are a pain in the assssssss!

IcantDo55 · March 11th, 2007, 10:30 PM

Its been a while since I bought them bu I paid under $200 for BOTH motorsports lower A-arms with ball joints....fron Ford Check it out.

nolife · May 12th, 2010, 08:20 PM

Reviving an old thread..

Has anyone done ball joints with the control arms still on the car and with a rented/borrowed ball joint press? I've never used one (I saw some videos on youtube and it looks straight forward). My 91 is completely stock and untouched since day one (other than struts) so things are getting a little sloppy. I'm getting a rebuilt rack, outer rod ends, and probably strut bushings and since I still have the original ball joints, I figure it might be time for them as well since I'm in there. I can't find my Haynes manual right now so I'm not sure what is covered about it, hopefully more than "They are not serviceable". I looked for contol arms with the ball joint already installed and I can only find the FMS ones which are now $300. Not worth it.

Any other tips and advice for the ball joints?

March 9th, 2007, 12:40 AM	#1
8A_Honda Regular Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 313 iTrader: 0 reviews	Changing ball joints Think mine are bad cause my steering is all over the place and car has a new rack and good tierod ends. It's actually very scary at highway speeds trying to keep it straight. Have a couple of new ones sitting in the trunk that the previous owner had bought. Called around today and I really don't care to pay $166 to get it done if I can do it myself. Have any of you guys changed your ball joints and if so, what did ya use? Guessing they need to be pressed in/out with something? Thanks for any help on it. Searching ball joint/joints came up with a bunch of results about u-joints which doesn't help much. Thanks!

March 10th, 2007, 12:37 AM	#8
Stangzilla MM Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: On my way to Baines's house!! Posts: 3,298 iTrader: 0 reviews	165 bucks aint bad.. Its cold where I am at... Worth every penny.. __________________ Rotating The Earth 1320 Feet At A Time!! Today, I found out that when I masturbate at night while watching internet porn I cast a huge shadow on the curtain and the entire street is able to see it.

March 10th, 2007, 09:57 AM	#12
JBIGBOOTSY MM Fanatic 1990 LX hatch Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hobart Indiana Posts: 4,392 iTrader: 0 reviews	Pay to have It done!!!! Building a race engine gives you points as a car guy, changing a ball joint just gets you pissed off. If you do it yourself, when your done, you'll tell yourself "I'm never doin that again". __________________ Bolt-on Abraham Lincoln Log motor. With extra wiring.

March 10th, 2007, 06:55 PM	#13
Racinjason81 Hardcore Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,559 iTrader: 0 reviews	if your taking the control arms out to have new balljoints pressed in it would be a good idea to get urethane control arm bushings __________________ Heres a real funny video youtube.com/watch?v=ojB7KkaR03I VTEC stands for Very Torqueless Economy Car Honda stands for Hold On Not Done Accelerating 1991 LX 5.0 H/B(T-70 turbo coming soon)

March 11th, 2007, 12:03 AM	#15
JBIGBOOTSY MM Fanatic 1990 LX hatch Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hobart Indiana Posts: 4,392 iTrader: 0 reviews	you can do it on the car with a tool I think it's a 3 way ball-joint, universal joint, and somthing else. tool. It looks like a c-clamp with a a series of plates and collars. __________________ Bolt-on Abraham Lincoln Log motor. With extra wiring.

March 9th, 2007, 01:09 AM	#2
angermgt Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: new jersey Posts: 154 iTrader: 0 reviews	$166 isnt bad. if you dont know what you are doing its definately worth it. could sit here all night to try to explain. its pretty involved.

March 9th, 2007, 05:01 AM	#3
88LSC Regular Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Lake Geneva, WI Posts: 58 iTrader: 0 reviews	autozone has the tool that you can rent.have you checked your swaybar endlinks also?.

March 9th, 2007, 08:58 AM	#4
8A_Honda Regular Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 313 iTrader: 0 reviews	I'm not new to working on cars (although I'm new to Mustangs). Just short on free time....only reason I was gonna have someone else do it. Haven't checked the endlinks. I'll do that as well. Thanks.

March 9th, 2007, 11:10 AM	#5
5literJeff Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Blue Ridge, South Carolina Posts: 260 iTrader: 0 reviews	I did mine myself it was easy. I just took the control arms off and had a local machine shop replace the bearings for me with my new ones. Charged me like 20 bucks. I did it at the same time time I was changing all the shocks and struts and some tie rods plus bushings so I fixed up the whole front suspension in one sitting.

March 9th, 2007, 12:19 PM	#6
NYHigH Regular Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 170 iTrader: 0 reviews	If you don't want to go that route of just changing the ball joints, summit sells the whole front control arms for 87-93 mustangs for $150 a pair and they come with the ball joints already in them. At the time i did mine this is how much i got them for. Not a bad deal but definetly get it fixed, i had ball joint problems and i got lucky. Just as i was about to get on the highway, i made a u turn and the wheel snapped half way off. Could of been going 60mph and had it happen. Do both sides.

March 10th, 2007, 12:43 AM	#9
8A_Honda Regular Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 313 iTrader: 0 reviews	I'm in Florida, where it's close to 80 degrees and doing it myself for free is worth it even more

March 10th, 2007, 08:55 AM	#11
8A_Honda Regular Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 313 iTrader: 0 reviews	Yeah, I totally agree. Just that for me, my work is right down the road from the autoparts store so it's no biggie for me. Plus, the more on my car that I do to it myself, the better it makes me feel. But I totally feel ya on the doing it the easiest way possible.

March 11th, 2007, 12:00 AM	#14
8A_Honda Regular Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 313 iTrader: 0 reviews	If I had the press to do them, would the control arms have to be taken out to press out the ball joints or can you press them out and back in with the control arms on the car?

March 11th, 2007, 12:10 AM	#16
8A_Honda Regular Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 313 iTrader: 0 reviews	Thought that'd be the case but wanted to be sure. Thanks.

March 11th, 2007, 05:40 PM	#17
goodyear1984 Newbie Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 44 iTrader: 0 reviews	yea it takes no time at all to do the ball joints on the car u can buy a balljoint press very cheap and u will have it for other jobs ...if u really want u can use a air hammer not the best way to do it but it works

March 11th, 2007, 09:31 PM	#18
JBIGBOOTSY MM Fanatic 1990 LX hatch Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hobart Indiana Posts: 4,392 iTrader: 0 reviews	Spindle nuts are a pain in the assssssss! __________________ Bolt-on Abraham Lincoln Log motor. With extra wiring.

March 11th, 2007, 10:30 PM	#19
IcantDo55 Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Va Beach VA Posts: 590 iTrader: 0 reviews	Its been a while since I bought them bu I paid under $200 for BOTH motorsports lower A-arms with ball joints....fron Ford Check it out. __________________ -Mike Link to My Site Want to Play Some Pool??? Stroked and Blown!

May 12th, 2010, 08:20 PM	#20
nolife Hardcore Enthusiast 91GT, 88GT, 02GT Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 2,878 Blog Entries: 3 iTrader: 0 reviews	Reviving an old thread.. Has anyone done ball joints with the control arms still on the car and with a rented/borrowed ball joint press? I've never used one (I saw some videos on youtube and it looks straight forward). My 91 is completely stock and untouched since day one (other than struts) so things are getting a little sloppy. I'm getting a rebuilt rack, outer rod ends, and probably strut bushings and since I still have the original ball joints, I figure it might be time for them as well since I'm in there. I can't find my Haynes manual right now so I'm not sure what is covered about it, hopefully more than "They are not serviceable". I looked for contol arms with the ball joint already installed and I can only find the FMS ones which are now $300. Not worth it. Any other tips and advice for the ball joints? __________________ Last edited by nolife; May 12th, 2010 at 08:29 PM.

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