[lwhitetrash88l]

hey guys so i have the replacement balljoint and the balljoint press i just rented from autozone. However im kinda confused on how to go about taking everything apart to get to it. could someone give me a lil insight please? like do i have to remove the actual control arm? i dont think i do....and also do i have to worry about the coil spring? if i take everything apart is the coil spring going to.....well spring on me lol any help would be appreciated! thanks guys yet again!

Rich

[stephen]

Originally Posted by lwhitetrash88l hey guys so i have the replacement balljoint and the balljoint press i just rented from autozone. However im kinda confused on how to go about taking everything apart to get to it. could someone give me a lil insight please? like do i have to remove the actual control arm? i dont think i do....and also do i have to worry about the coil spring? if i take everything apart is the coil spring going to.....well spring on me lol any help would be appreciated! thanks guys yet again! Rich

On earlier Mustangs the ball joint can be replaced. On later ones the whole control arm is replaced.

Yes you have to worry about the spring! You could put a spring compressor on it to retain it.

I don't have a manual here at work, but I would think you should remove the control arm, and then maybe you can press the ball joint in and out with a ball joint press. There is probably a snap ring to remove first. If the ball joint press doesn't work then take the control arm to a machine shop and let them do it with a hydraulic press.

[Juggalo_X]

Originally Posted by stephen On earlier Mustangs the ball joint can be replaced. On later ones the whole control arm is replaced. Yes you have to worry about the spring! You could put a spring compressor on it to retain it. I don't have a manual here at work, but I would think you should remove the control arm, and then maybe you can press the ball joint in and out with a ball joint press. There is probably a snap ring to remove first. If the ball joint press doesn't work then take the control arm to a machine shop and let them do it with a hydraulic press.

05+ need the control arm replaced?? cuz i got an 01 and they pressed it in and out.

[lwhitetrash88l]

so yeah i got it done today but it turned into an all day event lol we were going to remove the whole lower control arm and do it that way however we couldnt seem to find or rent a freaking spring compressor that worked properly or that actually fit inside of the coil so we said fuck it and just placed a jack under the control arm where the spring is placed and put some pressure up on it. i took the seperator fork to the tie rod end and fucked up that part so i had to run back to autozone and buy a replacement for that. then when we actually got to the balljoint itself we couldnt get it off of the steering knuckle so we had to run to autozone again and we got a puller tool instead of the fork and that did the trick. two minutes of tightening the bolt on the puller after about 45 mins or so off pounding the hell out of the freaking fork hah it was hell but whatever, all in all it came out pretty good....but i think i might replace the other side sometime soon and then get an alignment ya know

[stephen]

Originally Posted by lwhitetrash88l so yeah i got it done today but it turned into an all day event lol we were going to remove the whole lower control arm and do it that way however we couldnt seem to find or rent a freaking spring compressor that worked properly or that actually fit inside of the coil so we said fuck it and just placed a jack under the control arm where the spring is placed and put some pressure up on it. i took the seperator fork to the tie rod end and fucked up that part so i had to run back to autozone and buy a replacement for that. then when we actually got to the balljoint itself we couldnt get it off of the steering knuckle so we had to run to autozone again and we got a puller tool instead of the fork and that did the trick. two minutes of tightening the bolt on the puller after about 45 mins or so off pounding the hell out of the freaking fork hah it was hell but whatever, all in all it came out pretty good....but i think i might replace the other side sometime soon and then get an alignment ya know

Yes those ball joints and tie rod ends can be difficult. I have had good success with a small pitman arm puller in many cases. The pickle fork tool will often damage the boots.

[GreenFaleen]

Originally Posted by lwhitetrash88l so yeah i got it done today but it turned into an all day event lol we were going to remove the whole lower control arm and do it that way however we couldnt seem to find or rent a freaking spring compressor that worked properly or that actually fit inside of the coil so we said fuck it and just placed a jack under the control arm where the spring is placed and put some pressure up on it. i took the seperator fork to the tie rod end and fucked up that part so i had to run back to autozone and buy a replacement for that. then when we actually got to the balljoint itself we couldnt get it off of the steering knuckle so we had to run to autozone again and we got a puller tool instead of the fork and that did the trick. two minutes of tightening the bolt on the puller after about 45 mins or so off pounding the hell out of the freaking fork hah it was hell but whatever, all in all it came out pretty good....but i think i might replace the other side sometime soon and then get an alignment ya know

nice, workig on cars never goes as smooth as the manual says lol

[lwhitetrash88l]

yeah man! the pitman armpuller is what I got and damn did that shit work wonders! hah!

[GreenFaleen]

Originally Posted by lwhitetrash88l yeah man! the pitman armpuller is what I got and damn did that shit work wonders! hah!

amazing little tool

[Juggalo_X]

Good to hear u got her done bud

[lwhitetrash88l]

thanks for all your help guys...yet again lol