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I'm confused.

My lower ball joint needs to be replaced on my '92 Dodge Colt, so I bought a new one. But the manual says the complete control arm needs to be replaced.

Checked the archives and found mixed information: some say the whole control-arm-and-ball-joint needs to be replaced; some say a new BJ can be pressed into the original control arm. Which do you recommend?

I don't have a bench press. Anyone ever use a portable one from a rental place, so I don't have to completely remove the arm from the car? How difficult is this?

Thanks in advance!

It is a pretty easy task. It can be done on the car, but may not be worth the headaches. I have always removed the arms so maybe someone else can comment on how hard it is to do on the car.

My suggestions.....go to the local hardware store and pick up several pieces of really heavy gauge steel tube fittings (the kind of upgly cast steel tubing stuff. You want at least one piece that fits over the smaller diam of the new ball joint and is taller than the whole joint, and one more piece that fits over the cup part on the back of the ball joint and hits the outer ring. If you are doing this on the car, you want that last piece mentioned to also have a 12" or so long piece of heavy pipe attached to it so it hits the ground. Use these and a BFH to press in the new one. Also get a piece of smaller tubing that hits the smallest part of the ball joint and one that barely fits over the largest part of the ball joint. You will use these for getting the ball joints out. It will be harder to get them out than in. Oh, they should have a cir-clip on them too so make sure that comes off before you start pounding.

When insalling, put the new ball joints in the freezer for 2-3 hours minimum, and possibly SLIGHTLY heat the end of the control arm. This will make the pressing in almost effortless. I usually do it without the heat, just the freezer part and it goes together pretty easy. Use lube (like 10-30 oil) on the new ball joint before you try to smash it in.

Depending on how seized the old ones are it shouldnt be much more difficult to do this with the arms attached.

Chris

Great, thanks for the advice!

I'll take my new BJ down to the hardware store to find some homebrew pressing cups.

One more question: the new BJ includes an (optional?) grease fitting, which the original didn't have. You think this is a good idea, or should I leave it off?

Thanks again!

I hope you don't mind the post robbing but ....

If your ball joint has a hole for the grease nipple, pop it in; otherwise something else like water and dirt will find it's way in.
If you would have to drill a hole, it is your preference as to whether or not you want to grease the joint later on if it is leaking from a crack or something.