# ball joint replacement



## ac_pulaski (Nov 8, 2004)

Im not mechanic, I learn as I go,

I am replacing the ball joint in my 1989 Sentra and I have pretty much taken all the bolts and what not off, but now the ball joint itself seems to be stuck in its holder behind the rotor.

I have removed the clip that goes around the base of the boot, I have disconnected the two bolts that hold that brace that connects the frame to the ball joint, all thats left to do is actually remove the ball joint, however it seems to be stuck. I have put my entire 135 lbs of weight on the bolt with a pry bar trying to free it but no luck, do I need to get some kind of a "puller"? Or should I just keep working at it?

Any help would be appriciated. Like I said, I have never replaced anything like this before, so excuse my lamens terms for different car parts.

-AC


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## recycled_toddler (Feb 4, 2004)

So, you're saying you got the bolt-on balljoints? I know my '84 Sentra did, but I thought newer Sentras/Pulsar had press-ins retained by a circlip.


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## Crazy-Mart (Jul 14, 2002)

it is like recycled_toddler says ... they are quite hard to press out taught. i suggest heating the surrending and hitting it very hard with something holding the table right like a ciment block or something....the heat and water cooling trick helps alot here too...


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## mille-16i (Jun 16, 2004)

Get yourself a pickle fork you should be able to get one cheap and wedge it inbetween the balljoint and control arm and whack the hell out of it it will seperate.


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## Galimba1 (Aug 16, 2002)

either that or a pulley puller. But since you're replacing it, yeha, just bang it out with a pickle fork and hammer. A big hammer.


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## mille-16i (Jun 16, 2004)

Proper technic drink two beers this will lesson the pain of missed swings place pickle fork between the ball joint and control arm use biggest hammer you or your three closest friends have and beat the tar hill out of it you are complete when either you are in the emergency room for self inflicted wounds or the ball joint is separated


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## B11sleeper (Oct 15, 2003)

don't do it like this...

insert pickle fork into ball joint.
Make sure it's secure.
stand on pickle fork and bounce.

usually pops it out in a few bounces.

I do that for the ones that are hard, usually after they've been taken apart and cleaned it's much easier.


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## Mervic (May 1, 2002)

Just like recycled and crazy mentioned, once it is out of the knuckle, the ball joint need to be press out and press in the new one. Remove the control arm and bring the new ball joint to a shop that has a press and have them do it.


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## notwhathow (Jul 13, 2004)

I just did this two weeks ago. Make sure u take off the retaining clip first. Then get a tuning fork, pickle fork whatever, insert it between the lip on the ball joint and the control arm...and hammer away. If that doesn't work just hammer on the top of the ball joint until it falls apart.


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## jeffinbham (Nov 1, 2003)

i am having this same issue in my 200 right now. i bent the control arm, and went to the junkyard to get a new one, but messed up the thread on the bolt that comes out of the ball joint. the old control arm's ball joint is in good condition. if i wanted to just swap them out, what would be the best way to get the good one out without damaging it? i have one of those forks, but every time i use it i fuck up the rubber bushings.


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## jeffinbham (Nov 1, 2003)

notwhathow said:


> If that doesn't work just hammer on the top of the ball joint until it falls apart.


this is how my problem developed in the first place.


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## Galimba1 (Aug 16, 2002)

jeffinbham said:


> i am having this same issue in my 200 right now. i bent the control arm, and went to the junkyard to get a new one, but messed up the thread on the bolt that comes out of the ball joint. the old control arm's ball joint is in good condition. if i wanted to just swap them out, what would be the best way to get the good one out without damaging it? i have one of those forks, but every time i use it i fuck up the rubber bushings.


A pulley remover works really well in popping the ball joint out without damaging the threads. If you're just replacing the ball joint, then the more barbaric methods apply.


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## ac_pulaski (Nov 8, 2004)

Thanks everyone, I got it now.

I had to go to the autparts store and get a ball joint puller. (a big fork)
Then I took that, and put a big pipe on the end, and pulled up on it after placing it where it needed to go, I removed the clip the night before, broke my needle nose pliers in the process.

Anyway... after pulling up on the bar so much that it was about to lift the car, the ball joint finally popped out.

Then like you said, I realised I had to get the ball joint pressed out of its brace. Fortunatly, the guy at the service station down the road was kind enough to press out the old one and press in the new one for no charge.

Now everything is right, took the car to get it inspected today, and it passed, so now I have a car for another 12 months anyway. Not bad, only paid $300 for the car, and currently, only have about $100 in it.

-AC


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## B11sleeper (Oct 15, 2003)

try spraying the sticky parts with penetrating oil over night too, I've had the work wonders.


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## Galimba1 (Aug 16, 2002)

ac_pulaski said:


> Thanks everyone, I got it now. . .
> 
> Then like you said, I realised I had to get the ball joint pressed out of its brace. Fortunatly, the guy at the service station down the road was kind enough to press out the old one and press in the new one for no charge.
> 
> -AC



Wow, the machine shop that did my work charged me 20 bones for using the hydraulic press.


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## recycled_toddler (Feb 4, 2004)

Good job! It's really not that hard, and the best way to pop those old balljoints out and the new ones in is definitely a hydraulic press. It took me 10 minutes to do my balljoints at my dad's place with the control arms off, of course.

Another thing I do is: To get the old balljoint off the steering knuckle, I unthread the castellated (slotted) nut, thread it back on upside-down to flush with the joint shaft, and give 'er a whack with the hammer. Heck, you're gonna replace it anyway, right?


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## jp314 (Jun 18, 2002)

I just replaced a ball joint in my brother's '92 se-r, and about a month ago replaced ball joints in my other brother's '91 se-r.

On the '91, I had a spare set of control arms, so I used a press at work.

For the '92, I bought this at harbor freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38335

It worked great, except you need a different size spacer for the se-r than what the kit comes with. A 2 - 3" long piece of 2" diamter exhaust pipe worked perfectly. With this kit, there's no need to remove the control arms from the car.

I got the ball joints from suspension.com - around $20 each I think.


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