Ball Joint and Wheel bearing

Young Gunna · Post by **Young Gunna** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 1:08 pm

So i took my car to a mechanic for an inspecion.
I was suspecting my rear wheel bearing to be gone because of a loud roar when driving at speeds.

The mechanic told me my front driver side balljoint needs replacing as well as my wheel bearing on rear passenger side.

My question is. Can i replace these myself. Any idea on how much the parts would cost me?

the car has drums in the rear btw

quicksilvr · Post by **quicksilvr** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:54 pm

Unless you have a press, you won't be able to do the ball joint. The rear bearing you could probably do, the bearing and hub come as an assembly. Cost is around $70. Check with BlackRoseRacing about getting oem replacement parts.

fixitmattman · Post by **fixitmattman** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:24 pm

You can do ball joints without a press, but you have to know what you're doing. Rear wheel bearing you could do yourself too, just need the correct socket and a good breaker bar. A torch will help (almost required) for both of these.

Matt

quicksilvr · Post by **quicksilvr** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:54 pm

fixitmattman wrote:You can do ball joints without a press, but you have to know what you're doing. Rear wheel bearing you could do yourself too, just need the correct socket and a good breaker bar. A torch will help (almost required) for both of these.

Matt

How would you get the old ball joints out, and the new ones in without a press? I can see just whacking on the old ones with a big hammer...but how would you push the new ones in? I'm just curious.

Post by **Diablo0** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:59 pm

I'd assume with a torch on the install he's heating up the knuckle and control arm enough to be able to press the units in, sorta like a UDP. That'd be my guess...

I've done the wheel bearing without a press, I jused use a large vice instead to push the two together. Just gotta make sure it's strait though. Haven't had to do a ball joint though.

fixitmattman · Post by **fixitmattman** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:09 pm

~Using a propane torche heat up control arm around old ball joint to boil the grease out of the old joint hot
~I used an old stock of metal that had a bore in it to sit it on the shoulder of the old ball joint and beat it out with a sledge, could also use an old socket - beat is the key word, the heat free's them up, but they need a solid hit to get them out

~Clean up bore of control arm with emery cloth
~Heat up bore with propane torch for 5 min or so to get it nice and hot
~Insert new ball joint, align it up and hit it in with a 2 or 3 lb club hammer
~To ensure they're fully seated, give the bottom end of the joint a tap with the sledge (not a full handle swing - hold it at about the same lenght as a normal hammer)
~Install grease nipple

Done

Matt

quicksilvr · Post by **quicksilvr** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 4:37 pm

That would work. Only drawback is that if you're pounding them in and out, you still need a way to very securely secure (:lol:) the control arm such that you can (especially on the install) hit the new ball joint squarely and solidly. But if you can get that, then your method works.

I still prefer a press.

fixitmattman · Post by **fixitmattman** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 6:17 pm

I supported the ball joint end over a vise, and the other end with a block of wood. One square hit, then re-set it again. If you can't hit square if your life depended on it, I don't recommend this.

I prefer a press as well, but I didn't have one at the time. I've had a lot of experience bashing parts out of construction equipment where this is your only option to remove stuff so it didn't take me long. Since then I scored a very solid 3t arbor press.

Matt

Young Gunna · Post by **Young Gunna** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:08 pm

tnx alot guys

the balljoint isnt as much of a priority
but the wheel bearing grind is driving me insane

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:39 am

anybody know what size the hub nut is?

FTWNeon · Post by **FTWNeon** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 4:36 pm

I did know, but I can't recall, I think 24mm