Got lower ball joint installed til flush with top of control arm. Then, needed to use a receiver on the ball joint press to allow the top of the ball joint to rise above control arm to seat properly. Control arm rounded so receiver in universal kit keeps sliding off when I tighten ball joint press. How can I get this ball joint seated the rest of the way?

 

I am looking.. I know there is a write up somewhere with good pics but having trouble in finding it right now.. Don't want ya to think we are not interested in helping you.. I am not sure of the exact problem you are having because i have not experienced this myself on the ones i have done.

Welcome to the forum by the way...

 

Thanks for the welcome! Wish I had found this forum long ago! Just discovering the nightmare of the issues with the ball joints on the D's. Original owner but never got the recall notice. No real warning noises until it was ready to go. 1st started hearing noise similar to noisy brake pads. Then, within a few miles there was loud noise in front end, that started making a banging sound. Then D wasn't rolling properly. Found out in the daylight that the driver side tire was not straight. Turns out the wheel hub assembly separated. It was a miracle that the wheel did not fly off. Good thing we weren't on interstate!

Decided to replace things now that I have everything apart. Ball joints are extremely loose. Dealer wouldn't do upper ball joint recall unless they did the wheel hub assembly, etc. They wanted $2,000. That prompted me to do it myself.

About the lower BJ: BJ pushes up to install. The lower control arm is not flat on top. It rounds off leaving no flat ledge to place receiver on when using press. Got BJ installed til top is flush with control arm. BJ needs to be seated further. Because top of BJ needs to be above the top of the control arm, I had to add a receiver in the press setup on top of the control arm to allow that space for BJ to move up. But, the receiver keeps sliding off the top of the control arm, so I can't get the pressure I need to press it the rest of the way in. It seems like I need a slightly angled receiver or one that is cone-shaped at the bottom to fit over the rounded control arm BJ fitting.

Do these details help any?

 

This 02 D only has 75,000 miles on it, so wasn't expecting this type of repair already.

 

Regular road use. No off-road use.

 

I did search the forum for information on this before I posted so as not to re-address formerly posted info. But, I did not see any posts having this type of problem installing the lower BJ. I have spoken to someone who specializes in off-road vehicles. He said that he has run into this problem. He is a machinist, so he makes his own receivers to fit the vehicles. It's my dumb luck that he didn't have one to fit my situation.

 

Ya i keep finding upper when i search.. I know its out there because i have read it, I even have it in my fav's but lol gosh that is so messed up I can't find it in there, Maybe someday i will get my "fav's" organized, only prob is I would probably have to take a vacation week from work to do so.

Okay so basically we have determined that it is the the tool you are using correct? Where did you get this from? I know people have had luck with the tool loaner program that Autozone and Advance Auto.. You may try those..

 

Well i am sorry i am not able to find a solution for you, I looked and looked for that one thread with no luck. Like i said i have not ran into the issue you are having, I use my own tools and the ones that I have will not slip as your is. Autozone and Advance Auto both have a tool loaner program that many people have had success with those, you may want to give that a shot.

 

Well its well known that these have had ball joint issues for a wile. The key here is to replace them with "quality" ball joints, I suggest Moog. You buy cheap and you will find yourself changing again 50,000-60,000(normal use). Moog will last ya 100,000 (normal use)

 

Ok,

I've had to lower the truck onto blocks with a large socket on it and use the trucks weight to push it up. I've had to hit the control arm with a mallet downward to finish it off and use the weight of the truck. BE CAREFUL!


schusterjo<-------I think I did that write up on the old system.