Hey all,

Did a search but didnt find anything so forgive me if this is a dumb post.

Just started tackling doing new ball joints and never done this before. I got this upper boil joint out and found the threads in the control arm to be very shallow. Is this normal or are these rotted and stripped out?




Would love an opinion because Im really not sure what theyre supposed to look like to be honest with you.

Cheers for the help.

 

Looks just fine to me, I'd just make sure it was very clean before putting in new ball joint.

If you look at the threads on the ball joint, they're the same shallow kinda deal.
Your threads look fine main thing about these is I've seen people press them out, not realizing they're threaded, thereby ruining the control arm. Yours seems ok.

 

@1990B150318 I really appreciate the reply.

Definitely interesting that the tops are threaded and the bottoms are pressed I can see how people would screw that up.

 

Yes, it actually pissed me off to discover this with my B150 (I have a restoration project thread on this forum) because I knew then that I needed the socket for the tops and a ball joint press for the bottoms, and I've yet to make the replacement.

Just remember - when you thread the new joint, remove the boot and clip, then install on the other side once you thread it down.

 

ah yes the boot doesnt quite fit through figured that one out.

What i didnt realize (because this is my first time) is that to do the lower ball joints you really do need to have the entire knuckle off to press the new joint in....much to my dismay after I installed upper ball joint and tie rod ends only realize I had to take it all back apart when my lower ball joints came in...and of course i tore the boot of the new joint taking it back out. Lucky for those duralast warranties, just went and grabbed a new one.

 

You aren't lying - and this is why the lower ball joints remain on my B150 - I need to order a spring compressor. Here is what the 1990 Chrysler manual says about lower ball joint removal -

 

my hayes manual literally just says pull the control arm off and take it to a shop haha!

I have a ball joint press and have watched some video of people using it, it doesn't look too bad but I always say that before a 2 day projects turns into 2 months

 

I put a jackstand under the lower control arm, so I don't have to remove the spring. Then just use a bfh to drive the balljoint out. Use the press to install the new one.

 

Well hopefully im lucky enough to be able to use a hammer but I'm pretty sure these are the originals on this '97 so I'm guessing they're good and stuck haha

 

Why simply use the press to remove the ball joints?