Ball Joints

[GoetsTalon]

Got some quotes on doing a ball joint job on a 2000 Z71 Silverado and decided i would just get the parts and do it myself. Rented the press and fork but never made it that far. Talk about a bitch of a job that had the F-bomb flowing like water lol. I have the control arms with the ball joint installed and the lower ball joint for both sides to do. Ended up putting it back together for someone else to do. Can any of you guys recomend someone in northern wood county or lucas county that is good and not at a Midas price? Thanks!!!

 

[Milo]

What happened ? It's a pretty easy task.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Yeah thats what i thought. Could not get the bolts out of the control arm. Almost broke a breaker bar. Got the nuts off just couldn't get the bolt out. Never even got to the lowers. The truck was bought new in 99 so its old. No air hammer which is what its going to take.

 

[Milo]

See if you can get an air hammer and ball joint seperator at autozone . The rent them for free. Slide the fork in there and hit it and slides it apart. Pitt the new one in and crank it down with the castle nut and done.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Yeah i had the seperator (pickle fork) and got that seperated the problem was that i bought new control arms with the ball joint already installed but could not get the old control arm off. It needed new rubber bushings also so the new arm was the way to go plus to get at the lower there is a lot of work being that its a 4X4. Three differant shops quoted six to six and a half hours for the job and i can believe it after the attempt i made at it.

 

[Milo]

That seems aweful long. Can't believe it would take that long honestly. Mine always come out relatively quick.

 

[jagermeister]

That seems aweful long. Can't believe it would take that long honestly. Mine always come out relatively quick.

My thoughts as well. Last time I did upper and lower ball joints on my 4x4 it wasn't too bad. New control arms and all. Just had to take it in for an alignment afterwards. Sounds like a BFH is needed.... Big fucking hammer. Lol

 

[GoetsTalon]

Lol oh yeah!!! Thats where the air hammer comes into play but didn't have one and even if i did now somebody would have to hold a shotgun on me to try it again. I'll settle down for a couple days and maybe take a shot at it again next week.

 

[hickslawns]

Some of them come apart ok. Some of them are a real bear. For the tough ones, we have resorted to BFH, torch, air hammer, or all of the above.

 

[PSE13]

The way they set times for jobs is way different then some may believe. I still don't fully understand it and I work at a GM dealership.

 

[GoetsTalon]

I know what you mean. They say 1 1/2 hours for the top which i'm thinkin is high for three bolts and 2 hours for the bottom. The guys that do it for a living have all the tools for the job also. Maybe there fuging me because i have the parts and they can't charge me double for those so i get screwed on hours instead lol!!!

 

[PSE13]

Some of them I have ran into are a pain to take out. But normally it doesn't take too extremely long unless you have no clue what your doing. I know sometimes GM with work with you too get the cost down like maybe they will go by warranty time instead of customer pay. People do it all the time.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Took it to a local shop and got it back today and i am happy happy happy!!! They had to cut out the camber bolts because they were rusted in place plus the bottom balljoints had to have a lot of heat applied before they busted loose. Yeah i didn't know what i was doing but know what to do the next time. Let the pro's do it lol!!!

 

[PSE13]

That's insane! I have never had to cut anything thank god! I'm glad you got it done and back!