RazzNdazz Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 So I think I might have something funky going on with my upper ball joints. Does this look normal to any of you? It doesn’t look normal to me. Both sides are like this pic. Looks to me like they’re on a heck of an angle. Boots won’t stay tight together. They’re MOOG parts and I don’t know how long they’ve been on the car, but the boots are still soft and pliable. When I turn the wheels to the right, just before lock, I can hear a clunk and feel it in the car. (Body, not the steering wheel) I thought it was the sway bar linkages because they were dang near touching the castle nuts on the upper ball joints. I cut the linkages down a little shorter with a sawsall and the clunk is still there. Also when I brake, and the calipers start to grab the rotors, the same clunk is happening even if the wheels are straight. The steering box, steering arm, idler arm, tie rod ends, sway bar ends all feel tight and the boots are all soft and still holding grease, (except for the upper joints like I said.) no clunking when wheels go over a bump, and I when I lift the car and pull the hub up and down, left-right, side to side, etc., the hub has no play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 When the front wheels are hanging like in the pic, the upper control arm on the frame, the ball joints will have that angle. The boot doing that is not normal. Did you check the joints, upper and lower for play? When in doubt, change them out. Lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RazzNdazz Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 Ok, I kinda wondered that! Makes sense about the hanging. So those ball joints have a cap looking thing around them that appears to bolt into the A-arm. Do you know if I can unbolt them and swap them for fresh ones easily, or if I’ll have to ram them out with an air hammer or ball joint press; like a traditional ball joint? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 The original balljoints are riveted in. The aftermarket are bolted in. Unbolt, swap, bolt in the new ones. Ez pz. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RazzNdazz Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 Perfect!! EZ-PZ! Lol. Thanks!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 58 minutes ago, MC1of80 said: The original balljoints are riveted in. The aftermarket are bolted in. Unbolt, swap, bolt in the new ones. Ez pz. Very true, if only bolted onto the a-arms it is easy, the hardest thing, and it isn't that hard is separating it using a pickle fork but you more than likely already know that. rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RazzNdazz Posted February 10, 2022 Author Share Posted February 10, 2022 I have a set of forks. Couple different sizes. I just haven’t seen these bolt-on ball joints before. I’ve done the other style with a ball joint press, so I’m looking forward to swapping these ones to see what they’re like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leghome Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 After new joints come an alignment job 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott S. Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 My question is how big is that pickle ??? These forks are fair sized..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70MC402 Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Not sure exactly what you’re going for with the car but when I went through my front end I went with AFCO low friction ball joints, they move with something like 2 inch pounds of rotational force, I’m not sure if it’s really something that affects just street driving but I corner somewhat hard in my car and figured any time you can get friction out of the steering it’ll just result in a better driving car. Just my two cents since they aren’t too much more expensive than like a moog. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RazzNdazz Posted February 11, 2022 Author Share Posted February 11, 2022 I ordered some new MOOG ones. They’re not expensive so I’ll just swap them out and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 You should have googled the part number and found the cheapest price. Just saying... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 44 minutes ago, MC1of80 said: You should have googles the part number and found the cheapest price. Just saying... on that, Amazon has a lot of stuff and much cheaper in most cases. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackhawk Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 I prefer using a ball joint separator or tie rod puller for removing ball joints, especially because I'm running tall ball joints and there's a lot of space between the spindle and control arm. You can rent them for free from the auto parts store. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RazzNdazz Posted February 12, 2022 Author Share Posted February 12, 2022 My pickle fork has a removable handle and you can then plug the shaft into an air hammer. I doubt those ball joints will put up much of a fight against that. But ya never know. I got a BFH too if I need lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbolt Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 I prefer just loosening the ball joint nut then hitting it hard with a hammer until the threaded part breaks free from the a arm. That method has never let me down and I dont have to clean grease from a pickle fork. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jft69z Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 3 hours ago, cbolt said: . That method has never let me down and I dont have to clean grease from a pickle fork. Or tear the rubber boot with the fork. I whack them on the casting the taper shaft slips into, usually releases after a couple of hits. I've also got ball joint presses that push down on the end of the shaft, if it's really stuck in there (to preload the shaft & a whack on the side to pop it free, always gets it done). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dtret Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 Yep. That’s the way I do it. I have an OTC kit that works great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RazzNdazz Posted February 14, 2022 Author Share Posted February 14, 2022 Well, it’s not the ball joints! I’m missing the front, upper control arm bushing, bolt, cap, and lock washer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dtret Posted February 14, 2022 Share Posted February 14, 2022 See other post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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