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LX RWD Lower Ball Joint Replacement

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ball joint
109K views 46 replies 32 participants last post by  joecas2 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, it will happen someday. Your RWD LX'es lower ball joint boot will tear or get torn, let water in and eventually get noisy then loose. The one on the left:


Currently, Chrysler will not service the ball joint seperately, although the special tools and service manual directions exist to do the procedure. Chrysler makes you buy a $700 spindle to replace it, which to many out of warranty, is just too expensive. And that doesn't include labor!!!

A solution??? Enter the aftermarket. A few different manufacturers now produce replacement lower ball joints for RWD LX vehicles. Currently, the majority of them are a special adjustable offset type, which allows increased caster and camber adjustment by repositioning the tapered stud before tightening the retaining nut.


I personally don't like this concept on an LX, where a craddle shift corrects most caster/camber issues. MOOG now makes a factory style replacement ball joint, so you don't have to go through the trouble of aligning the car after (Yes, it's probably still a good idea to get one, but a conventional ball joint isn't going to change the alignment as much as the adjustable offset one). Enough about that, lets get to work. :modding:The one I installed was a Napa Chassis part, the adjustable offset type.


So start with removing the wheel. 5 21mm lug nuts, and slip it off. Next, remove the 2 18mm caliper bracket bolts and swing the whole caliper and bracket off the rotor and hang it aside with a coat hanger. Next remove the rotor, if stuck on the hub, lube the hub center with penetraiting lube, then strike in-between the wheel studs with a hammer (32 oz. works best). Next, remove the 10mm bolt that holds the flex hose/wheel speed sensor bracket to the spindle. Next, remove the 3 10mm rotor dust shield bolts. The wheel bearing doesn't have to be touched. remove the 10mm bolt that holds the wheel speed sensor on. If the sensor will not pull out easy, using a flat bladed screwdriver against the tip of the sensor and a rubber mallet, lightly tap the screwdriver and push the sensor out. Repositioning the dust shield gives you an easier view of the sensor tip. Here's how far you should be at this point.


Now, remove the 21mm outer tie rod end nut. Using your trusty hammer, strike the hex postion of the tie rod stud swiftly to break the taper, or strike the side of the spindle where the tie rod stud inserts. Now remove the 18mm upper ball joint nut. Thread it back on a few threads, then strike the side of the spindle where the ball joint stud inserts with a hammer until the taper breaks, the nut will keep the spindle from dropping and hitting you in the face. Now, if your tension strut isn't going to be replaced at this time, loosen the 21mm tension strut retaining nut until the top of the nut is flush with end of the stud. Now you can either strike the spindle to death until the taper breaks, or get this seperator tool, Miller 9360:


The forcing screw is a 3/4" size. Insert the tool as shown, hooking the safety chain somewhere close:


Using a 3/4" 1/2" drive socket on a long 1/2" drive ratchet, tighten the forcing screw until the taper pops. Be forewarned!!! The long ratchet is so you don't stand right next to the tool while tightening the screw. The tension strut stud taper is extremely tight, and does take quite a bit of force to pop. Once it pops, remove the nut, and slip the tension strut out of the spindle. Now, loosen the 21mm lower ball joint nut until just a few threads are still engaged. Strike the side of the spindle where the ball joint stud inserts with a hammer until the taper breaks. Now, pull down on the upper control arm and remove the retaining nut. Let go of the control arm and allow the spindle to drop. Now remove the lower control arm nut, while holding the spindle up. Now lower the spindle off of the lower control arm. here is whats left of the car:


And what you're going to work on:


Now, the ball joint is press fit into the spindle, but as a safety measure, has a snap ring on it to keep it from pulling out. Using a pair of pointed tip snap ring pliers, or pointed tip needle nose pliers, expand the snap ring and remove.


If the snap ring sticks and won't completely expand, using a screwdriver and a small hammer, tap the side of the snap ring where it's sticking, and in a few other places. Now, you need the correct tools to remove the ball joint. Moog and Napa do sell the tools to do the job, but I'm using Miller Kit 9320, along with a ball joint C-Frame press.


Continued in next post.
 
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#32 ·
Guys I have a question. Is there any good and reliable way of checking weather this lower ball-joints are dead, or not? I always drive to the Bosch suspension test workshop where they move your wheels in all possible directions and they are able to determine if any gap is present in the ball-joints but they say they cannot check that for the lower ones. The only way is when it starts to squeak and then you need to push oil inside of it. If that squeak comes back pretty fast then that ball-joint is worn. But currently I have a noise and that ball is not making squeak, and still want to be sure that the lower ball-joint is not my problem. So is there any way to check it, or I should not worry and just wait for the squeak?
 
#33 ·
Just replaced front passenger side inner and outer tie rods, thinking the wheel wobble was fixed,only to find the lower ball joint is worn also. If you jack up the car near the wheel you have concerns about, grab the wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock and give it a twist. I did this and saw the spindle move up and down :>(
Hope this helps.
 
#34 ·
I know this is an old thread, but once I got the right c-frame and miller tool with just a little heat the old joint came out like butter!! F'd around for 3 weeks trying different tools,even made the plate that the receiver sets on (it lasted about 3mins and bent in half:blam:). Bent the el cheapo Harbor frt. tool c-press as well... now I'm back on track for SF9 :mrgreen:
 
#35 ·
I gave up on press tools too. I ended up sticking the spindle in a table vice, heating the spindle around the ball joint with a torch until it was glowing very bright. And used an air hammer with a chisel attachment against the ball joint. It came out within seconds. Burned the old one up though. I was able to place the new joint in by hand without pressing it. That's how hot and expanded the spindle was lol. Down side was that ended up Super heating the new ball joint and overheated the little bit of grease it came with. No biggie just pumped it full of new grease. I have a video of how I got it knocked out. Maybe I'll post it with pics.

Sent from the third Note of the Galaxy using Tapatalk.
 
#39 ·
Om my second attempt,I put the ball joint in the freezer for about 2hrs, then heated the ball joint mount hole with a Mapp torch. I also used a different install cup the fit the ball joint tighter. Went right in, when it got a little tight I added alittle more heat..:thumbs_u:,D
 
#40 ·
So is buying the miller kit the only way to do this? I've tried all day to get these lower ball joints pressed out with no luck. Local parts store ball joint c-press didn't budge them (I think I even bent it a little). I tried using a 40 ton press but the knuckle is too awkwardly shaped to line it up the with press correctly. Even when I gave up and brought the knuckles to a machine shop, they looked at them and gave them back to me. They weren't comfortable trying to remove it. They said they probably could by heating it up, but that they didn't want to do that since it could weaken the integrity of the part or possibly break. I'm at a loss and now without my daily driver. I guess it's off to bring the knuckles to the chrysler dealer then.
 
#41 ·
I have removed them with c clamp ball joint press. Remember you need to remove the c clip holding it.
 
#43 ·
I took mine to a local tire shop they pressed them in and the old ones out in 5 min & $35.
 
#44 ·
Results may vary



I did my whole front end about 2 years ago and the ball joints are the only thing I couldn't get done. I went to 2 different local garages for help and both of them struggled with it. The first heated it up against my advice after reading a post about exploding ball joints. I dont know the details but he had to go to the hospital. The second one got it done only after removing the bearing so they could mount the spindle on one of their presses. These ball joints are a **** show. I also bent the harbor freight C clamp. I never tried miller tool with good quality c clamp. When I do them again, I'll file them lightly to relieve some tension around the ball joint. In another post here someone recommended that to alleviate the tight fit issues.
 
#45 ·
I’ve just ordered Moog ball joints, they’re clunking away on both sides and next on the list to do. Just hope the Mercedes tools will fit and the car won’t be disabled for long if I run into any trouble.
 
#46 ·
Great write up Tbird!! I'm on the fence whether to replace my lower ball joints or not while servicing my front end. They still feel tight when I rotate them. Most of the other suspension pieces need replacing, they are shot. I ended up going with a full suspension kit for the front. I'm installing 10 of the 16 pieces, 12 if you include the lower ball joints. I had a shop install the tie-rod ends after my right one completely fell apart while driving the Magnum, scary sh*t!

The lower ball joints that came with the Suspension Dudes kit look to be the exact same that SIG sells on ebay, with JPN etched in the bottom. I have NO prior experience with that brand... I also looked at the Moog LBJ while at Advanced Auto, they looked nice in person. How are the Moog LBJ holding up?
 
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