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.
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.