Beating Around the Bushing and Having a Ball (Joint)

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
07/03/2019 at 11:22 • Filed to: None

Not easy. I could’ve bought complete control arms, but only in off shore brands. So I’m using all AC Delco parts and saving a couple hundred bucks in the process. Not everything was worn out. In fact, the condition of the ball joints is a testimony to giving them a shot of grease diligently every 5,000 miles. Preventive maintenance.

The challenge has been getting the ball joint pressing kit to get along with my particular application with the bushings. The uppers will be the greater challenge to press in because of the control arm shaft going through the middle.

DISCUSSION (25)

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 11:39

I remember doing that on my Dakota years ago. I burned out the rubber bushings up top. It was not fun at all. I buy loaded arms whenever possible nowadays for cars we work on. But at least my truck is all poly now.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 12:08

I have horrible memories of ball joints. I did them on my Ram 2500 with a C ummins years ago. All that weight on the front end had them seated good and tight. I literally broke the first balljoint press I used, snapped it in half. My buddy ended up helping me, we blasted the centers out using a cutting torch to relieve some of the pressure and then we could get them out. It was an ordeal.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
07/03/2019 at 12:50

Yes, loaded arms would certainly be easier.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/03/2019 at 12:52

This has been a challenge also. I wanted to save some money, and I wanted AC Delco parts. Worth it? Can’t say yet, but I think it’s likely to be a break-even deal with effort involved. Still, a new adventure.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 12:57

That’s part of the fun of working on it yourself!

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/03/2019 at 13:00

And doing everything. Complete renovation. I did all of the rods and ends last Summer. This year it’s gotten new injectors and a complete tune-up. I do a lot of preven tive maintenance.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 13:03

I would have tackled my dead ball joint on my truck myself, but with all the rust and not having a backup vehicle anymore, I elected to take it to a shop.

diplodicus forgot his password > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 13:06

I’m confused why you’re averse to off shore brands but reading the made in labels on your parts they all appear to be from over seas... with the exception of mexico

HoustonRunner > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 13:11

On my list for the E28 is inspecting and probably replacing everything in the suspension that includes "rubber" or "bushing".

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher
07/03/2019 at 13:16

I don’t blame you. I toyed with having a shop do this job for me, though they’d have installed loaded arms.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > diplodicus forgot his password
07/03/2019 at 13:17

Sticking with the Delco brand, for better or worse.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > HoustonRunner
07/03/2019 at 13:17

Yup. I also have the ‘71 GMC van I call Rusty, which needs the same treatment. But for now, just get it driving and drive it around.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 14:09

If it weren't for the rust, I probably would have gone for it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher
07/03/2019 at 14:51

It’s a project, this one. An interesting and laborious challenge. I’ll head out next week with my new front end and my tent trailer with my wife and we’ll do about 2,000 miles.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 15:52

Enjoy!

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 16:34

i need to do my ball joints but on the explorer you have to replace the entire control arm

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
07/03/2019 at 17:03

That would be much easier than what I have undertaken.

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 17:53

O/T: Did you ever hear from that lady with the merging incident?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn
07/03/2019 at 17:56

Nope.

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/03/2019 at 18:03

Fingers crossed. Where are you and Mrs OC going?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn
07/03/2019 at 19:24

We've got a nice little trip planned out. I'll shoot you an email about it.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/04/2019 at 05:17

i bought some complete lower arms for my Lancer, as they’re still the originals

i figure after 700k km new ball joints and bushes won't hurt when i put new struts in

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > pip bip - choose Corrour
07/04/2019 at 07:38

Preventive maintenance.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/04/2019 at 14:33

All about what your time is worth to you, and what quality of parts you can get.

The shop I volunteer at only meet for a few hours at a pop, so time is more important than cost most times. And when we’re talking $15 vs $60, but easier swap, we will go the loaded route. But when you can’t get good parts that way, it’s not worth skimping on quality. Lots of factors to consider. But after doing my poly swap on my Dakota years ago, it’s got to be a big difference to steer me to the press in route. Then again, I am considering going poly on my S8 and the poly parts are a few hundred bucks whereas the loaded new arms are almost a grand, so I may be bringing the pain again. At least these arms aren’t like your uppers with the captured dog bone, those were absolute hell to deal with. I remember burning out the rubber and cutting the sleeves to get them out... I can still smell the rubber burning and picture it in my mind the whole operation. And that was over 15 years ago.

At least poly is one and done. I think I did that swap at 30-40k and I’m almost over 180k on the old girl now. And still going strong... if only the tie rod ends were so sturdy.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
07/04/2019 at 14:44

Happy FOJ.

I got all AC Delco parts for $200 less than the loaded arms from Mevotech would have cost. Now that I’ve done it, the bushings really weren’t that big of a deal, other than learning curve. The trick is a bushing/ball joint pressing set with a big enough C-clamp and the right sizes of sleeves.

No need to burn the rubber: gouge it out with a drill. Works great.

Cut, chisel, not that big a deal

Of all the bushing-related bits, the captured dog bone — control arm shaft — was actually the easiest bit. The original bushings were worn and came apart easily, and I had the correct size of sleeve and I could support the arm with the vise and just drive them in.

The larger bushings were tricky, as the arm wanted to collapse and deform, so had to go back with the chisel and tap the flaps straight.

I did all of the tie rod ends and idlers and arms last year, and bushings and ball joints this year, so renovated front suspension. All AC Delco parts. It also got new injectors and a complete tune-up a couple of months ago. So about a grand in parts all together, but getting that work done somewhere would have cost thousands.

The front end parts I replaced all had 12 years and 110,000+ miles, but held up very well because I grease them every 5,000 miles WITHOUT FAIL.