Again and again :(

[Purepony]

Some play is allowed, .070" as I recall.
Mike

How would I even double check that ?

 

[Purepony]

I've had alignment shops trying to make money on an alignment and say tie rods or ball joints are bad to get more $. But at least you saw the play and guy wouldn't do them so at least you had a good guy set you straight. NY state stopped checking ball joints on the safety inspection years ago. If wheel isn't falling off your good to go. Good luck with a little bit of a tough job if you never did it before. I had a 58 Fury with a lot of NY pot hole miles on it and I had to replace the uppers and bought the socket. I don't know if I can use that socket on the newer balljoints. Maybe another tool I have to buy.

Yeah they don’t want to risk tying down the lift on a production shop, they usually tell me what’s off then I just get it done and take it back.

 

[WileE]

ok... did these routinely back in the day. It's rare to need uppers, the lowers are the load-bearing joints. Be absolutely sure before you do them. Almost always it's the lowers that are worn.

 

[WileE]

If originality is not important, replace with tubular arms and get better positive caster. And you can save the originals. PST has them. I put tubulars on my current car years ago, and would do it again.

 

[Purepony]

If originality is not important, replace with tubular arms and get better positive caster. And you can save the originals. PST has them. I put tubulars on my current car years ago, and would do it again.

I thought about that but it’s just an unnecessary cost.
I looked at cont arms and it was 500 plus upper n lowers

 

[Purepony]

ok... did these routinely back in the day. It's rare to need uppers, the lowers are the load-bearing joints. Be absolutely sure before you do them. Almost always it's the lowers that are worn.

Hmm
Should I do lowers first ? How hard are the uppers to do ? I’m getting ready to order the sockets

 

[HawkRod]

Anyone have any tips on these ? I’ve never done the ball joints

I am redoing my entire front suspension on my 73 Road Runner, including the upper control arms and ball joints. I took out EVERYTHING including my K-member but if you are only doing the upper ball joints then you don't need to do as much.

Jack up and safely support the car so the wheel you are working on is hanging with the wheel off. Unload the torsion bar by loosening the tensioner bolt in the lower control arm. (I like counting the number of turns so I can put the car back to the same height. However, since you are getting an alignment now might be the time to adjust ride height if you want to change that.)

Now you need to separate the upper ball joint from the spindle. I don't like fighting with pickle forks - I've had great luck with the tool pictured below. This joint is pretty tight so it will not separate easy!!! I also like to take off the castle nut, turn it around and set it even with the end of the shaft so the tool has more to push on. It also keeps the upper control arm from violently separating from the spindle.

Now you can use the socket shown above and turn the ball joint out of the upper control arm. Installation is reverse of the above. (And I'm sure if I forgot something someone will pipe in and correct me too!)

By the way, there are not many choices for 73 and up cars if you want tubular control arms, and they are north of $400 if I remember right.

Good luck!

Hawk

 

[WileE]

Hmm
Should I do lowers first ? How hard are the uppers to do ? I’m getting ready to order the sockets

The upper bushings are probably worse than the joint itself. The upper could be easy, or could be a real bitch ! Must remove while still in car, once we used a 3 foot breaker bar. But uppers were rare, but that was 40+ years ago. Almost always the lowers were shot.

 

[493 Mike]

How would I even double check that ?

You shouldn't have to, the alignment shop should have told you the amount of wear in the lower joints when they diagnosed BAD joints.
Mike

 

[wvmarv]

Thanks for the heads up and valuable info.
Why do you say injury with a breaker bar? I have an impact but just wondering

I didn't say or read that, sorry. I can tell you this. I have installed quite a few of these in the last 40 years, especially back in the 70's and most of the time I had to use a breaker bar with a piece of cheater pipe on it to break them loose. Then used my impact gun to take them out. I never used more than an impact gun to put them back in. Just be careful not to cross thread them when starting them back in. I would start them with the socket and a ratchet, then hammer them home with my impact. You should also take the cotter key and nut off the ball joint and knock it loose from the spindle. Then leave the shaft in the spindle and put the nut back on it as far as you can get with your fingers to hold the control arm steady while breaking it loose from and unscrewing it from the control arm.

 

[Purepony]

I didn't say or read that, sorry. I can tell you this. I have installed quite a few of these in the last 40 years, especially back in the 70's and most of the time I had to use a breaker bar with a piece of cheater pipe on it to break them loose. Then used my impact gun to take them out. I never used more than an impact gun to put them back in. Just be careful not to cross thread them when starting them back in. I would start them with the socket and a ratchet, then hammer them home with my impact. You should also take the cotter key and nut off the ball joint and knock it loose from the spindle. Then leave the shaft in the spindle and put the nut back on it as far as you can get with your fingers to hold the control arm steady while breaking it loose from and unscrewing it from the control arm.

So these screw into the control arm too ?

 

[Purepony]

You shouldn't have to, the alignment shop should have told you the amount of wear in the lower joints when they diagnosed BAD joints.
Mike

Now I’m thinking maybe it’s normal play and he’s thinking it’s bad because I did have these installed around 2008 but the cars been sitting most of the time. Not even 20k miles since I started driving it

I know because of the speedo

 

[Kern Dog]

So these screw into the control arm too ?

The uppers screw into the control arm. The lowers use a tapered shaft that is held in place to the control arm by a nut. The cotter pin helps keep the nut from backing out.

 

[Purepony]

The uppers screw into the control arm. The lowers use a tapered shaft that is held in place to the control arm by a nut. The cotter pin helps keep the nut from backing out.

View attachment 1142075 View attachment 1142076

Thanks for the pic
The top intimidate me a bit the lowers appear to be held on by the three bolts. I’ve removed those when I installed the shorter spindle back on 08

 

[Purepony]

Some play is allowed, .070" as I recall.
Mike

So correct me if I’m wrong that’s the thickness of about two credit cards which is some play I think I’m within specs

 

[493 Mike]

So correct me if I’m wrong that’s the thickness of about two credit cards which is some play I think I’m within specs

I never mic'd a credit card but, that sounds about right.
Mike

 

[Purepony]

I never mic'd a credit card but, that sounds about right.
Mike

That’s a lot of play I guess I could see why this guy would say it’s bad.

do you think I should do the bottoms and keep the tops?

 

[wvmarv]

Some play is allowed, .070" as I recall.
Mike

I don't remember any

So these screw into the control arm too ?

Yes the upper's do, that's why you need a socket.

 

[WileE]

That’s a lot of play I guess I could see why this guy would say it’s bad.

do you think I should do the bottoms and keep the tops?

You can do that, then check the play. I would. Have you checked the bushings on both arms ? Especially the lower.

 

[493 Mike]

My 1965 Plymouth service manual says .050" max.
Mike