elis94camaro

I'm doing the lower ball joints on my 94 camaro and everything has gone smooth up until the part where I have to use the balljoint press I rented from autozone.I really don't know how to set it up and have searched but have come up with nothing. I would really appreciate it if someone could walk me through on how to do it. I've been reading and found an old post about how the autozone balljoint press is too small and would like to know if it is true so that I can go return it and want to know for those that have done it on the car where to rent the press from? All help is appreciated thanks.

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

i tried to use one of those C clamp type ball joint presses..............it just would not work.......the damm angles on the arm and the the little room around the ball joint itself made it a PITA......ended up using a regular press and still fighting it.......it was a job a would have been glad to pay someone else to do

elis94camaro

Ok I just managed to get the old ball joint out with a bfh, it must have been ready to fall out or something because all it took was three
Swift blows to it and pop it went.Now my main problem now is pushing the new one in. Could some one walk me on how to use the clamp or tell me if it is even useful?I would really appreciate it. I don't feel like taking the arm off and taking it somewhere of I don't have too.

elis94camaro

Does the ball joint dust boot go on before or after?

Undertow74

iTrader: (45)

After..... An. All I can say is good lick using the clamp style remover/ installer. I pulled my arms off and used an arbor press with a bunch of different sockets/ metal blocks was still a pain but the only way to install them and seat them all the way in.

elis94camaro

Ok so I got it in but am unsure if it's seated all the way in.I checked the other side for reference but am still having doubts. Is the bottom of the balljoint suppose to be flush or is there a little sticking out on both sides, because on mine there is a little sticking out. I just want to know a sure way of seeing that they are fully seated. The tool would not go any further and felt like it was suppose to stop there like it had hit something. I'm guessing it got seated but want to run it through you guys before I put it back. I can get pics if it helps?

elis94camaro

Does anyone know how to
post pics?

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

mine was flush on the bottom.......took a lot pressure to get it in there

elis94camaro

I'll try to get some pics up but really don't know how? Could someone help out?

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

If you don't already have the B/Js partially in place, and jammed, try this OLD trick. Put the B/J in the freezer for about 15 minutes, and while it's in there, warm the area around the hole of the lower control arm a little. This will shrink the B/J a tad, and enlarge the hole in the a-arm a tad, and it will help the situation....