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Cliff Rohrabacher
06-22-2007, 9:30 AM
I did all 4 ball joints on my truck yesterday. I had never done 'em before but I knew that I shouldn't need any special tools for a '90 Toyota.

I was just popping the bolts off the top left side when it dawned on me that just maybe that spring hidden in the factory shock would pose a little issue. Two C clamps later I was golden

The Job was only 4 castle nuts and 16 nut and bolt pairs but all the crap I had to disassemble to get at 'em~!! It took me all of 3 hours. And the bulk of the time I spent on the first side learning how to do it. And I needed a grinder to make room for my non-thin-walled #17 socket on one location on each side.

Well at least it's done and I don't need an alignment. Woo Hoo~!!

Wes Bischel
06-22-2007, 9:50 AM
Ugh. I feel for you Cliff. After many a set of old Ford ball joints, I know a bit of the pain in the rear they can be. :rolleyes: I bet you're glad that's over!:D

Wes

Cliff Rohrabacher
06-22-2007, 3:23 PM
Ugh. I feel for you Cliff. After many a set of old Ford ball joints, I know a bit of the pain in the rear they can be. :rolleyes: I bet you're glad that's over!:D

Wes

Yup. Only stubborn arrogance kept me from paying to have it done. Now it's done.

Brent Dowell
06-22-2007, 10:25 PM
Sweet...

I need to do that to an 87 Pathfinder here soon enough. It's my wifes baby, but someday, I've got plans.....

Couple inch lift, bigger tires, desert camo paint job, etc....

Just don't ask about the 46' chevy sitting in the garage in a 1000 pieces....

Boyd Gathwright
06-23-2007, 2:35 AM
.... How did you know you needed to replace the ball joints?



I did all 4 ball joints on my truck yesterday. I had never done 'em before but I knew that I shouldn't need any special tools for a '90 Toyota.

I was just popping the bolts off the top left side when it dawned on me that just maybe that spring hidden in the factory shock would pose a little issue. Two C clamps later I was golden

The Job was only 4 castle nuts and 16 nut and bolt pairs but all the crap I had to disassemble to get at 'em~!! It took me all of 3 hours. And the bulk of the time I spent on the first side learning how to do it. And I needed a grinder to make room for my non-thin-walled #17 socket on one location on each side.

Well at least it's done and I don't need an alignment. Woo Hoo~!!

Cliff Rohrabacher
06-23-2007, 1:06 PM
.... How did you know you needed to replace the ball joints?

The wheels wiggle in and out when you grab the top of the tire and rock it . That and for the last year or three the front end shimmied at certain speeds, that and the inspector guy refused to pass it because of ball joints, that and they were the original 17 year old factory ball joints.

So taking all those factors together it wasn't too hard to make the call.

Boyd Gathwright
06-23-2007, 11:05 PM
Hi Cliff,
.... Good reasons, excellent reasons. Why I asked, I put 476,000 miles on one of my cars and never had a problem with ball joints. This is something I always kept an eye on but try as I did I could never find any problems with them. Always kept plenty of grease on them and watched for the reasons you stated but they never raised their head. This car, which I still own, only has ball joints on the lower control arms. I guess with that kind of engineering configuration they just never wear out.


Thanks for sharing and I wish you well.

-----------------:)-----------------


The wheels wiggle in and out when you grab the top of the tire and rock it . That and for the last year or three the front end shimmied at certain speeds, that and the inspector guy refused to pass it because of ball joints, that and they were the original 17 year old factory ball joints.

So taking all those factors together it wasn't too hard to make the call.

Cliff Rohrabacher
06-24-2007, 11:50 AM
Always kept plenty of grease on them

Grease~?? What's that ?

Matt Meiser
06-24-2007, 12:16 PM
Around here it would have been easy--most of the stuff in the way on yours would be rusted off on a 17 year old car.