Moparts
Upper Ball Joint question
Posted By: 1fastrunner
Upper Ball Joint question - 02/12/09 11:14 PM
Thanks for all your suggestions in helping to loosen the top. I finally accomplished that, but now what? Do I just pry the top out? Sorry for the dumb questions, but I've never done this before.
Jim
Posted By: RoyceFlo73
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/12/09 11:17 PM
Auto zone or Advance Auto rent (for free) a ball joint press. It costs about 140 up front, but you have 90 days to bring it back and get all the money up front.
Then you just follow the directions on the box, and it will press the ball joints out of the UCA
This isn't a scheem, it's a rental tool program they run, so that they can sell parts. if you didnt have the tools they couldn't sell the parts.
Posted By: OzHemi
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/12/09 11:24 PM
Once you unscrew the upper ball joint, it should just fall out
Posted By: Neil
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/12/09 11:27 PM
Not familiar with your year and model of car, but on my 70 dart the upper ball joints just screw in and out of the upper control arms. Prying them out would be a no-no. You would ruin your chances of the new ones threading in properly.
If your new ball joints are threaded then just keep turning on the old ones until they come out.
Posted By: RoyceFlo73
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/12/09 11:30 PM
I had to press my ball joints in. They weren't threaded, they had parallel grooves that I had to press out.
Posted By: Neil
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/12/09 11:35 PM
I assume the poster is talking about the road runner in his signature. That being the case I can't say for sure how the ball joints are attached on that type of car. I'd need to see them or at least have a service manual in front of me. I always thought mopars had a threaded upper ball joint.
Posted By: 1fastrunner
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/12/09 11:45 PM
Yes, I believe they are threaded. I had to buy a special socket to get the top to unscrew. It screwed up some, but it seems to just spin now. Could it be all the way up and just a snug fit? I don't want to try to force it any if I'm going to damage anything. And yes, it's the '71 RoadRunner.
Thanks,
Jim
Posted By: OzHemi
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/12/09 11:50 PM
It should unscrew all the way. If it has stopped part way like you said, might be worth a try to push upward on the ball joint as you unscrew it. Perhaps use a piece of wood under the stud of the ball joint, as you push down on the control arm and hit it with an impact wrench then.
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/13/09 02:10 AM
they thread in and out. The new one CAN be a bit hard to start as they design an interference fit so it stays put so just make sure you start it "square" & I put some grease on the threads to ease future dissassembly. Some are self threading & cut their own threads but none(of our Mopars) are meant to be pressed in or out.
Posted By: therocks
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/13/09 03:24 AM
If you press any uppers in a old Mopar the arms are junk period.They all screw in.Rocky
Posted By: sthemi
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/13/09 11:56 PM
Have you removed the nut from the bottom and used a ball joint fork to seperate the arm (ball joint stud) from the spindle casting?
Posted By: 1fastrunner
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/14/09 03:42 AM
I removed the nut from the bottom, and used the socket to unscrew the top. It has stopped coming up even though it's still rotates. I didn't try to pry it out yet because I didn't want to mess up any threads by mistake. So, I just need to pry it out?
Jim
Posted By: zrxkawboy
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/14/09 04:11 AM
Quote:
Have you removed the nut from the bottom and used a ball joint fork to seperate the arm (ball joint stud) from the spindle casting?
+1
Posted By: IMGTX
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/14/09 04:59 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Have you removed the nut from the bottom and used a ball joint fork to seperate the arm (ball joint stud) from the spindle casting?
+1
I didn't see from your response that you seperated the ball joint from the spindle and I think that this is where these guys are going.
+2
Quote:
I had to press my ball joints in. They weren't threaded, they had parallel grooves that I had to press out.
The bolt in ball joints haved some very thin screw threads that look like parallel lines. You may have pressed in screw in ball joints. If so keep an eye on them. They can pull back out of the control arm, I have seen it happen.
If the ball joint does not have the 4 flats on the edges where it meets the control arm it is a press in ball joint. If it has the 4 flats it is a screw in in my experience. As somebody already said that year is going to be screw in.
Posted By: Andrewh
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/14/09 05:13 AM
Quote:
I removed the nut from the bottom, and used the socket to unscrew the top. It has stopped coming up even though it's still rotates. I didn't try to pry it out yet because I didn't want to mess up any threads by mistake. So, I just need to pry it out?
Jim
can you compare it to the new one? See how much is still threaded in there?
There might just be some metal shavings holding it in place depending on where the taper starts.
Is the whole thing spining, or just part of it?
Pretty sure the casing that you turn has the threads.
Are you turning by hand? or do you think it is turning because the socket is moving?
That is, sometimes it seats a bit shallow, and the socket may move, but the balljoint doesn't.
Posted By: 72roadrunnergtx
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/14/09 05:54 AM
As I read the OP’s postings, I don’t hear that the upper ball joint has been separated from the spindle prior to attempting to remove the joint from the upper control arm. Assuming you are performing the repair on the car, Have you released the torsion bar tension yet? The method that works well for me is first before backing off on the torsion is to loosen, not remove, the spindle to ball joint nut and 1/8 inch or so and hitting the side of the spindle flange with a hammer to release the tapered stud. Back off the torsion bar completely, remove the nut to separate the ball joint from the spindle completely. Now the ball joint can be unscrewed from the control arm.
Posted By: sthemi
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/14/09 06:24 AM
Quote:
As I read the OP’s postings, I don’t hear that the upper ball joint has been separated from the spindle prior to attempting to remove the joint from the upper control arm. Assuming you are performing the repair on the car, Have you released the torsion bar tension yet? The method that works well for me is first before backing off on the torsion is to loosen, not remove, the spindle to ball joint nut and 1/8 inch or so and hitting the side of the spindle flange with a hammer to release the tapered stud. Back off the torsion bar completely, remove the nut to separate the ball joint from the spindle completely. Now the ball joint can be unscrewed from the control arm.
Well put, the stud has a nut that must removed and the stud is a Morse Taper that requires some effort to unseat from the spindle casting. After the torsion bar has been unscrewed.. I like a pickel fork and a BIG hammer to remove them.. 
Posted By: 1fastrunner
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/15/09 12:14 AM
Bear with me because this is all new to me. I have removed my torsion bars and the crown nut. I then used a special socket to remove what I think is the upper ball joint from the upper control arm. I had to soak it good with pb blaster and used an impact wrench to get it to turn. As I was screwing it out, I could see the brake drum rise up tighter to the control arm. It then continued to spin with no change. It can't be turned by hand either. I just need to know what to do next without messing anything up. Separating the joint from the spindle has been mentioned as well as using a pickle fork. Please advise, I won't be doing anything until tomorrow, but I like to plan.
Thanks,
Jim
Posted By: OzHemi
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/15/09 12:38 AM
You have to remove the spindle from the ball joint before you go any further. It should be removed before you try and even loosen the ball joint at all actually.
You can use a pickle fork, or using a large hammer, hit with a few sharp raps the side of the spindle, right where the ball joint goes through it...I do this alot and it will usually shock the spindle enough and let it fall off of the ball joint.
Once you have the spindle loose and let it drop out of the way, the upper ball joint should come right out.
Posted By: Andrewh
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/15/09 02:10 AM
I agree. all you have to do is get the spindle loose.
I would support it with something, or thread the nut back on to catch it so it doesn't bounce off the ground.
Posted By: 1fastrunner
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/15/09 04:53 PM
I've been using a pickle fork as suggested and I can get partial separation but not out all the way. When I take the fork out, it comes back together. I think I need to do something different?
Jim
Posted By: 1fastrunner
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/15/09 05:04 PM
While waiting for a reply with growing frustration, I hit it again several times with a hammer, and it fell out!
Thanks Again For All Your Help and Suggestions!
Now I'm on to the next step.
Jim
Posted By: OzHemi
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/15/09 05:46 PM
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Upper Ball Joint question - 02/15/09 07:22 PM
Quote:
with growing frustration, I hit it again several times with a hammer
BFH w attitude works every time.
