> -----Original Message-----
> From: Terrible Tom
>
> With everything I have done to my cars and trucks - believe it or not...
> I've never changed ball joints on anything. I am attempting to change
> Christines ball joints, and I know what to do, but seem to lack to tools
> to do it with. I picked up a ball joint press for the lowers... but the
> uppers are threaded into the control arm.
>
> I measured and the ball joint measures 2 1/18th across. There seem to
> be no balljoint tools suited to this task that I can find. And a large
> box wrench in that size would cost me over $150!! Anyone have any
> suggestions? There has to be a socket or a spanner wrench out there for
> this. I could use a pipe wrench? But thats not my first choice.
> --
Have you looked at a new ball joint? Are the threads wide and flat? If
so, they would be similar to the ball joints all the 1970's mopars used. I
have changed some of those and there is indeed a special socket for them. I
ordered mine through a local auto parts store. Almost certainly a Mac or
Matco tool distributor would have (or could get) one. It would be a lot
cheaper though if you could rent one... or borrow from a mopar tech.
Word of warning...if you mess up the threads in the control arm, you will
need to either replace the arm or use tack welds to help keep the joint in
place. As you might imagine, too much heat in this area is not a good
thing.
Ray
http://www.dragtruk.com/ENTRIES/20KM1FD2KWBP.html
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