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A how to for U & L Ball Joint Replacement (and sway bar end links)

204K views 157 replies 90 participants last post by  Schurkey 
#1 ·
Let me know what you think. Add anything? Questions?

Disclaimer: This is by no means an exact how to guide. This is how “I” did it. Your open to do things my way or your own. This job was done on my 2002 TB. Im unaware if there are differences between the years or models of 360s.


Ok…. So you want a how too for the ball joints and sway bar end links you say… maybe you didn’t say it…..either way… here it is.

I just replaced my Upper and Lower Ball Joints, along with front and rear Sway Bar End Links. They were worn out looking and were making horrible clunking sounds. I had put 20K more miles on these parts and figured it was about time.

I replaced my parts with all Moog brand parts.

This is the “parts list” and my cost at O’Reilly Auto Parts



I also picked up one of the ball bearing clamp tools. O’Reillys could not seem to locate theirs so I ended up at Advance. It was around 160 bucks, totally refundable so…. FREE!!! Based on what I saw online, the set at O’Reillys seemed very small and limited. I ended up with a 23 piece set and that was a very good thing. Cant recommend any particular tools in the case to use. Just kinda trial and error to figure out whats going to get your ball joints out.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/offspringin/Clamp.jpg

My first thing was rolling the truck up on some ramps. This kept the truck more stable. I then broke the lugs loose on the right side, this was the side I started on. Next I jacked it up by the A-Arm. I did this so it could be lowered and raised easier if need be. You may can skip this step but it did hold everything tight.

So now your wheel is off. The upper is easy to unbolt. There is a long horizontal bolt there, both nut and bolt is 15mm.




After this bolt is out its possible the entire assembly will just kinda fall down (not all the way because the lower is still connected) At this point you are able to angle it out enough to work on it just fine with the clamp clearing the fender with a couple of inches.

This ball joint needs to be pressed down back through the arm. There is a clip on the topside. Mine was buried in dirt but it was under there. Clean that off, get the clip off using flat screw driver and needle nose pliers and now your ready for the clamp.
Figure out what tools you will need to push it down. Tried just smacking it with a small sledge but it didn’t want to budge. The clamp does a great job though. I recommend a long breaker bar or huge socket wrench to use on the clamp to get some good leverage on it.

So now lets hope you got your ball joint out. What comes next may vary from part to part. The Moog parts came with new bolt/nut, grease fittings, lock clip, and the ball joint itself. These were marked on the rubber boots which way it needs to face, in this case it told me to face it in. Again you choose the tools you need to press it up and back into the arm. This proved to be hard but very possible. MAKE SURE YOUR PUSHING IT IN STRAIGHT. I HAD TO BACK OFF AND RE-SITUATE A FEW TIMES. Once its pressed in. Put the clip on it, thread the grease fitting on it and set your nut/bolt to the side.

Note: Originally I reassembled the upper and tried to take apart the lower, this became a little bit of a hassle so it was decided that the upper should be disconnected.

Before starting on the lower ball joint. I recommend unclipping the ABS wire, and unbolting the bracket that holds the brake line (there are 2 small 10mm bolts facing in on the back side of the arm). When you take the brake line bracket off you now have a little hole which you can run some wire and use to support the arm as you take off the lower ball joint. I wired mine to something up in the wheel well. I don’t recall exactly what, you just want to keep it from falling to the ground pulling the cables/hoses with it and damaging your rotor.

Now to start on the lower. This is just 1 huge nut on the bottom, facing the ground. Im not certain the MM size as I used an adjustable wrench for this one. I know that a 15/16inch will work but I’m sure its mm so maybe a 24 or 25mm? Loosen this BUT NOT ALL THE WAY UNTIL YOUR READY. If you take it all the way off with the upper ball joint disconnected the entire assembly will fall. It is not light. This is really a job for 2 people. When you are ready to drop it one person should hold the brake/caliper/arm assembly while someone else finishes removing the nut.



This is an after shot (there is no cotter pin in the stock ones)


You may need to tighten your wire a little but you can also kinda get the whole assembly to just chill in the back half of the wheel well. You will not need to touch it until your ready to reassemble.

Now to get the lower ball joint out. Its pressed up from the bottom then they press the edges to hold it in place. I used a hammer and iron bar to smash these little tabs back in.


Once these are pressed in your ready for your clamp, again just find the set up that works to push it down and out.

Once its out your ready to put your new one in. My new one came with again a grease fitting, new nut, cotter pin, lock clip, and the ball joint itself. I pressed it UP into the arm and put the lock clip on. Then my grease fitting. Again it will help to have 2 people to remount the assembly. Undo the wire if you chose to use it, have them put it back up onto the bolt of the ball joint and screw the nut on the bottom. In my case I had to line up the bolt hole with the grooves in the nut for the cotter pin. Once that is nice and tight your free to re connect your upper ball joint with the bolt and nut you put to the side earlier. Just slide it up in there, and run the bolt in, tighten and your good to go.

I then greased all my new fittings. Use your judgement on how much.

Repeat in the same way on the other side

SWAY BAR END LINKS
You by no means have to replace these at the same time. But if your going to do them on the front then is an ideal time. These were just quick swap outs. Unbolt using a #6 allen in the end of the bolt , and an 18mm open ended wrench. My new ones bolted on using an 18mm open ended on the ball side, and an 18mm socket on the nut side. Again mine came with grease fittings so I greased them up, threw the tire back on and done with the front right.

The rear end links are about the same, they are kind of a pain to get too, the drivers side was the worst because of the gas tank.

Over all I would say this entire job took about 4 hours. 3 for the front end work, and about an hour for the rear sway bar end link replacements.

Before and After Pictures

These are the 2 Ball Joints, the left is the upper, and right lower

Upper Ball Joint Before

Upper Ball Joint After

Front Sway Bar End Link Before

Front Sway Bar End Link After

Rear Sway Bar End Link Before

Rear Sway Bar End Link After
 
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#30 ·
I'll be replacing the lower ball joints tomorrow morning, Saturday Sept 19th. I'm in the Philadelphia area and if you want to come over and lend a hand feel free to PM me.

I understand it's not the most exciting thing to do on Saturday :sleepy:, but if you're going to change your own, you might as well get some practice. :bonk:
 
#32 ·
HELP! I'm working on the lower ball joint right now and can't seem to get the axel away from the hub. It moves a good 1-2 inches but that's it. Do I need to remove the hub first? The one of the triangle bolts is really hard to get to because the axel boot is in the way.

Any help please!
 
#33 ·
Sorry I've been working on my truck as well. If you used PB Blaster on the CV axle splines, and removed the axle nut, and the upper ball joint, then the steering knuckle should just hinge down and the axle will come out more from the hub.

The hub bolts are difficult to access with sockets, that's true. It's why there are wrenches. I almost always use a box end wrench on those instead of a ratchet.
 
#35 ·
How is the lower ball joint press supposed to be setup? I feel the receivers are too small or too big. I have two kits powerbuilt kit 72 and some other one the receivers are the same size am I doing something wrong? It's supposed to press down right?
 
#36 ·
Pressing out? Yes downward. I think I used the medium receiver and the ball joint got stuck in it. It the safest way I found (second time around) The first lower ball joint I used the larger receiver and just held it in place perfectly (truck on a lift, me looking upward at assembly and someone else assembling and tightening up)

They are a bit stubborn comming out though so watch out. After I maxed out the impact wrench on it we smacked the press with good ole BFH and it started to move.
 
#37 ·
Pressing out? Yes downward. I think I used the medium receiver and the ball joint got stuck in it. It the safest way I found (second time around) The first lower ball joint I used the larger receiver and just held it in place perfectly (truck on a lift, me looking upward at assembly and someone else assembling and tightening up)

They are a bit stubborn coming out though so watch out. After I maxed out the impact wrench on it we smacked the press with good ole BFH and it started to move.
I can't get that damn thing to move. I blasted it with PB Blaster, I tried several times to adjust the piece and I am using a 24inch breaker bar. It's still on jacks in my driveway, I have the press on there and I'll just leave it over night. Then tomorrow I'll give it a couple of good whacks with a BFH. If that doesn't work then...:bonk:

Anyone have any pics of their old lower ball joint after it's out?
 
#44 ·
Update:
Passenger side lower ball joint took a long time because I didn't have the right press set. See above. After I had the right setup it moved not with a great deal of difficulty. Driver's side was really quite simple.

Upper Ball Joint is very difficult, it's really hard to get it to sit still when you're using a breaker bar. You can really damage your fender. I was able to do it with another person's help. Really difficult for me alone, still hard with two people.

So, I did two lower ball joints and 1 upper ball joint. I came to my senses and had a garage do the other upper ball joint. It was done in 45 minutes. I watched the whole thing. The KEY is an air gun with a great compressor. :yes:

Couple other points (you will definitely need these sockets&wrenches): 3/4 inch, 7/8 inch (for the press), 10MM & wrench, 15MM & wrench, 18MM and socket for your lugnuts (don't remember the size).

:m2: Good luck.
 
#42 ·
Pretty sure I did. Just had to take the whole steering knuckle off. It really is all a matter of getting the right ball joint press to do it. Those things are such a pain in the ass.

Update on mine: I took mine into my mechanic to get some grease shot in the fittings. Charged me $10, no biggie. Things stiffened up a bit. Apparently the boots squeeze a lot of grease out during normal use. Im going to keep an eye on it and feel it out. I'll probably need to grease them every few months. Still a huge improvement.
 
#43 ·
I had mine on the suspension arm/steering knuckle. See pic. :iagree: The ball joint press is really difficult to setup. Once you get it right then it's great. I still have to do the driver side this weekend. My legs are almost no longer sore. Took me a really really long time to do the passenger side; I learned a lot and will use that experience on the other side.

 
#47 ·
Lower Ball Joints

Just finished doing the lower ball joints on my wife's 4x4 TB LTZ. What a pain, heh. I did the job with the lower A arm on the vehicle. Quick overview...sorry no pics...removed wheel, removed caliper and caliper mount, removed axle nut, removed upper ball joint bolt, removed lower ball joint nut...supported things with jack and jack stands and milk crate. Using a brass hammer I beat on the end of the cv axle to pop it out, I supported the A arm with a jack stand and beat on the arm that the upper ball joint is attached to to break it free from the lower ball joint. Pulled the axle out of the hub ultimately the only thing holding that entire bracket that the upper BJ sits in was the tie rod end. I removed a couple of bolts and the abs sensor to get brakes out of the way.

So when it came time to remove the lower BJ...the autozone loaner BJ press sucked. I tried it, but it didn't do anything for me. We ended up heating up the area all around the lower BJ with a small MAP gas torch, put a socket on top of the BJ that fit nicely into it and beat it with a hammer. That worked for the driver side...the passenger side we heated up and used an air hammer/chisel and that worked. With the area still heated/expanded, the new BJ went in nice and easy. Let it cool, put the "snap ring"? on, hooked it back up and done. Only took this n00b 7'ish hours total. (Cleaning the crap out of the way in the garage, jacking up, finding necessary tools and figuring out what the hell I was doing).

I'm no pro...far from it. Did this all at a buddies house because I have crap for tools and he's got a kick-ass garage. However...I did do it and get it done (as well as drivers side inner/outer tie rod the previous weekend), so if I can answer a question that helps anybody...don't hesitate to pick my brain and see if I remember any of it.
 
#48 ·
Getting the lower out was pretty easy but getting it in was a pita. My arm puller was just a shy too small so I had to put the whole thing into a vise and hammer it until it went int a bit for me to use the arm puller.

I get the lower ball joint in, do a dance in the garage, go to screw in the little grease fitting into it... *snap!*

/sigh..

So i guess I have to take this lower ball joint out now and put in another. Grr.. well.. lesson learned :)
:bonk:
 
#49 · (Edited)
Thought I should add to this very helpful thread...

I replaced my passenger side ball joints (upper and lower) AND my upper control arm this morning... taking a mental break until I start on the drivers side here in a few minutes.

Best tip in the WORLD for Ball Joint replacement on your Trailvoy:

USE HEAT!

I have a MAPP gas torch I had laying around, heated up the lower control arm, applied pressure to the press and the lower ball joint came out like butter!!

Same with the upper. I took the steering knuckle off completely and put it into a vice on my workbench. Applied some heat (not too much now) and the upper came right out.

You could have both ball joints pressed out in 15 minutes if you use some heat. Serious. The most time consuming part is the stupid $*@!ing ball joint press kit. Rent the 23 piece kit from Advance Auto - its $159.99 but, of course, is refundable when you return the kit. The kit is the best thing since redheads. :D

Anyways, be careful when you install the lower ball joint because they are directional... at least my MOOG ball joint was. The words on the rubber boot "install inboard" must be, you guess it! Installed with the words facing the frame. I goofed and installed it backwards (DOH) but by then, pressing it back out was a breeze. Pushing them back in is much easier. The upper one looks much differently now - it doesnt come through the upper control arm "pinch" hole as much as the old one used to. I double and triple checked and the pinch bolt is in right and torqued. Just looks different.

I bought my lower ball joints (MOOG) on RockAuto for $22/ea!!!! The uppers I got at Autozone for $43.99/ea. Not such a good deal but oh well.

Im off to do my drivers side ball joints now. Please send any further correspondence to the nutty house because I have never had such an involved front end job in my life!! (Im also replacing the upper control arms at the same time today). :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

Bottom line: If a shop wants to charge you more than $350 for the ball joints, screw 'em... its definately a DIY job... but one that requires patience and wisdom. If you rush or get frustrated too quickly, you are going to screw up or waste precious time. :yes:
 
#50 ·
Stearing Knuckle Stuck

Anyone know how to free the steering knuckle from the lower ball joint stud? I am trying to replace the BJ with the wheel hub assembly intact. Previous posts say the heavy assembly should fall down with the removal of the bottom 24mm nut, but I have literall stood and jumped up and down on the rotor/knuckle to no avail. I have also put my jack under the stud and jacked it up but everything moves with it. Any help is appreciated!
 
#51 ·
Anyone know how to free the steering knuckle from the lower ball joint stud? I am trying to replace the BJ with the wheel hub assembly intact. Previous posts say the heavy assembly should fall down with the removal of the bottom 24mm nut, but I have literall stood and jumped up and down on the rotor/knuckle to no avail. I have also put my jack under the stud and jacked it up but everything moves with it. Any help is appreciated!
That is what a "ball joint seperator" (otherwise known as a pickle fork) is for.
 
#52 ·
Anyone know how the control arms and ball joints are connected? (If they are) I was thinking about replacing them at the same time because I read somewhere else on the site that bushings go bad in the control arms too. Do they work the same if I were to get a lift or would I need a different type?
 
#56 · (Edited)
After I replaced all 4 of my ball joints, I had my alignment checked, and am glad I did because I was way out of whack on my specifications ... so I would definately recommend an alignment from a respectable shop. :m2:
 
#57 ·
I'm not sure what exact part #s I used but I just rebuilt most of the front end on my truck too. I did sway bar end links, upper ball joints and outer tie rod ends.

The truck only has 56k on it and there were all kinds of noises going on up front. I was told by the dealership a couple weeks ago it was a loose nut and that the noise was just an outer tie rod end that was starting to loosen up. They fixed the nut and I told them I would replace the rod end. Well last week while driving to the grocery store the passenger side ball joint failed. Very not cool. I had a friend of mine do the work and replace everything and ALL of the items that were replaced were in need of replacement. My local dealership is a joke...... I'm glad my Wife and newborn weren't in the truck when that ball joint failed. I have no idea how they overlooked all those issues......

I am having an alignment done on my truck also.
 
#59 ·
Those of you who replaced ball joints, how many miles were on the originals?

My Trailblazer has 91k miles and the front susp. makes some weird noises. I'm getting ready to replace the endlinks again, but I'm sure that won't quiet all the noises. The balljoint boots are cracked so i guess it's time, but I'm still curious as to how many miles you went before replacement,
 
#62 ·
So, I did the rear bushings and sway bar end links. Not as fun as I would have liked. Should have soaked the nuts and threads in penetrating oil. It was a b!tch to get them off. The 6mm allen wrench didn't want to fit because of the rust in the opening. Took me a little over 2 hours. Quick question though. The sway bar end links from Rock auto. One had the 6mm fitting on both ends and the other had nuts on the boot side. Is that the way it should be? Also, still have a clank from the driver side rear. Thought it was the end link. Any thoughts on what else could cause the clank?
 
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