My new truck needs upper and lower ball joints replacement. I'm not a mechanic. I just got a quote from one shop of $750. It seems a little high. What do you think?
CK5
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Ball Joints
- Thread starter hammermachine
- Start date
jonathon
1/2 ton status
Ball joints are not hard, just plan on it taking a whole weekend for a first timer.
Get a GM service manual for your vehicle.. off Ebay or the like.
You'll need a pickle fork, torque wrench, spanner wrench(for the ball joint adjusting sleeve), and a spindle nut socket. Of course you need a few basic tools as well. It would be a good idea to pack all your bearings while you've got it all apart.
Get a GM service manual for your vehicle.. off Ebay or the like.
You'll need a pickle fork, torque wrench, spanner wrench(for the ball joint adjusting sleeve), and a spindle nut socket. Of course you need a few basic tools as well. It would be a good idea to pack all your bearings while you've got it all apart.
Joints
Yeah I might have to research this and plan on DIY. I had plans for my tax check already.
Yeah I might have to research this and plan on DIY. I had plans for my tax check already.
Holy shiit! Thats a lot of coin! Ball joints are easy! Having the right tools helps immensly. Learn to DIY. You could spend less than $200 on parts if you DIY.
cegusman
3/4 ton status
Do it yourself. Buy Moog Ball Joints. Should be around $200 for all 4
scottjkj1
Registered Member
Buy a Dana 60 for around 700 and be done with it.
Ball joints absolutely suck to do. Now that I have done it once I could do it much faster the next time learning from my mistakes but it took me all weekend to just separate the knuckle from the axel.
If you make friends with your local GM dealer parts guy ( thats what I did ) genuine spicer are only 48 bucks a side ( kit comes with top and bottom ) Or ( if you need part numbers ) you can get them for the same price from GMpartsdirect plus shipping. I did mine and it wasn't that hard.
If you got any more questions just fire away.
Tarey
If you got any more questions just fire away.
Tarey
Thunder
3/4 ton status
Time consuming job for the first time but fairly easy to do if you have the right tools. Without the proper tools... It sucks.
Ball joints= Moog $200 If you cant get Moog joints get Carquest they are moog. Moog also come with instructions. Dont get cheapo ball joints Spicer or Moog only.
1 3/16 socket 15.00
Spindle nut socket 15.00
cheap craftsman torque wrench 25-30.00
pickle fork 15.00
Spanner socket for adjusting sleve 20.00
Ball joint press 60.00+ (You can rent a press from some parts houses like Checker, Kragen ECT.
Or take the knuckle to a front end shop and have the joints pressed out and reinstalled usually 15.00 or so a side.
So you are looking at under $300 if you do it yourself.
Advice you get from CK5................... Priceless
Ball joints= Moog $200 If you cant get Moog joints get Carquest they are moog. Moog also come with instructions. Dont get cheapo ball joints Spicer or Moog only.
1 3/16 socket 15.00
Spindle nut socket 15.00
cheap craftsman torque wrench 25-30.00
pickle fork 15.00
Spanner socket for adjusting sleve 20.00
Ball joint press 60.00+ (You can rent a press from some parts houses like Checker, Kragen ECT.
Or take the knuckle to a front end shop and have the joints pressed out and reinstalled usually 15.00 or so a side.
So you are looking at under $300 if you do it yourself.
Advice you get from CK5................... Priceless
you can knock it out in a day, i did both sides my very first time 12 hours. i spent like 2 hours trying to get the steering arm off the knuckle instead of just knocking the tre off
and i had to call my friend i got the truck from cause i forgot how the bearings go back in. now that i have all the tools know exactly how to do them i could probably have both sides done in 2-3 hours if i busted butt
michaelgilitiuk
1/2 ton status
That is a easy job make sure u have a b f h and a friend to help should take u anda buddy a couple of hours.
Ok, these are the things i am missing to do mine.
What size spindle nut socket? Spanner socket? What is the 1 3/16 socket for?
Where do you recommend i get these things? Would harbor freight have it, or should i go to sears?
Thanks! I'm doing it next weekend, so i need to have all the tools...and hope to buy local. THanks guys!
The 1 3/16" socket is for the nuts on the ball joints.
Spindle nut socket should be a 4 prong.
The spanner socket is for the adjusting sleeve that the upper ball joint goes into.
You should be able to find the tools at a Napa, Autozone, Advance Auto. I've never seen a spindle nut socket at HF, same thing with the spanner socket.
Spindle nut socket should be a 4 prong.
The spanner socket is for the adjusting sleeve that the upper ball joint goes into.
You should be able to find the tools at a Napa, Autozone, Advance Auto. I've never seen a spindle nut socket at HF, same thing with the spanner socket.
Are all the 4 prong spindle nut sockets the same size? I think i recognize the spanner socket now, i will check kragen. I think i've always just used a box wrench on the ball joint nut, but i will get the appropriate socket.
Thanks for your help. You know how much easier this stuff is wiht the right tools!
Yes and no. If you ask for a spindle nut socket for a D44 or 1/2ton truck you will get the correct one. There is also a 6 prong 1/2ton size...but I've never seen one on a Chevy axle.
Some D60's use a larger 4 prong (IIRC, some 14bff's too). Or a large 6 pronger (same with the 14bff).
vinman1029
Newbie
just joined so I'm a little late to this thread.I need to do the same thing to by 82.I was wondering about the spanner wrench.I've done this before and the GM mechanics I talked to said "don't touch the adjusting sleeves".?
jonathon
1/2 ton status
To do it right, you put the new adjusting sleeve in you got with the ball joints. I don't have my factory service manual handy, but there is a procedure.
RaysJimmy
1/2 ton status
Tools
Somethimes it's hard know what people are talking about if you don't know what it looks like. Here's a shot of some tools. My upper balljoint nut was 1-5/16" and lower was 1-1/8" New replacements are both 1-1/8"
Somethimes it's hard know what people are talking about if you don't know what it looks like. Here's a shot of some tools. My upper balljoint nut was 1-5/16" and lower was 1-1/8" New replacements are both 1-1/8"
that helps, thanks!
