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C10 Ball Joint Question

73k5blazer

73k5blazer

End the H1B Program!
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So I'm doing the ball joints on my C10 (along with idler arm, tie-rods, pitman arm and shocks)
I've never done a 2wd with coil springs. I was reading the book, it says to use a coil spring compressor for safety. Is this really nessesary, I've got a pretty good tool aresenal, but a coil spring compressor is not part of it. I mean, if there's a good chance the thing will come popping out of there, and get me, then I'll have to go get one, but the book also says to disconnect the negative battery cable before the job as well, so I think they err way on the side of safety.
And, if I get the jist of the book right, your supposed to support the lower a-arm with a jack? (truck is already supported by frame with front suspension hanging), and then use that special tool (I made one out of a nut bolt and cheap jap extedned socket) to seperate the tapers from their seats, this is the point I would suspect the coil spring could do some damage?
THanks for any help!
 
dremu said:
You could use these guys ... prolly okay for one-time use :)

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3980

:dunno:

-- A
Click to expand...

I know first hand that these wont work, they are desgined for much smaller springs, and wont hook up to C10 springs nicely (learned that the hard way)

I also did as stated above, jack the truck up WAY high, put frame on jackstands, then put a floor jack under the lower A-arm and lower it down. We had to lower the A-arm to about a 45 degree position to get the new springs in there, so jack the frame as high as you can
 
Not to worry..

I've done dozens of ball joints on 2wd GM's,and never had to use a spring compressor!..those books sometimes tell you to do things that aren't really nessasary to do..

I just place a floor jack under the lower A frame(away from the ball joint enough so you can remove it from below later),jack it up,and take the tire off,loosen the lower ball joint nut,use a pickle fork to separate the tapered portion,and then either use a press or a big hammer to remove the ball joint..I do the lower ball joint first,then the upper..upper one needs to have rivets chiseled or ground off to remove--new one bolts in with new bolts that come with the ball joint..

The weight of the truck compresses the spring enough so it cant come out--plus the shock absorber would have to be disconnected to allow the lower A- frame to drop far enough to release the spring--plus the swar bar!..if your paranoid,you can put a length of chain thru the coils and bolt it to the a frame,but I have never had a spring even attempt to move when doing it the way I described..I have done many more with just a big hammer than a ball joint press too,but the press IS the best way..:crazy:
 
Cool. Thanks for the adivce. I did the right side this morning. I supported the lower arm with a jack, and removed the nuts of the ball joints, popped the tapers with my homemade expander tool, I heard the spring expand a bit until it seated firmly against the jack. Easy from there. I'm not replacing the springs, they seem fine, almost every other front end part is being replaced.

Yeah, the ball joint press is the best way. Hammers and new ball joints don't mix so well. I bought that press about 4 ball joint jobs ago, I find it handy for many other things, like U-joints, anything that needs a giant C-clamp, wouldn't attempt another ball joint job without it.
OTC7249.jpg


Now, if only I could keep the floor clean underneath the work area, every click of the ratchet and rust flakes are falling off everywhere. Sometimes I wonder if there's enough metal left in the front suspension to keep it together. Just love the what the corrosive crap does to our vehicles.:( I was down in Alabama last week for a business trip, I noticed many nice 73-87 chevy trucks, I glanced at a couple, underside has almost no rust. Nothing like my truck. The first 1/32" of every piece of metal underside is flake rust.:mad:
 
yea thats how it is up north, i've been thinking about maybe a new business venture, get the trucks from up north that the bodies are shot,but have a good drivetrain and find another truck from, oh say arizona that has good body that the motor is shot and use the 2 to make one good clean truck.
 
I hate rust club..join here..

I am in the same boat here--since they salt the roads with Calcium Cloride now, rather than rock salt they used in years past,rust and rot is a HUGE problem around here..and aluminum corrodes too,its not just steel parts!...

I've never seen so many vehicles less than 5 years old, with rotted brake and fuel,tranny cooler and oil cooler lines,gas tanks,oil pans,and of course body sheet metal rotting away like never before..and there ain't many 73-87 GM trucks around here anymore--especially in junkyards--few keep them,they are heavy,so 99% get crushed within a week of arriving at the junkyards..they wont even save motors or good parts anymore..

Nearly ALL of my "problems" I've had in all of my vehicles are rust related..my 82 K20's oil pan is now leaking--looks like bark on a pine tree,all rotted.:doah:

My Ford needed all the brake lines replaced from the rear doors back--I'm thankfull the rest of it looks to be in decent shape--and that it has a plastic gas tank!..I just pray I can KEEP it from rusting any more than it has already..

Just about every year I'm replacing rotted tranny cooler lines,brake lines,and gas tanks only last 5 years if they are steel around here..frames and sheet metal look like barnacles are growing on them,and get thinner every year,until nothing is left..bolts turn into rivets in a few years,and require cutting torches to remove..exhaust systems only last 2 years on the average,less if you dont drive it every day..:(

There are a few bussinesses specializing in Arizona rust free cabs,body sheet metal and parts here--one is doing very well,the guy goes to AZ at least once or twice a month..sells rust free cabs for 2K or more!..:eek1:

I'd rather go there and buy a rust free complete truck--then STAY there,so I'll never have the heartbreak of watching another fine GM truck slowly turn to iron oxide dust,nickel and diming me to death at the same time,replacing all its rotted parts....


What pisses me off is we have no say over how much or what kind of salt is used--I see WAY too much being dumped on the roads here..other states that only sand the streets dont have rotted out vehicles,its not the fault of snow, or climate--its the SALT!..:mad:

:crazy:
 
blazersnburban said:
yea thats how it is up north, i've been thinking about maybe a new business venture, get the trucks from up north that the bodies are shot,but have a good drivetrain and find another truck from, oh say arizona that has good body that the motor is shot and use the 2 to make one good clean truck.
Click to expand...
Yeah use em all up , then watch the "new" truck rust out too :rolleyes::p::laugh::D:wink1:
 
I replaced all my brake/fuel lines with Stainless ,had my Gas Tanks Renu'd (I highly recommend The Renu Process, gas tank will never rust again, I can attest to it, they fix holes and then dunk it in epoxy coating, then brush on an additional rubberized coating, costs the same as a new gas tank ~$100)

Yeah, Michigan uses way too much salt too. I saw a study a few years back that if the current amounts keep getting poured on the roads, Lake Huron, Lake MIchigan, and Lake Erie WILL become salinated by like 2030 or something, ans Superior wouldn't be far behind :eek1: so, within my lifetime. You'd think our stupid Democratic Governor would be doing something about it, but between giving Kwame (Detroit Mayor) kickbacks, and losing every job the state has, I guess she doesn't have time. :mad:

Yep, also why the K5 has a fiberglass body tub! I couldn't bear to bring an Arizona 73-75 tub here and watch it rot away again, I already had that happen once.:angry1:
 
there outa be a law!..

Yeah,I dont enjoy seeing rust free trucks being shipped here to die an early rusty death!..they should make it a law you cant bring a nice truck here to be riuned by salt in a few years!..like I said before--STAY where the rot free trucks are,and enjoy them for a lifetime!..dont bring them here and cry when they start dissolving..:rolleyes:

I feel it should be mandatory for car manufacturers to use STAINLESS STEEL brake,fuel,and tranny lines,at least in states that salt the roads..plastic gas tanks too!..I can only imagine how many accidents and car fires are caused by rotted brake and fuel lines here,and how many tranny's die young from losing all the ATF out of a rusted cooling line..:doah: --I feel its a conspiracy--I bet the car makers love salt,because it means you'll need a new vehicle within 10 years gauranteed..:(
 
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