Ball joint Question

[DRFT]

ok my front 5 lug needs to go on soon! so whats the best alternative way to press my s14 ball joints into my s13 LCA besides a press? because my funds are low and i dont have another car for down time.

thanks

[kidinthehall]

just take the control arm and new balljoint to any goodyear/firestone type service center and they should do it for maybe $5-10

[projectRDM]

Beat it out with a hammer, then realize you've crowned the threads and ruined it. A press really is the best, fastest, and safest way.

[twitchy]

heh.....yeah use a press

do it right or do it again

[DRFT]

do you guys happen to know any other big chain companies that will press them in? such as les schwab?

[Var]

what will happen if you run an s14 control arm? I heard they have a better roll center for lowered s13's and you can use camber plates to straighten out some of the camber.??

[projectRDM]

S14 LCA is an inch longer, so you'll add a little more camber, but nothing to hurt it. I just did a swap for a friend last weekend, looks very good, although it throws the toe way off, so it will definitely need aligning when done.

[kidinthehall]

Beat it out with a hammer, then realize you've crowned the threads and ruined it. A press really is the best, fastest, and safest way.


i agree with you on the press...........but what exactly were you planning to do with a worn out S13 ball joint anyway?

[projectRDM]

i agree with you on the press...........but what exactly were you planning to do with a worn out S13 ball joint anyway?


Good call. The old ball joints would be trash anyway, but the original poster did not say if he had new (aftermarket) S14 balljoints, or had bought S14 LCAs with ball joints in them. 9 out of 10 chance he's got new ones and could beat them in with a hammer, but a press is still cleaner. If he did have full LCAs and wanted to get the ball joints out to reuse, then he'd have to use a press hands down.

And worn out ball joints make great throwing weapons, so I'd keep them just for the violence factor.

[DRFT]

i got brand new moog s14 ball joints being pressed into my stock s13 lca

[kidinthehall]

it says right in the first post "whats the best way to press my S14 ball joints into my S13 LCA without a press"


:)

[DRFT]

god dam firestone, goodyear and les schwab charges $70+ to press them in!!!

[mbmbmb23]

I wouldnt try to do it yourself.......you'll either bend/crack your control arm or booger up your new ball joint.


-m

[kidinthehall]

god dam firestone, goodyear and les schwab charges $70+ to press them in!!!



You did clarify that you were bringing them the parts OFF the car already right? If so, thats retarded. Call just about any machine shop in the phone book and they should be able to do it for you for maybe ~$25

[DRFT]

yup thats what i told them. either they were charging 70/per hr of work or 35/side. but luckily i found some machine shops to do it for a lot cheaper

[DRFT]

can a vice such as this one...

http://www.mascottools.com/gifs/art-128-vice.jpg

will this help?

thanks to toahk for the pix

[DRFT]

o yea before or after installing them, is it needed to grease up something? like fill the joint with grease or anything? sounds a little weird just installing the joints in by itself? what exactly is needed for the shop to install them correctly?

[kidinthehall]

the ball joint is already packed w grease in the boot. just press it in and go......dont forget the snap ring