upper ball joint removal

[trudysduster]

ok, I am about to get into the suspension on my sons 73 Dart Sport. I am replacing upper and lower ball joints along with inner and outer tie rod ends. Looking at the upper ball joints. It has been 40 years since I have messed with the front end on a Mopar so I am thinking that you take the nut off the bottom and use a separater to drive these up and out the top. Is that correct or is there a better way. the lower looks simple and so does the tie rods. Thanks,Bill

 

[trudysduster]

nevermind, that is a screw in type.

 

[gregpurcell]

Exactly. it is a screw in type.
The upper ball joint is threaded into the upper control arm. You need a ball joint socket to remove it (unless you want to spend an afternoon with a large pipe wrench cussing every knuckle you lose). Assuming that you are also replacing upper control arm bushings, it is sometimes easier to remove the UCA with the spindle attached and drive (or press) the upper ball joint shaft out of the spindle on the bench. Otherwise,, the seperator will eventually get them apart.

 

[trudysduster]

thanks Greg. is that a 1 7/8 " socket needed.

 

[TrailBeast]

thanks Greg. is that a 1 7/8 " socket needed.

1-15/16" square ball joint socket. (1.938") 73-76 A body.
NOTE that it says "square"

 

[pishta]

It wouldnt be the first time someone tried to press them out....

 

[trudysduster]

thanks

 

[Frank Mopar]

It wouldnt be the first time someone tried to press them out....

He meant pressing the ball joint stud out of the spindle, not pressing the ball joint out of the UCA.

 

[trudysduster]

I kinda thought that was what he meant. kinda hard to press a screw in joint out. By the way, the socket is a 1 59/64. its the small Chrysler OTC 8033 socket. I forgot I had one when I put them in my Duster several years ago. It wasnt 40 years, just 4. I have slept since then.

 

[BillGrissom]

Great. The car must have had from drums originally to have the smaller ball joint in 1973. I got mine out using a big pipe wrench, with UCA in-car, but later bought the correct socket so as not to mar my new paint. I have read that if the UCA is out, one can bolt the ball joint in a vise and turn the UCA as a wrench. I don't have a strong enough vise and table for that. Also, what is easy on CA and AZ cars may not work in KY, and especially not in Nova Scotia.