The ball joints on your GMC vehicle are vital for steering purposes. The ball joints act as the connection between the tires and GMC vehicle. If the ball joints break, you will not be able to operate your vehicle and will have to have the ball joints replaced. Replacing the ball joints is a long and difficult process and you can expect to spend nearly three hours completing this job.
Raise the GMC vehicle and support it on jackstands. Use a floor jack to support the lower control arm on the side of the vehicle on which you will replace the ball joint.
Loosen the nuts on the wheel and remove the wheel cover. Remove the wheel nuts and pull the tire off the GMC vehicle.
Remove the lower stud-cotter pin. Loosen the stud nut with a socket wrench. Be sure to not remove the stud nut, simply loosen it.
Loosen the ball joint using a slotted screwdriver. Do not remove it yet.
Install a spring compressor on the coil spring. Remove the stud nut.
Remove the brake disc and the knuckle assembly from the ball stud by pulling them off the control arm.
Use a ball joint fork to remove the ball joint from the control arm. Place the new ball joint onto the control arm and reverse the removal procedure to reassemble the ball joint and other parts. Make sure the stud nut is tightened to 90 ft. lbs. or 122 Nm.
