The lower ball joint is located in the outboard end of a car's lower control arm. It connects the lower control arm and the spindle with a moveable joint necessary for steering. When a ball joint is worn, it can cause a shaking in the steering wheel when a rough road surface is encountered--coupled in many cases with a banging noise in the area of the ball joint. It will also cause unusual wear on the tire on the same side of the vehicle. If left unattended, a ball joint can become very dangerous. It is a lubricated ball in a socket. When it becomes worn the ball can move inside the socket and if it becomes too worn, it may pop out of the socket. If this happens the tire and wheel will come loose and lay flat on the ground, and the vehicle will fall onto the lower control arm and rotor, causing a loss of control.
Raise the vehicle and place one jack stand under the front sub-frame as far forward as possible on the opposite side to be worked on. Put the floor jack on the side of the vehicle you will be working on and jack the vehicle up. Place a jack stand under the sub frame near the floor jack, but leave it lower than the frame. It will be there for safety's sake.
Remove the wheel on the side you are working on, using the ½-inch air gun and socket. Remove the two bolts holding the brake caliper to the mounting bracket. Remove the two bolts in the caliper mounting bracket using the ½-inch air gun and socket. Remove the bracket.
Pull the rotor off of the spindle. Using wire cutters, pull the cotter pin out of the lower ball joint post where it comes through the lower control arm.
Place a jack stand under the lower control arm as close to the ball joint as possible without interfering with its removal. Lift the vehicle a few inches with the floor jack on this side and raise the jack stand under the control arm to the point it contacts the arm. Make sure that it is in a secure non-slip location. Lower the floor jack slowly and carefully, just until the control arm sits on the jack stand. Continue until the lower arm rises 2 inches. At this point stop and leave the vehicle on the floor jack on this side.
Remove the nut on the lower ball joint. Using the ball joint separator tool, remove the spindle from the lower ball joint. This is the tool that looks like a long handled, two-prong fork. Place the fork in between the lower control arm and the spindle and hit it with a hammer until it breaks loose and the spindle can be lifted off the ball joint.
Lift the spindle up and off of the ball joint stud and move the assembly to the rear. Remove the lower ball joint. Check first for a snap ring on the top-side of the control arm. Some vehicles have these---if yours does, use a screwdriver and remove it.
Stand the ball joint straight up and then hit it hard once with the large hammer and it should pop right out of the bottom of the control arm.
Place the new ball joint with the stud up, through the bottom of the lower control arm. Make sure that it is perfectly straight as it is pushed into the hole. If it does not stay in the lower control arm, tap it around the outside edge with a hammer to get it started. Use the ball joint press and put the receiver sleeve on top, over the stud. Put the driver sleeve on the bottom. The driver sleeve should be smaller than the ball joint base and fit around the outside to push it in. Place the large c-clamp over the two sleeves with the threads down. Use the air gun and socket to tighten the clamp. It will compress the ball joint into the hole in the lower control arm. Make sure that it is going in straight. If it becomes angled, hit it with a hammer to straighten it out. Once it is in, remove the press and push the c-clip on, if present.
Lift the spindle up and center it over the ball joint. Let it down so the stud goes through the bottom hole in the spindle. Screw the nut on and tighten it with a wrench. Insert the cotter pin (use a new cotter pin). Replace all components in reverse order of removal.
