# Lower Ball Joint?



## DareDog (Oct 22, 2007)

2005 chevy 1500 LT needs lower ball joint how bad of job is it?? thinking of taking it some where to have it done, what is good price to pay for that job? 

buddy told me he did one and it was a paint to do and his advice was take it some where. what is involved in replacing lower ball joint?


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## JAJA (Dec 15, 2013)

Take caliper off, rotor off, take steering knuckle off, replace ball joint might as well do the upper while your at it. Is it the ball joint that's bad or the wheel bearing. Wheel bearing is pretty common


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

JAJA;1865649 said:


> Take caliper off, rotor off, take steering knuckle off, replace ball joint might as well do the upper while your at it. Is it the ball joint that's bad or the wheel bearing. Wheel bearing is pretty common


Your missing something......the spring. Need to relieve the pressure somehow, or keep it contained.


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## DareDog (Oct 22, 2007)

my dad took it to Mavis discount tire for inspection last January it passed but they said it needs a lower ball joint and they quoted $200 to replace it. how can you tell if ball joint needs replacing?


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## adksnowo (Dec 14, 2005)

dieselss;1865740 said:


> Your missing something......the spring. Need to relieve the pressure somehow, or keep it contained.


You don't need to relieve the torsion bars to do ball joints on a Chevy. If there is play in the ball joint at all it needs to be replaced. Jack it up & see if there is any play. If you do the ball joint check the other side as well, it has the same # of miles. Do the upper + lower ball joints at the same time for sure. make certain the brakes/wheel bearings/cv shafts/shocks/steering are up to snuff as it is easy to replace many of these items while you are doing ball joints.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

You don't need to relieve the torsion bars to do ball joints on a Chevy.

Relieve,or hold up the spring tension. Contain the spring pressure was my point. Even with the shock holding it "together" I like the extra insurance.


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

torsion bar pressure .... UMMMMmmmm you would be foolish to NOT relieve the pressure. Dangerous not to.

Ball joints are not hard per sae. Yes, it will take some arm strength. Buy MOOG parts. Rent ball joint kit from auto store. It's usually 2 hours for upper and lower per side. You will need a front end alignment when done.

$200 for replacement - not bad.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

I've never relieved the torsion bars... This is the first I've heard of that lol


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

Whiffyspark;1869327 said:


> I've never relieved the torsion bars... This is the first I've heard of that lol


Yeah and 2 hours a side is ambitious if they've been in for any substantial amount of time. I've done ball joints that have taken several hours just to get one out. Not a fun job.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

peteo1;1869406 said:


> Yeah and 2 hours a side is ambitious if they've been in for any substantial amount of time. I've done ball joints that have taken several hours just to get one out. Not a fun job.


Book time is 3 hours a side I believe. I know dodge is


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

peteo1;1869406 said:


> Yeah and 2 hours a side is ambitious if they've been in for any substantial amount of time. I've done ball joints that have taken several hours just to get one out. Not a fun job.


If this is their first time doing ball joints then put the time at 4 hours the first side and a few searches of the internet to believe he's doing it right. Lot of pressure to get them to move. But, I'll stand by the 2 hours.

Take the pressure off the torsion ... it's only a few minutes effort.


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

Why do you need to relieve the torsion pressure? Out of the few hundred trucks I've done never have I done that


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

Whiffyspark;1869563 said:


> Why do you need to relieve the torsion pressure? Out of the few hundred trucks I've done never have I done that


Well ... How do you maintain control of the lower? Are you using a jack to support it?


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

Nope. Don't un bolt the shock and you won't have an issue


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## scottL (Dec 7, 2002)

Whiffyspark;1869579 said:


> Nope. Don't un bolt the shock and you won't have an issue


yeah ... ok. So your using the shock as the holder.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

scottL;1869576 said:


> Well ... How do you maintain control of the lower? Are you using a jack to support it?


My point was 2 fold.
1) most people will Jack up using frame and let the suspension hang. Hence leaving psi to still be on the suspension.
2) me personally....I don't want to rely on 2 bolts and some small diameter pipe holding up some spring pressure.
Are there some that know to support the control arm.....sure. Are there some that trust the shock.....sure. I'm saying not me, and this is how I'd go about it


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

scottL;1869586 said:


> yeah ... ok. So your using the shock as the holder.


Yep never had an issue. Pretty standard practice


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Whiffyspark;1869691 said:


> Yep never had an issue. Pretty standard practice


Actually he's right,
But I'd never fault someone for putting a block under it, cya


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## chevyzrule810 (Oct 5, 2010)

To check and see if the ball joint is bad or not take a jack and put it under the lower control arm.Take a pry bar and pry up and down under the tire to see if you have play.Grab the tire and push in and out and see if you have play.Also shake the wheel side to side and see if you have play.It is easier to have someone else do the prying and shaking while you check and see if there is play.


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## DareDog (Oct 22, 2007)

got ball joint fixed Monday. took 2 hours. did not even take brakes apart. should i get a alignment done??


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## JAJA (Dec 15, 2013)

You don't have to I would because the alignment is probably off anyway you could just wait till your done plowing for the year and then do the alignment


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