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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Brakes, Frame, Steering & Suspension => Topic started by: team39763 on July 07, 2009, 10:22:12 pm

Title: I just installed new spindles, but I may have messed up the ball joint install.
Post by: team39763 on July 07, 2009, 10:22:12 pm

I installed new spindles on my 82 C10 yesterday, but noticed the lower ball joint was bad.  I went and bought a new one and asked a neighbor how he replaced his.  He told me just smack it out with a hammer and hammer the new one back in place from the bottom.  So that's exactly what I did.  It only took 2 hits with the hammer and it popped out.  I lined up the new one as best I could and gave it several hard hits from the bottom and checked to see that it felt secure.  Then I put everything back together.  Now after reading in the tech articles, I see that I went about it all wrong.  Is the truck unsafe to ride in?  I can't/won't try to take the control arm out to have the thing pressed in, so that's not an option. 

Title: Re: I just installed new spindles, but I may have messed up the ball joint install.
Post by: VileZambonie on July 07, 2009, 10:25:50 pm

You should use a ball joint press. If you didn't damage the new one don't worry about it.

Title: Re: I just installed new spindles, but I may have messed up the ball joint install.
Post by: Irish_Alley on July 08, 2009, 04:52:24 am

Ive used a hammer and brass rod all is fine

Title: Re: I just installed new spindles, but I may have messed up the ball joint install.
Post by: gold84gmc on July 08, 2009, 07:19:45 am

cant you use a c-clamp and make it into a custom ball joint press?

Title: Re: I just installed new spindles, but I may have messed up the ball joint install.
Post by: modular93fox on July 19, 2009, 05:38:22 pm

do you know about autozones rent a tool program?

Title: Re: I just installed new spindles, but I may have messed up the ball joint install.
Post by: team39763 on July 29, 2009, 03:00:54 pm

Sorry, I hadn't been on here for a bit.  Yeah, I just realized I could rent most of the tools I need from Autozone. 

Title: Re: I just installed new spindles, but I may have messed up the ball joint install.
Post by: Irish_Alley on July 31, 2009, 11:14:46 pm

GET IN THE ZONE...AUTOZONE

Title: Re: I just installed new spindles, but I may have messed up the ball joint install.
Post by: joesgarage71 on August 01, 2009, 01:12:35 pm

Quote from: gold84gmc on July 08, 2009, 07:19:45 am

cant you use a c-clamp and make it into a custom ball joint press?

 Yup Big C-clamp and some large sockets