I tried to press my ball joints in last night and the C clamp looking part of the above tool just started bending. I thought about it for a little while over a few beers. I concluded that the tool must have been fatigued from pressing the old ball joints out. It seems to me (and I do have a degree in mechanical engineering) that it would take an equal amout of force to press the old ball joints out as it does to press the new ones in. I would even go as far as to say that it would take more force to press the old ones out because of rust and corrosion. So the only explanation would be that the tool is fatigued and can't deliver the same amout of force as it did before. I took the tool back and complained and they sent me off with a new one. I tried to press them in agian last night with the new tool and had the same results. I have only tried one side so far. Am I missing something here? Everything was lineed up perfect. It has about an 1/8" more to be pressed in.
I don't really get it. Anyway, I talked to a friend earlier today and he told me there were two different types of ball joint types used in the 87-93 stangs. One type can be easily pressed in using the above tool and has a tac weld between the ball joint and the a arm. The other type, the kind I have I'm guessing, doesn't have a tac weld and requires a 30 ton press to get it in there. Mine didn't have a tac weld.
I talked to another friend a few minutes again and he says he knows a mechanic that has a huge press and would be willing to help. So I guess I'm gonna try to press it in using this mechanic's press.
What do you guys think? Man this is a major pain in the ass. I'll keep you posted.
If you have the control arms off the car. Place the control arm over the jaws of a vice and put the ball joint in the control arm. Then take a 1/4" thick flat bar and place it on top of the ball joint and drive it in with a hammer. A few wacks with a hammer and it will go right in. Also you might want to lubricate the outer edge of the ball joint with some engine oil. this helps it go in easier. I've done quite a few like this.I also get them out by driving them out with a hammer. It works everytime.
If you have the control arms off the car. Place the control arm over the jaws of a vice and put the ball joint in the control arm. Then take a 1/4" thick flat bar and place it on top of the ball joint and drive it in with a hammer. A few wacks with a hammer and it will go right in. Also you might want to lubricate the outer edge of the ball joint with some engine oil. this helps it go in easier. I've done quite a few like this.I also get them out by driving them out with a hammer. It works everytime.
put somthing between them like a piece of wood, the reason you don't want to hit them directly is because of the hardness of both metals, my teacher at college told a story of a sliver of metal going through this guys eye and almost into his brain, so use eye protection if your going to attemp metal on metal, but I recomend some sort of spacer between the two
put somthing between them like a piece of wood, the reason you don't want to hit them directly is because of the hardness of both metals, my teacher at college told a story of a sliver of metal going through this guys eye and almost into his brain, so use eye protection if your going to attemp metal on metal, but I recomend some sort of spacer between the two
I took the ball joints and the a arms to the mechanic and man I feel like and idiot. I had the damn things pressed in the whole time. I did not notice the lip on the bottom of the a arm and thought the ball joint needed to be pressed in more. Anyway I'm glad that headache is over. I got it all together and here are some pics so you can check it out:
SP Performance Diamond Slotted Rotors
Hawk Brake Pads
Maximum Motorsports (MM) SS caliper sleeve
MM SS Brake Lines
Speed Bleeders
Moog Greaseable Ball Joints (no link available)
MM Urethane Lower Control Arm Bushings
MM Urethane Spring Isolators
MM Lowered Endlink Kit
Parts Pictured that I already had and reused:
Koni Adjustable Struts
BBK Specific Rate Lowering Springs