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1984 300TD Ball Joint

Hi,

The lower front ball joint on one wheel has lost its rubber boot. The dang thing still seems to be tight and I've been dosing it with lithium grease every time it starts to squawk for over a year. These are amazing automobiles.

I am gearing up to replace it (and its mate on the other side) and I was wondering if there are some other parts in the suspension or steering that are routinely replaced (that is, whether they need it or not) whenever you go to the trouble of taking off the spring and so on to get at this ball joint.

Also, I'm thinking that if the opposite wheel is raised somewhat even though the frame is on jackstands, the anti-sway bar will hold up everything above the lower ball joint of the wheel I'm working on.

Thanks very much in advance. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Ken

Reply to
Kenneth Fanyo
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If you don't have the remover/installer tool, you are in deep do-do. It has to be pressed out and in.

Reply to
Karl

I do have the tool. Frankly, I feel like I'm stepping into it anyway. :-)

Should any or all of the upper ball joints, upper/lower control arm bushings, steering linkage ball joints, braking stabilizer ends, etc., be replaced "automatically" whenever a lower ball joint is replaced?

Thanks again,

Ken

has to be pressed out and

Reply to
Kenneth Fanyo

No, just replace the bad parts you see. The upper ball joint is part of the upper arm. The wear point is the bushings up in the fenderwell. If the bushings have a big gap, replace the upper arm.

Also look at the brake support joint. That is mounted horizontally in the rear on each side. Follow the tube going back from the lower control arm where it goes into a round thing. The round thing is the brake support joint. If the rubber is all torn, the joint is bad. The joint keeps the wheel from moving forward and back when you step on the brake.

Reply to
Karl

If the car clunks at slow speeds and on braking check the track rod mounts. Ball joints are easier if you have a press.

Reply to
Henry Kolesnik

If these are press in ball joints, get thee to someone with a hydraulic press!!!! I've done them with a manual press. Two wrenches on the press, cheater bars on the wrenches, my husband and I were on the cheater bars, and both of us had our feet planted on the wall of our garage. We got them in but we popped the welds on the manual press with the last one. I don't want to even think of the amount of pressure we had to use. But at least I knew they were not going to pop out easily!!

Rochelle

Reply to
R & K

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