Removing ball joints
- Thread starter wfieldin
- Start date
J
jhurkot
Well-known member
Use a vice and sockets. Dont hammer the middle of the bushing. If your aluminum arm is bent you may have to cut the old one out. Be careful not to cut the c clip that will be wedged in there real tight. Steel clip wedged into aluminum ain't coming out very easily. To remove the plastic bushings that the a arms move on I suggest using the pins without washers to hammer them out gently. Hammer til it's flush and then reverse pin to get the rest out. Those plastic bushings are 10 dollars a piece!!
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purepolaris600
Well-known member
a vice works well or get a press like i did from harbor frieght 20 ton with 20% off coupon $124 buck or a 12 ton with 20% of coupon for $80 it will always come in handy.
Get a Press. 2 people helps a lot. Use duct tape on the A arms to prevent screwing up the finish on the good arms and the powder coat on the ZBroz arms. I ground down an old wheel stud to the right diameter to press out the bushings. Be prepared to have to grind the spindles for clearance. Stock shocks will only work with extra washers on the top ball joint, otherwise they bind at full droop.
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kmo
Well-known member
V
volcano buster
Well-known member
HF press is one of my favorite tools. I think I end up using it for secondary clutches mostly, but have pressed and bent all sorts of things with it. I only have the 12 ton.
I could not find a proper size socket or tube to just fit the race and still fit over the widest part of the stud on the upper arm ball joint even with my ball joint press had nothing that would fit.
I was thinking of going with zbroz but I've been waiting because Kmod looks like a good option too. their upper ball joints from CO powders' pic in another thread look sealed to keep dirt and tree bits out.
not having to change everything out is a plus.
but its like $270 more.
plus side is that's almost the same prices if you took Zbroz and put new hardware into them like the bushings and ball joints.
...then I would just sell my stock A arms as a complete set ready to go to a new home to offset the cost and maybe come out a little ahead..... hmmmmm. Might order some these coming weeks. Trip planned for Jan 3rd to the 10th.
not having to change everything out is a plus.
but its like $270 more.
plus side is that's almost the same prices if you took Zbroz and put new hardware into them like the bushings and ball joints.
...then I would just sell my stock A arms as a complete set ready to go to a new home to offset the cost and maybe come out a little ahead..... hmmmmm. Might order some these coming weeks. Trip planned for Jan 3rd to the 10th.
3/4 or 1" copper pipe coupling worked perfect around my upper joints to press out and forsure the price of the 12 ton press is worth it to own I got one too lol I had to change my one joint cus a bad one form factory and no clip either when recieved sled
do not press on the ball of the joint itself. There is a 50/50 chance you will break the ball joint. The joints are back ordered from polaris till middle of december. need to find something that can press on the outer rim of the joint. i found a steel sleeve at work and just had to grind the outside diameter down a tiny touch. then use a socket on the other side. I suggest using a vice. The end of the a-arm is not flat on both sides so its hard to push them out straight. the vice gives you better control. its hard to make small movements with the press.
I've done the zbroz kit "several" times in the past. Never ever ever again. Too many negatives for my liking. You can only beat your head on the wall so long. Just bought my wife an axys and after seeing more than my fair share of forged arms bent called Dan at alt impact. Sorry I'm a cheerleader but only because his stuff works. Didn't press anything out of 're use anybstock parts other than tie rods. No brainer. But then again nate could car salesmen you into a set of new UN needed shocks or springs. Yep discrunteled for good reason.
I always go with zbroz, have since 2009..not swinging on their products but never had an issue with anything they sell, been talking to Nate Zollinger since and he is freaking awesome. Products are top notch, the #1 reason for zbroz besides price is they are the only ones I think that offer higher ground clearance with their arms which is huge.
Then the price is most reasonable and u can always sell you stock a-arms (no bushings) for $300-350 no problem and spend $100 more for bomb products. No brainier...
And now they make bumpers..dude..legit!
I have 39" zbroz waiting to be installed..I can post back if u like.
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Just installed the new 36" kit with the billet uppers. It wasn't difficult. It did take more time than I expected because this was my first time pressing aluminum and I wanted to be extra careful. Just make sure you have the correct tools to press with. I used the vice and the press. I thought the press was easier. The vice required two people to be extra careful to set the joint correctly. I tapped out the plastic bushings with a 9/16 socket.
I did have to cut one out rather than risk damage trying to press it out of the damaged lower a arm. We cut most of the way through on both sides. Then used a chisel and hammer to split the a arm like splitting wood. I was able to save the joint and c clip.
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