I know I have a lot of questions... I'm such a noob.

Anyway, Just got this 91 Vette a couple weeks ago... a lot of regular maintenance was neglected so I'm trying to catch up without breaking the bank.

So, my question is... I'm reading a lot of people remove the lower control arm and have a machine shop press out the lower ball joint, and have the new one pressed in.

Is that necissary? can't I use a tool for this so I don't have to remove the lower control arm?

Thanks!

Question are good, and this is the place to get them answered. Welcome to the site and someone will be along soon to get you the info you need.

IIRC, someone here used a ball joint press. OK, if you can rent one, $125 min to buy one.

What I am sure of is that you don't want to use a pickle fork because of the aluminum a-arm.

This is an example of what a kit looks like:

http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com/spc-72509.html

It is a big c-clamp with various bits and pieces to press in or out a ball joint!

From experience, when it comes to drilling out the studs for the upper arms, remove the arms from the car and set them in a vice. Otherwise, you will put too much pressure on the arm and might distort it. Or break drill bits. A drill press would be most useful here!

I read somewhere that it's best to just grind the top of the rivets off and then push the rest of the rivet through.

You can do that, but you risk scoring the arm.

I used a big drill and ate the top of the rivit off.

6 of one...

I'm not sure what brand of ball joints you got, but stick with AC Delco or Moog. There was also one other brand someone recommended that's similar (or same) as Moog, but I can't remember offhand.

Matthew

The upper control arm will have a ball joint that is riveted in place. When i did mine, I ground off the top of the rivet and used a punch to push out the rest of the rivet. I had the arm off the car so the risk of scoring the arm was less. The lower arm has a pressed in ball joint. For less than the price of the portable C style press you can buy a 12 ton shop press from Harbor Freight. Using a shop press is what I did and it made the process very simple. It is also something that is more versatile that the C frame press. My experience with the C frame press is that it doesn't generate enough pressure to make the job go smoothly. Lastly, if you're replacing the lower ball joints, you may as well do the uppers.

The EASIEST way to replace is spend the couple hundred or so and get the NOS A-arms from Corvette recycling

Second is remove A-Arms, take to your favorite machine shop with your new balljoints and upper A-arm bushings and have them pop out the old ball joints and replace the bushings in the upper after they remove the upper ball joints.

Good luck using the press.

Thanks guys... I'll take your advice into consideration... Went to a local shop and they wanted $695 to just replace the lower ball joints... I said thank you and walked out.

I will do the uppers myself by grinding off the top and pushing the rivet through with a punch.

I think I will attempt the lowers myself. I might get that press from HF... If that doesn't work I'll get those arms from Corvette Recycling...

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EEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!! thats highway robbery!
I know it was around $250 for my shop to press out BOTH lower ball joints, press new ones in, remove the old upper ball joints, press out old bushings in the uppers, and press in new bushings in the uppers.

Thats why I suggested the NOS ones from corvetterecycling. Adding the cost for the four ball joints it makes it easier and less expensive

This kit: will work for the lowers, but requires some modification. The cylinder used to press the new one in will not sit flush inside the lower control arm.

It will require a few minutes on the grinder to work. I did exactly that to the autozone rental too I used.

Fredbird, on the tops, be extremely careful when drilling the rivets out. It's very easy to mangle the control arm while doing it. Centerpunch the rivet first to make sure the drill bit doesn't wander.

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If that C-frame press isn't enough to press them in, get some ball joints that actually fit. You're risking snapping the lower arm with that sort of stress. The first set of cheapy lower ball joints I bought were too large.