Ball Joints

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Ball Joints - 1/3/2007 8:53:27 AM    guywm25   Posts: 65 Joined: 7/11/2006 From: Brook Park, OH Status: offline Driving home from work it felt like I had a flat tire, which it is not, I am figuring it is the ball joints, my question is, does anyone have any shortcuts or tips to fixing the upper and lower ball joints on a 98 blazer 4wd. Thanks for the suggestions I don't want to pay $400 to fix one side. < Message edited by guywm25 -- 1/3/2007 8:54:10 AM > _____________________________ 1998 blazer 4wd 4.3 vortec 4dr LS Post #: 1

RE: Ball Joints - 1/3/2007 9:03:15 AM    rooster Posts: 268 Joined: 11/5/2006 From: Northport, Long Island, NY Status: offline thu upper balljoints are fairly easy although u should go pick up a pickle-fork seperator if u dont allready have one. the lower ones are alittle more complicated and require some dissassembly of the front end, so u may also benefit from a haynes or chilton manuels to guide u through the process, plus u have to drill out the rivots but the new joints will come with replacement hardware. good luck _____________________________ 1992 s10 4.3 262 tbi 4x4x2 700R4 1999 s10 2.2 134 L4 vortec 2wd pickup manual Refuse to lose, Born to booze (in reply to guywm25) Post #: 2

RE: Ball Joints - 1/3/2007 11:40:46 AM    pilgrim Posts: 192 Joined: 1/5/2006 Status: offline Why don't you go to a front end shop and have them check? It's a LOT of work to replace ball joints just because you **think** they might be bad.  Confirm the actual problem first! Of course, ball joints are a common problem in these, so you may be right. _____________________________ ************* 99 4WD Blazer, auto. 99 Jeep Cherokee Sport, auto. Fort Collins, CO ************* (in reply to rooster) Post #: 3

RE: Ball Joints - 1/4/2007 9:53:24 AM    guywm25   Posts: 65 Joined: 7/11/2006 From: Brook Park, OH Status: offline Before posting my question, I did shake the passenger tire and two to three inches of play in the upper portion of the the wheel was enough convincing for me, I plan on replacing both the upper and lower ball joints this weekend. as far as driving to the local front end shop, I personally do not recommend it, since the drivers side went on my wife a few months back, there was no warning, luckily she was only going about 15mph at the time, the wheel went 180 degrees on her. I am just looking for a few helpful hints or suggestions from Blazer Nation. _____________________________ 1998 blazer 4wd 4.3 vortec 4dr LS (in reply to pilgrim) Post #: 4

RE: Ball Joints - 1/4/2007 10:37:26 AM    MNHawk Posts: 451 Joined: 10/20/2006 Status: offline If you have that much play when you do an up and down wiggle I would be looking at the wheel bearing. Its rare for ball joints to give that much play. Try jacking it up and try the up to down and the side to side. If you get a wobble all the way then I would be doing wheel bearings. _____________________________ 74 W200 4x4 360/727/NP205 D44/D60 1981 C-20 Suburban Full Size 4x4 350 4sp manual (newest toy) 91 Honda Accord (daily Driver) 1979 Ford LGT 125 2005 JD L130 95 Blazer 4 door 4x4 4.3 lt vin W(parked selling or parting out) 93 S10 Blazer 4dr 4. (in reply to guywm25) Post #: 5

RE: Ball Joints - 1/4/2007 3:40:36 PM    20Blazer00 Posts: 862 Joined: 9/16/2005 Status: offline When you jack it up have a second person move the wheel and then check the locations of the ball joints for movement...that is how i found my lowers were bad...to work on the lowers you will need a 36mm socket for the CV Shaft bolt so you can move it out of the way. It has to come apart or you can't get the lower ball joint out... _____________________________ Mark 2000 Blazer LS 4dr 4.3L Auto 1999 Grand Am 3.4L 4dr SE2 - Traded 2000 Honda Odyssey 3.5L 5dr Mini-Van (in reply to MNHawk) Post #: 6

RE: Ball Joints - 1/4/2007 8:13:59 PM    frankjc   Posts: 99 Joined: 3/25/2006 Status: offline Jack it up, and put a prybar under the wheel and lift up to check for play. I found it pretty easy to change the ball joints on mine. Just take your time. < Message edited by frankjc -- 1/4/2007 8:15:20 PM > (in reply to 20Blazer00) Post #: 7

RE: Ball Joints - 1/5/2007 8:32:29 AM    guywm25   Posts: 65 Joined: 7/11/2006 From: Brook Park, OH Status: offline I did replace the hub assembly on that side less than a year ago, if I had not I would assume that it was the culprit. but a good suggetion. thanks _____________________________ 1998 blazer 4wd 4.3 vortec 4dr LS (in reply to frankjc) Post #: 8

RE: Ball Joints - 1/5/2007 3:38:35 PM    frankjc   Posts: 99 Joined: 3/25/2006 Status: offline Once you get the hub off you are half way there. (in reply to guywm25) Post #: 9

RE: Ball Joints - 1/6/2007 2:16:46 AM    Hanr3 Wheels & Tire Moderator Posts: 3482 Joined: 5/11/2005 Status: offline I agree with having a second person wobble the tire while you look for hte worn out part. To replace the ball joints I think it is easier to remove the cv axle and the hub assemble. Drill out the rivets. When you do the pickle fork, strike the side of the steering knuckle with a hammer. The shock vibration is typically enough to pop the ball joints out with a little presure on the pickle fork. Beating on the pickle fork can be brutal. As for the longevity of ball joints. Maybe I am one of the lucky ones. I have 130,000 miles on the originals and no signs of problems, even though I wheel this truck. Then again I keep them greased. _____________________________ "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem." -President Ronald Reagan '87 S10-Blazer - SOLD '93 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - Sons DD, engine swap is done. '00 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - My (in reply to frankjc) Post #: 10

RE: Ball Joints - 1/8/2007 9:37:31 AM    guywm25   Posts: 65 Joined: 7/11/2006 From: Brook Park, OH Status: offline Thanks for the suggestions, I am going to tackle this problem tomorrow and will report back. _____________________________ 1998 blazer 4wd 4.3 vortec 4dr LS (in reply to Hanr3) Post #: 11

RE: Ball Joints - 3/10/2007 2:18:52 AM    guywm25   Posts: 65 Joined: 7/11/2006 From: Brook Park, OH Status: offline Just an update to the topic, I took it to a local shop and it was both the upper and lowers. They could not believe I was drivng on it. Thanks for the replies but I just was not able to do it my self here in OH because we had sub freezing temps. Thanks again Blazer Nation _____________________________ 1998 blazer 4wd 4.3 vortec 4dr LS (in reply to guywm25) Post #: 12

RE: Ball Joints - 4/3/2007 9:40:08 AM    snowman   Posts: 19 Joined: 4/2/2007 From: winnipeg Status: offline I did all  four on mine 3 years ago, just make sure that when you bolt them up that the nuts are on top so that the bolt threads don't rub against the grease boot. _____________________________ 98 Blazer 4.3 4wd auto 2dr loaded (in reply to guywm25) Post #: 13

RE: Ball Joints - 4/3/2007 9:46:33 AM    m00nwater Posts: 3269 Joined: 3/10/2005 From: Redbridge, but I now live in the 'shwa Status: offline For those of you that ARE looking at doing this yourself, I found a great link: BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT _____________________________ :::::::::::::::::::::::::: little girl in a big truck::::::::::::::::::::::::::: (in reply to snowman) Post #: 14

RE: Ball Joints - 4/3/2007 3:38:06 PM    Zygoat Posts: 214 Joined: 6/24/2006 Status: offline great link, whats the deal will all the stars on their forum one guy had like 10 stars, out of control. _____________________________ 97 blazer zr2 4x4 2dr 4.3l e fans, audiovox ax 901 w/remote start, flowmaster 50series suv custom catback dual out, turbo in the works. exhaust vid: http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u166/Zygoat_D/blazer/?action=view¤t=Tazer_Exhaust_clip.flv (in reply to m00nwater) Post #: 15

RE: Ball Joints - 4/4/2007 8:47:07 AM    m00nwater Posts: 3269 Joined: 3/10/2005 From: Redbridge, but I now live in the 'shwa Status: offline Ya, I don't know. I was just searching around the net one day and came across this site. _____________________________ :::::::::::::::::::::::::: little girl in a big truck::::::::::::::::::::::::::: (in reply to Zygoat) Post #: 16

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