Replacing Lower Ball Joints On A 1987 Chevy Silverado

Here we are replacing lower ball joints on a 1987 Chevy Silverado.  We used the blue jack stand to hold up the lower control arm during the process.  The red floor jack and the green tie strap were used to support and hold the steering knuckle, brake rotor and caliper off to the side while the ball joint was getting replaced.  The silver clamp is a tool used to press the new ball joint into the lower control arm without damaging it.

Yes Dan does still get his hands dirty!  Ball joints can be referred to as a "labor Intensive" job.  This usually means that there is a large amount of labor involved in completing said job.  This particular truck went pretty smooth, but it does not always work out so well when dealing with thirty year old vehicles.

Remember what we said about going smooth?  The thirty year old ball joint on the passenger side did not want to come out.  After some convincing with the grinder and a few well placed swings with yellow handled hammer in the picture it was out with the old and in with the new.

Dan said this picture was just too cool to not post with all the sparks flying!