Thread: front end removal,ball joints

Originally Posted by lewy

All 4 ball joints on my d2 need replacing,I have a good front end sitting under my parts car with good ball joints and other new components,my quandry is will it be easier to just swap the complete front end over or just do the ball joints in the daily driver,what obstacles stand in the way of removing a front end complete.thanks in advance

Interesting question. I'm about to do ball joints on mine and I ain't looking forward to it. I have considered if it would be easier to do the job with the axle on the bench. If I had a decent steel bench I probably would.

I don't foresee any major issues with doing the swap, provided the diff ratios are the same, and on a D2 they would be. It would be a heavy job so good jacks would be a must. A Nanocom would be handy to bleed the brakes. Obviously you'd need to do it twice if you need the wreck to roll.

Pay close attention to the condition of the font drive shaft while you're at it.

Remember D2 and D2A have different length panhard rods. I do not know if the mounts are in the same place on the axle.
I agree. I have often wondered about buying a low K V8 axle and swapping it entirely would be cheaper and easier than the rigmarole with replacing them.

Regards PhilipA

they are both d2a's,the brakes won't need bleeding as i will just hang the calipers up some where without disconnecting the oil feed.Just some bolts and steering knuckles verses having to buy a ball joint press.both diffs have about the same km's on them.I think i will go the swap out,probably need a coil spring compressor but the shocks should hang there,the donor has ace but that won't matter..

Repeating nightmare, go to drive the D2 and the ball joints are gone... Think its a right of passage thingy, but, once in a lifetime is enough (when I got the D2a, let the mechanic do it and they still go arrggghhh when they talk about it!)