Thread: ''A'' frame ball joint

It's easy to do, the big thing is to make sure the vehicle can't move one inch!
Handbrake firmly applied, low range first gear, wheels chocked and if you've got them put chassis stands under the chassis rails. Why? Because when you remove the ball joint there is nothing to stop the diff assy rotating and dropping the whole car on top of you.
First, remove the split pin through the castle nut on the bottom of the ball joint ( you can see this looking up from behind the diff )
Second, release tension on the castle nut but don't completely remove.
Third, Undo and remove the two bolts that go through the ball joint carrier attaching it to the A frame.
You will then have two A frame arms seperated from the ball joint carrier. They won't fall and hit you on the head.
Then remove the castle nut and lift the ball joint out, this may require a tap or two from a hammer on the bottom of the ball joint thread.
The method I use to extract the old ball joint from the carrier is to invert the assy in a vice then using a hacksaw, not an angle grinder, you don't want to accidentally cut into the carrier that you have to re-use. Cut the wings off the old ball joint so the carrier can be rested in a press and the ball joint pushed out. I take this and the new ball joint to my mechanic and he does the pressing.
Then just bolt it back in and away you go.

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