Hey all has anybody changed there front ball joints?If so how hard was it.It looks to me as tho they have to be pressed in.
Any help apreciated.

Its straight forward process, the steps are documented in the manual, however you may need a tool that looks like this to make your job easier... dont forget to do a wheel alignment.

Ball joints are pressed in. The tool above will let you disconnect them, but not replace them. Pull off both suspension arms and take in to a workshop with a new set of ball joints. The manual shows how to test them once disconnected. Often the grease in them dies of old age and they stiffen up. If you find they are tight to turn, once off the car, run some oil into the joint past the rubber boot and see if they loosen up when turning them. Once freed up, the turning torque test will show if they are still serviceable.

I have a workshop with a press if you need, Darren

They do need to be pressed in however if you have done them before you can use a hammer and a block of wood, just be damn careful they go in nice and square as if they do not the sleve they seat in will be damaged and they will come loose very fast

Yep -that's the bush mechanic method, only to be used in desperate times. Better to use a press. Peace of mind, and all that . . . . "Gosh, I'm drifting sideways, now what if the ball joint pops out?" Answer = loss of control, body damage, whoops, watch that tree . . . . WALLOP . . . another angel floats gently off to heaven . . . . [get the point?]

Gosh, I'm drifting sideways

In a magna lol

In a magna lol

It can be done :badgrin:

But yeah the twice ive ever done them i just used a press, even if you take to control arms off and go down to the local mechanics/machining shop, im sure they will get one of the lads to press them in while you wait for minimal $

Yep -that's the bush mechanic method, only to be used in desperate times. Better to use a press. Peace of mind, and all that . . . . "Gosh, I'm drifting sideways, now what if the ball joint pops out?" Answer = loss of control, body damage, whoops, watch that tree . . . . WALLOP . . . another angel floats gently off to heaven . . . . [get the point?]

Thanks, i am sure that a lot of after market manuals would not agree with you either. I have seen this done in dealerships as well with a brass drift and not just mits dealerships

Ideal way is to use the press, but not everyone has one

Oh and have you ever wondered why the joints are only avail aftermarket and mits only sells the entire control arm, this is because unlike the old days with cast iron arms or riveted in joints like GMH and Ford, the ball joints are not actually really designed to be removed and replaced

I am curious though to the OP, why do you need new ball joints, are you sure you have issues

Magna ball joints don't wear out that easily - but they do suffer from grease that solidifies/dries out, and then the steering feels as if the joints are stuffed. Gently squirting some grease into the joint past the rubber boot and giving the car a week or two for the new grease to work itself into the joint by gravity makes the steering feel much better. This works best with the joint disconnected. If desperate (not having a ball joint remover tool as above), do what I did - a syringe with 5 ml of gearbox oil, shove the needle through the boot (at the back and high up) and squirt it in. The oil "rehydrates" the old grease and everything is back to normal. Once everything moves smoothly again you get a better chance of assessing the condition of the ball joints.

My theory/2c worth anyway - flame away!

Above tool - $22 at supercheap. Finally bought one, after lusting for one for decades! Works on tie rod joints too!

HURRAY FOR ME!

Just remembered - the press method allows you to see the force needed to insert the new joint - 7 tonnes IIRC - lets you know the arm is still ok. Bashing it in won't tell you that.

Above tool is one way of popping the joint off the stub axle, does not press the joints out of the arm.

Your best bet is to drill a hole in the bottom of the ball joint, tap a thread and install a greese nipple. You can then grease them as you normally would.

Above tool is one way of popping the joint off the stub axle, does not press the joints out of the arm.

Your best bet is to drill a hole in the bottom of the ball joint, tap a thread and install a greese nipple. You can then grease them as you normally would.

That sounds like a good idea..... many new car manufacturers no longer install grease nipples, this is due to “planned obsolescence”. Which means that things like ball joints are considered “non-servicable parts”, they are pre-packed with enough grease to get them past the new car warranty period. After that they expect you to either buy another new car from them, or buy more non-servicable parts from them at ridiculous prices.

Madmagna, if you try it and it works well, let us know, it would then be an way too easy job to grease the ball joints.

That sounds like a good idea..... many new car manufacturers no longer install grease nipples, this is due to “planned obsolescence”. Which means that things like ball joints are considered “non-servicable parts”, they are pre-packed with enough grease to get them past the new car warranty period. After that they expect you to either buy another new car from them, or buy more non-servicable parts from them at ridiculous prices.

Madmagna, if you try it and it works well, let us know, it would then be an way too easy job to grease the ball joints.


There is brands out there that come with nipples pre installed, Wasp are one from memory, they also have split pin nuts as well rather then the other type.

Three 7 have them as well.

The ones with the castilated nuts are ok but not really practicle on a Magna as the space is so damn tight

The grease nipples work, have done them many a time, just be careful when you drill to do it in stages or you will end up with drill shavings all through the joint

Now, back to the OP, if you are replacing because you have noticed up and down movement this is normal as ball joints are sprung to help reduce road shock through the control arm

Now, back to the OP, if you are replacing because you have noticed up and down movement this is normal as ball joints are sprung to help reduce road shock through the control arm

This is about Ball joints, but the rear ones, I seem to have a red dusty deposit, but its localised to the ball joint, a retired mechanics frined of mine says if the grease gets out the ball can start to grind away and you get fine rust dust coming out (of the boot).. As the car is still under its used car statutory warranty I need to know if its stuffed or not so i can get it fixed, there is hardly any moved in the wheel, but i havent had a second pair of eyes to check while I shake the wheel yet (see photo)

I would say that a small amout of grease has come out and just made the area moist and then dust has stuck to the area, nothing really to worry about

You also get this around rubber bushes in the back end as well, this will usually mean that the bolt is slightly loose and this is an issue if nto tightened up quicly as it is metal filings going rusty.