Anyone replaced a ball joint yet? DIY?

01X52Quick · #1 12-09-2005, 01:16 AM

Any tips? Is this something I should go after myself or pay the stealership $400+?

JV · #2 12-09-2005, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01X52Quick

Any tips? Is this something I should go after myself or pay the stealership $400+?

You sure it's a ball joint?

JV

drex · #3 12-09-2005, 01:29 AM

what exactly do you mean by ball joint? control arm ball joint?

http://www.xoutpost.com/showarticle-106.html

01X52Quick · #4 12-09-2005, 09:21 AM

Yep. Control Arm BJ. Dealer wants $450 to replace. The part alone is $100 at the dealer and "they were sure if the busings were pressed in or not". Very little help to say the least. I would like to do this myself if possible, but am not confident the dealer is getting me the right parts.

alpac · #5 12-09-2005, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01X52Quick

Yep. Control Arm BJ. Dealer wants $450 to replace. The part alone is $100 at the dealer and "they were sure if the busings were pressed in or not". Very little help to say the least. I would like to do this myself if possible, but am not confident the dealer is getting me the right parts.

Replacing a control arm is really not a big deal. Although I never did it on my X5 (I have an extended warranty so why would I do it myself?) I did this on many other cars. A ball joint puller will make the removal of the ball joint an easy job. You can get one at any automotive store for about $20. The DIY article pointed by DREX is excellent. Getting your wheels aligned after is recommended.

spaz07 · #6 12-09-2005, 10:40 AM

Not a bad DIY. The hardest part is breaking free the nuts if they're rusted over and getting the ball joint in out of the rotor bracket mounting thingamabob. In doing so, I ended up pulling some kind of axle coupling thing out of the front differential thingamajig. Haha, sorry guys, not all that great at the tech terms.

All the best, Zach

jst2878 · #7 11-24-2008, 02:41 PM

Buy the part and find a local shop to press out for around 40 dollars. Do the work yourself. might be able to hit it out with a lump hammer

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01X52Quick

Yep. Control Arm BJ. Dealer wants $450 to replace. The part alone is $100 at the dealer and "they were sure if the busings were pressed in or not". Very little help to say the least. I would like to do this myself if possible, but am not confident the dealer is getting me the right parts.

duckseatfree · #8 03-02-2012, 01:56 PM

sorry to revive this old post, but I'm having to replace the ball joint on the lower control arm...(I think I got the terminology right...first timer here) - Front left side of the car.

So can I replace JUST the ball joint? Or do I have to replace the entire control arm? I tried reading through several forms and got a little confused.

I'll try to post a pic later when I get back home.

spaz07 · #9 12-09-2005, 10:44 AM

alpac beat me to it. You might want a ball joint puller whatchamacallit thing. Haha, I imagine it would make the removal 100x easier.

ATB, Zach

01X52Quick · #10 12-09-2005, 10:50 AM

Do I need the whole arm or just the BJ?

Should I buy it from the dealer or a parts store?