Lower Ball joints & inner tie rod install

[Raf99]

Last week I went for an alignment appointment and came out with no work done and a list of things needed

They were the drivers side inner tie rod, and both lower ball joints.
He quoted these prices:

- inner tie rod - $37
- ball joints - $181 a piece ($362 for both)
- then alignment - $64
- his labour - $$$

Total = $600

I did not have the work done and if I can I will do it myself as I consider myself a pretty good mechanic (no pro though, haha). After thinking about this quote for a few days my brain started thinking this number was way too high. I thought, "he must be replacing the whole lower control arm for that price to avoid hammering out/in the ball joints?"

I called today and got some quotes from UAP Auto Parts (Napa):

- Lower Ball Joint - cheap $30.59, expensive $59.69
- Inner tie rod - cheap $27.99, expensive $86.04


Question:
Can anyone make sense of what d00d may have been smoking here? Seems he will go with the cheap inner tie rod and then buy a whole new lower control arm for the car on both sides, would you agree? Is there something I'm not thinking of too?

Also, I've never done these repairs before. Is it difficult? I have jacks, jack stands, pullers, tons of tools, but no air tools). It all seems simple enough but wanted to double check with someone before I tackle this.

I found a great vid to show me how the lower ball joint is done from a previous post - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd5Ic...layer_embedded

[Raf99]

and i just went and jacked up the drivers side. I'm a strong guy and there is no play at 12-6 or 9-3. The only thing that moves is my steering wheel in the car.
Should I be doing a more thorough check?

[GeoffM]

The ball joints are pressed into the knuckles.
You can do them yourself. I'm on my phone so I'm not going to describe it, but definitely doable.
I'd go back and ask why they cost so much. Ball joints are about $35 from the dealer.

[Tippey764]

This is everything you need to know about the lower balljoint

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd5Ic...el_video_title

[Raf99]

Ya, that's the vid I meant to post in my first post. Still didn't quite answer all my questions regarding the inner tie rod and others.

[Raf99]

The ball joints are pressed into the knuckles.
You can do them yourself. I'm on my phone so I'm not going to describe it, but definitely doable.
I'd go back and ask why they cost so much. Ball joints are about $35 from the dealer.

thanks.

Anyone else? Anyone have any input on the inner tie rod? I'm assuming its as easy as marking where the last one was. I also read that the honda removal tool for the inner tie rod is too small for our cars. Also does anyone know if I'll need a new boot when doing the inner tie rod?

Does anyone know exactly how the inner tie rod becomes bad? Does it have rubber bushings in there? (haynes manual was no help here)

[Skeet Skeet]

If you were in for an alignment anyway, I wouldn't worry about the inner tie rod too much as far as getting it lined up. I just would make sure you aren't going to drive 100 miles pigeon toed. The inner tie rod is pretty much a sleeve, a ball, and a shaft that extends out to the outter tie rod. I have a prelude in my driveway thats got a bad one on it and you can clearly tell is screwed up. Balls joints will clunk when you hit bumps from what I know. I have never had a ball joint problem so I don't know from experience, only from what I hear from various people. You can buy a whole front end rebuild by OE BRAND minus a few bushings for $100 on ebay.

[Raf99]

If you were in for an alignment anyway, I wouldn't worry about the inner tie rod too much as far as getting it lined up. I just would make sure you aren't going to drive 100 miles pigeon toed. The inner tie rod is pretty much a sleeve, a ball, and a shaft that extends out to the outter tie rod. I have a prelude in my driveway thats got a bad one on it and you can clearly tell is screwed up. Balls joints will clunk when you hit bumps from what I know. I have never had a ball joint problem so I don't know from experience, only from what I hear from various people. You can buy a whole front end rebuild by OE BRAND minus a few bushings for $100 on ebay.

Thanks. The alignment guy wouldn't do the alignment on it because of these issues. I guess I'll go get a second opinion from someone.

thanks

[thepowderblue]

This is everything you need to know about the lower balljoint

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd5Ic...el_video_title

I watched that video when my lower ball joint snapped like a year ago.Its helpful. I would have never got the lower ball joint out untill I remembered "Earic The Car Guy" used a air hammer.

[Raf99]

I watched that video when my lower ball joint snapped like a year ago.Its helpful. I would have never got the lower ball joint out untill I remembered "Earic The Car Guy" used a air hammer.

I wish I had a air hammer.

[ChIoVnIdCa]

I also read that the honda removal tool for the inner tie rod is too small for our cars. Also does anyone know if I'll need a new boot when doing the inner tie rod?

No special tool...


On the rack side the inner nut has a washer "wrapped" around it... Take a hammer and punch/ flat head screw driver and straighten it out.. Then you can back it off of the rack..

Unless the boot is torn you will not need a new one... You will need a new clamp.

[thepowderblue]

I got my air hammer for like $20 at checker auto.

[Raf99]

I got my air hammer for like $20 at checker auto.

Thanks ChIoVnIdCa.
thepowderblue, I don't own a compressor yet either :P

Does anyone else know another way to check ball joints and the inner rod (considering I could not find any play in the wheel while jacked up)?

[thepowderblue]

Thats how you check.jack it up and move the wheel around and if it clunks or has play then a ball joint is bad. Look to see if they have bad boots and if they do then I would Really make shure its good and lubed maybe even replace it.You should be able to grab the tie rids and feel if they clunk.If there is nothing loose clunking around and all of the bushings in the control arms look good then I would say its fine.

[batever]

This is a strong candidate for a do it yourself job. He may be quoting you for the entire upper control arm. He may even be concerned about the upper, not the lower, ball joint.

If the $180 is for the lower ball joint in the knuckle, that's right in the pocket for two of them at $60 per, plus a (rather high) 50% shop markup (before labor).

However, if it's the upper ball joint, standard practice (not getting into a debate about pressing a new upper in here) is to just replace the control arm. Upper ball joint doesn't affect alignemnt that much, in my understanding, so he's probably not talking about that anyways.

I'd just do it myself. But if you want him to do it, ask him why the lbj quote is that high/verify that he is talking about two sides. And if he IS quoting that high he should be using the highest quality/price LBJ's available. Which is actually a good choice.

Good luck/have fun with it/hope it gets fixed.

As to the air hammer question, it's a natural choice if you happen to have one and the compressor to go with it. But a normal 3 or 5 lb sledge or machinist's hammer (cross-peen hammer or something--i'd go with heavier rather than lighter for this) and a drift punch, used in the same way as an air hammer, will probably get the same results--it will just take a little longer. Use a lot of medium strikes, moving around the circumference of the LBJ, to work it free. You WILL need a sturdy bench vise and workbench, though.