[Cduran]

So like most I wrench on my car to learn & also save money I don’t have for this hobby . I recently took my V in for a alignment & the LCA Bushing were shot which I then approved to remove & replace for the first time . Figured if I did the front struts I could do bushings . Upon removal of the LCA ball joints I had a hard time getting the passenger side LBJ to let go of the spindle housing if I’m correct . So I ended up using a fork not knowing it would tear my ballpoint up , long story short I purchased replacement Feb best I found on here . My trouble is I’ve had no luck pressing them in with a Maddox ball joint service kit or with my 12 ton press . Has anybody been through this is it the product or me ?

 

[SofaKingSlow]

Those look pretty boogered. Start fresh, only this time remove the boot to give the socket or driver you're using a solid place to seat. Then replace it after installation. With the boot still in place, the driver will tend to move. This also pinches the boot. Or...

I used to replace ball joints individually, until I discovered that UCAs and LCAs came with them already installed. I considered the difference in price vs the ball joint alone against the aggravation of removing the arm anyway and then having to R&R the ball joint itself. Time savings plus less aggravation usually outweighed the extra cost of the whole assembly. ESPECIALLY on a 1999 Chev Cavalier. Lower ball joint on those is riveted in from the factory.

This will also give you a chance to upgrade the LCA bushings, since you already have it apart and have had them replaced previously.

 

[Cduran]

I would buy new LCA if they were around 500-600 dlls per arm . I did the creative steel poly bushings with no prob figured swapping the ball joint shouldn’t be to bad. I’ve called febest & they are shipping me replacement ball joints . I’ll either do them with someone experienced or pay to have them pressed .

 

[SofaKingSlow]

$220 each, complete, Delco parts. Others priced less as well.

 

[Cduran]

$220 each, complete, Delco parts. Others priced less as well.

where at ? I was quoted quite a bit just in parts

 

[SofaKingSlow]

The underlined part is a link to the page at rockauto.

 

[BigDuderShooter]

Those are the new balls? Wheeew, what happened to the outer edges?

They are pressable, I did them on mine a few months back. Febest are the only ones available for the lowers I believe. I used a die that fit around the edge of the ball and pressed it in, I have a 20T press. They were fairly straightforward and didn't have any issues. It took a fair amount of force to get them seated but nothing like the control arm bushings.

Going with a prefabbed control arm is good if you're gonna replace with stock bushings, but if you want something different for bushings like polyurethane then you have to do everything yourself. Doesn't make sense to buy new control arms just to press the new stock bushings out.

 

[Cduran]

Im now on the third ball joint with no luck , I’ve called the dealership & they only sell the LCA . I started second guessing the ball joints & put a gauge to it & found this . I’d like to say the oem one was 49 & the febbest 77 so it’s definitely wrong . I pressed out my bushings & understood how that worked so I knew something had to be off . If I would’ve know Rock Auto stocked them at 400 a piece I would’ve just bought them . Now I’m stuck between a rock & a hard place . I’ll call Febbest tomorrow & see what I can figure out .

 

[Cduran]

Has anybody ever tried there ?