Hello,

My celica didn't pass the yearly test because of a worn ball joint cover and the light adjustment.

I'm wondering though how to replace the ball joint? Can't find a write up about it unfortunately so i don't know how much work is involved with it.
Is it also possible to just change the boot for an aftermarket one?

Thanks!

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Are you talking about the knuckle ball joint? That piece you just hit right out after you unbolt it from the knuckle.

That's the thing i mean i guess. The lower ball joint.

Is it that easy? Thought i had to remove the wheel, put the Car on jacks etc etc.

check out this how-to on replacing the CV axle assembly, it's basically what all will have to happen to get the steering knuckle off and remove the ball-joint.
http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showto...2;cv+axle\

the steering knuckle is held in place by the strut bolts on the top, and the ball-joint on the bottom. the ball-joint has one nut with a cotter-pin through the top.
all you have to do is take that off but once the nut is off you use a big "pickle-fork" and smack the crap out of it till it comes apart from the knuckle.(not the most fun you've ever had)
then the bottom of the ball joint fastens to the control arm with three more nuts on the bottom. Still you have to take the CV axle out so look at that 'cause you'll need a new transmission seal to put it back in, or you may want
to get a new axle while you've got it apart.

If you need a new "boot" for the ball-joint you really want to go ahead and replace the whole thing, generally if they see a worn boot, they assume the joint must be worn out.
in fact, even if you just need to take it apart to change the CV axle, you will ruin the boot on the ball-joint when you smack it with the pickle-fork so you have to replace it anyway.

Isn't a better option then to get the whole axle out? That way i won't have to change the transmission fluid again. Instelling a seal isn't always necessary. When changing the engine i kept the old seal.

if you know your axles are good then yes, you can probably remove the ball-joint without taking the whole axle out.
maybe just turn the wheel to the side so you can get to it, remove the top nut and pin, then stick that fork where the boot is and smack it apart.
then take the bottom bolts loose.

I generally don't use a pickle fork or take my axle out when I take the ball joints out. Both can be helpful, but I'm lazy and avoid extra steps, plus a couple of light taps with a hammer will free the ball joint up. I typically do it like this:

-Take 17mm socket, break the two nuts and one bolt free underneath the control arm.
-Break lug nuts free, jack car up and put on jack stands, and remove wheel(s).
-Remove cotter pin and castle nut from the top of the ball joint. 19mm, I think. Since I never take the axle out, I have to use an end wrench instead of a ratchet.
-Take ball peen hammer and lightly tap the bolts underneath the control arm and the top of the ball joint to free it.
-Put the new ball joint into place, put the castle nut and cotter pin in place, then pry the control arm down and put the bottom bolts into place.

Those steps are very vague, but last time I replaced my ball joints it took 30 minutes per side.

or if you have air tools, and air hammer gets it out too...

I have air tools happily

^ Use those. I don't know what this new moderator is speaking of, I agree with VavAlephVav. There's a good word for those ball joints, a little thing we like to call kutwerk.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Jan 21, 2014 - 7:07 AM

I've always had to take the axle out, tried the fork and just popping it. Gave up, spent the money for the correct tool, and popped right out easy peasy.

According to the guy that works at Toyota it should be doable without removing the axle. He adviced to remove the wheel for more room. The 2 bolts underneath the arm will be easy i guess...the axle has been removed about 10k km ago during the blacktop swap.

True story. Sadly, last time I did it was in a carport at my apartment with only the scissor jack from the trunk, a ratchet set and end wrench set, needle nose pliers, a pry bar for the control arm, and a small hammer.

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Then the next day, I made the 1,200 mile trip to Rhode Island.

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...Damn, That's HardCore

So it has been done

Biggest problem was for the pin to come out. It was completely stuck. So we drilled the pin out. A friend of mine had a ball joint puller and that was really handy The pin was taking 30 minutes of our time i guess...remounting maybe 15 minutes i think.

The air tools were also handy for removing, but even more for mounting it.

Thanks for all the help guys!

Some pictures:

The old ball joint:


My brothers dog in wondering if i can and should put the old ball joint back in :


The new ball joint in place:

It sounds like a difficult job but there's really not much to it.

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+1

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+1

Was indeed a lot simpler then i thought it'd be. On some videos on youtube i see people removing the axle, which is absolutely not necessary on the Celica.