There are two main categories of ball joints: load-bearing and follower.
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Load-bearing joints must support the weight of the vehicle. They are typically the lower ball joints in the suspension.
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Follower joints still must support weight, just not the full weight of the vehicle. They are usually in the upper control arm as well as secondary lower arms.
The joint mounts vary by design. You find press-in joints on most older vehicles, as well as trucks and large SUVs. These press in and out of the control arms. You need a manual or hydraulic press to remove them from the control arm. This is not difficult, but if you are a novice, replacing the entire arm is a good option. You may not have access to a bearing press.
Many modern vehicles use bolt-in or pinch-bolt ball joints.
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Bolt-in joints use a series of small bolts to secure the joint to the arm.
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Pinch-bolt joints use a pinch flange that squeezes around the joint body, while a bolt slides through a groove in the body so it can’t come out. These can be surprisingly difficult to remove, but it’s still something that can be done in the driveway.
Two Main Options: Greaseable or Sealed
These joints are for the same vehicle, but the left is a press-in load-bearing unit, while the joint on the right is a bolt-in follower type. These are also greasable, as noted by the threaded holes for the grease fittings.
Many modern vehicles use sealed ball joints that do not need to be greased periodically. These are OK. They last 70,000 to 150,000 miles, but you can’t service them. They are replaced only.
You get more life from a greaseable ball joint, as you add grease to them at every oil change. (You do do this, right?) If you don’t grease them regularly, they don’t last as long as a sealed joint.
Vehicles that are driven through mud, water, dirt/gravel roads, or salty conditions are better served by greaseable joints. You can ensure they have good lubrication, whereas the grease in sealed joints can be washed away in harsh conditions
How do you find a ball joint that fits your car?
Finding the right parts is easy with the
eBay Parts Finder
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, where you enter the pertinent details of your vehicle. eBay shows all the parts listed on eBay that are relevant to the job at hand. Choose a reliable brand such as AC Delco, Delphi, Dorman, MevoTech, Moog, or SKP.
In some cases, you have a choice between replacing the joint or the entire arm. This depends on the situation. If your skills are minimal, replacing the entire arm is easier than pressing out an old joint. Additionally, replacing the entire arm gets you new bushings, which gives you a better ride. Some vehicles make it more difficult to remove the arm or have very expensive parts. Replacing the joint alone is a better option, saving time and money. This is where a little more research on your specific vehicle is warranted.
Greasing Ball Joints Is Easy
Removing joints on older coil-sprung cars requires some extra tools for safety, such as a coil spring compressor, or a second floor jack to hold compression on the lower arm.
Some vehicles have rebuildable ball joints, but this is a relatively small range of vehicles. It’s mostly domestic vehicles built from the 1960s through the late 1980s. Many aftermarket suspension kits have rebuildable ball joints as well. There is nothing wrong with rebuilding a ball joint, but it has to be rebuildable in the first place. You can’t rebuild a non-rebuildable ball joint.
You should replace or rebuild all the ball joints at the same time. Once one joint begins to fail, the others are not far behind. When you only change one joint, that one is much tighter than the others on that wheel. This puts more stress on the older, looser joint, quickening its failure.
Greasing a ball joint is a different story. Most vehicles have greaseable ball joints, which should be greased with every oil change. If they’re sealed ball joints, there’s no need (or way) to grease them.
Related Parts and Accessories
Make sure you have the right grease for the job. If you buy “all-makes” grease, you should be good to go.
When you are in the middle of replacing a ball joint, you have the suspension torn apart. This is a great time to replace the tie rod ends, sway bar links and bushings, shocks, struts, and other bushings. It is not required to change any of these at the same time, but you already have it apart. Doing it now saves you money and time down the road.
While most ball joints come with the hardware they need (castle nut, grease fitting, and cotter pin), you may have to remove other items that require new hardware, such as cotter pins and grease. Have an assortment of cotter pins on hand so you don’t have to buy them when your vehicle is half apart.
Grease is very important for greasable joints. You need to use the correct grease for your vehicle. For example, Ford vehicles need Ford grease, as it is formulated to match the factory-applied grease. Incompatible grease can cause the grease to liquefy or turn into rocks. Make sure that you use a good quality name-brand multi-purpose moly grease for suspension components. (Name brand, in this case, could mean the name of the manufacturer of your vehicle, but there are a number of good suppliers. Liqui Moly, STP, and Valvoline spring to mind.) This is not the same as wheel bearing grease.
You Need a Few Tools and a Service Manual, Too
For press-in joints, a manual press like this one allows you to get the job done on the vehicle without removing the entire arm.
In most cases, you need a wide selection of tools beyond the typical wrenches and sockets to replace a ball joint. You can’t do the job unless you have a jack and jack stands, torque wrench, ball joint press, large hammer, tie rod separators, and a grease gun. A spring compressor may be necessary for coil-sprung vehicles.
Replacing a ball joint is not inherently difficult, but some vehicles are harder than others. The key to a successful replacement for a first-timer is to research your specific vehicle before you sit down to do the work. Know what your vehicle requires, what the torque specs are, and the process. Buying a service manual is a really good idea, as this has the process for servicing every part of your vehicle.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.