How to get ball joint back into control arm?

Jvestal · Post by **Jvestal** » 04 Sep 2012, 21:22

Okay so I am replacing both front drive shaft because of torn CV boots. Got the old ones out and new ones in but can not figure out how to get the ball joint to go back into the control arm. I can push the control arm down (until in bottoms out) but still need another 2 inches to get the ball joint back into the control arm hole. When I jack up the wheel it just pushes out and is not aligned with the hole.

Do I need to compress the springs? Something else? Please let me know any idea.

Here is a youtube link to what I did, unfortunately it does not go into an reassembly details.

Thanks for any info.

Post by **matthew1** » 04 Sep 2012, 21:27

On 850s I've run into a similar problem, where the ball joint would simply not seat in its mate. So we took the control arm (back) off of the frame of the car. This frees up the control arm so that you can mate the ball joint first, then do the two frame bolts.

Post by **Matty Moo** » 05 Sep 2012, 00:20

Make sure the ball joint is clean, put some anti-seize in it then manipulate it where it's at the right angle to go straight in. Depending on how stubborn it is, I've found that using a rubber mallet coaxes it into place.

Post by **jimmy57** » 05 Sep 2012, 08:32

Usually it is a very long pry bar to get the CA to drop that last little bit it takes for the stud to clear and go into the hole on the CA.

Jvestal · Post by **Jvestal** » 06 Sep 2012, 13:44

Here is what I did

road1will · Post by **road1will** » 08 Sep 2012, 14:57

Long pry bar through the control arm prying down. This is much easier to do with the car on a lift instead of the ground.

mbreed · Post by **mbreed** » 17 Sep 2012, 11:55

Volvo has a big C clamp spring compressor that is used on car. I had a come-a-long and just cranked that control arm down until the ball joint went in.

Post by **boosted5cyl** » 27 Sep 2012, 16:49

Probably a bit late now, but the bolts you loosened are used to hold the camber in position. Might be a good idea to get your alignment checked, or at the very least throw a digital angle finder on there.