Replacing Front Ball Joints - easy/hard??

[Pleinmont]

Howdy

Can I do it raised with the front wheels on drive up ramps or do I need to suspend the car on the chassis with a jack and unweight the front suspension?

And do I need a hydraulic press like it says in the ad? If so its going to a garage

http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/...oducts_id=3222

My MOT advisory note from last year said the NSF lower ball joint shows signs of wear. The steering is a pretty rattly over cobbles and manholes, so I was thinking of doing it myself as the parts are only £15 off PFV. I've always built/maintained my own mountain bikes from scratch so fairly handy with a spanner and want to start on the car to save garage costs.

Car is a 1998 V40 Turbo Diesel.
Thanks

[scottishvolvo]

I think the whole assembly is a better bet, I have the same advisory for the off-side and plan on the whole control arm. I never knew the joint was available seperately. The complete arm will need to come off anyway if it needs pressed in.
Better to do it on axle stands as the wheel will need to come off.
Chris

[Pleinmont]

Originally Posted by scottishvolvo

I think the whole assembly is a better bet, I have the same advisory for the off-side and plan on the whole control arm. I never knew the joint was available seperately. The complete arm will need to come off anyway if it needs pressed in.
Better to do it on axle stands as the wheel will need to come off.
Chris

Hmm,

I think this is beyond me as reading the ad again, it says the joint needs to be pressed into the original arm, so its probably not something I will be able to do at home.

Do you know roughly how much the whole arm costs? Parts for volvo don't seem to stock the arm and joint for a V40, just the balljoint.
Thanks

[scottishvolvo]

https://secure.gsfcarparts.com/shop/results.asp
I thought these were them then noticed the model year, don't seem to have '98 arms
Chris

[Flying Torquewrench]

Pleinmont,

Take a look at the following link.

http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/...hp?cPath=2_535

You are looking at £49.35 if i have taken the correct year of your car.

It's possible to do it yourself on axle stands. However if you can use somebody's garage and use their ramp makes it much easier. I changed it last year and i used the ramp in a garage. Job took me 20 minutes. But its recommended that you do a wheel alignment after changing it. So please make sure that the garage does this alignment if you don't change it yourself.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with it.

FT

[Pleinmont]

Originally Posted by Flying Torquewrench

Pleinmont,

Take a look at the following link.

http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/...hp?cPath=2_535

You are looking at £49.35 if i have taken the correct year of your car.

It's possible to do it yourself on axle stands. However if you can use somebody's garage and use their ramp makes it much easier. I changed it last year and i used the ramp in a garage. Job took me 20 minutes. But its recommended that you do a wheel alignment after changing it. So please make sure that the garage does this alignment if you don't change it yourself.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with it.

FT

Hi
Cheers for the info.
My garage over the road offered to do it for £100, £55 parts and £45 labour for an hour.
Given that I haven't got a ramp or axle stands and value my weekends (got a small baby ), I might take the cowards way out