Ball joints 911 SC

[Bill Douglas]

Hi Guys.

I'm planning on replacing my SC's ball joints. I'll be using Lemforder brand. I've read somewhere and have seen it on youtube where they say to inject grease under the rubber boot. But Wayne's book doesn't say to do so. Do you think they are lubed and sealed, and don't need to be greased?

I guess I'll just follow the instructions. Any tips?

[Demetri]

I’m not aware of them needing to be greased. Hopefully others will chime in with a more definitive answer.

[fanaudical]

I used Lemforder ball joints when I rebuilt the suspension on my '75; I recall them arriving well-greased.

If you find you need to grease them, I'm not sure how you would do it unless they had ports for Zerk fittings. Adding more grease under the boot doesn't help - you need it in the ball-socket joint...

[Cory M]

Agreed, they should come greased.

[Bill Douglas]

Thanks Guys. That's one less thing I have to do. A youtube guy said to use a grease gun with a needle tip and slide it under the top clamp. But I don't have a grease gun or the special tip, so that's a couple of less things I need to get.

I have an air impact wrench, but it's a pretty useless thing - 312Nm of Torque , so I may have to do the breaker bar method. i've been spraying penetrating oil over the old joints.

How did your removal job go Fanaudical?

[Mark Salvetti]

Bill, do you have an air hammer tool? You can use that to loosen the big nut on the underside since you are replacing that anyway.

I don’t think I would use an impact wrench with the special ball joint socket.

Mark

[Bill Douglas]

Yes, I have the plug in electric version of an air hammer tool. It's an impact drill that can also do just the hammer function. It's a beast. Do you think give the big round nut a tap with that first?

[Cory M]

I have used an air impact gun with the special socket to remove ball joints and it worked fine. The control arm was a vice so it was easy to keep the socket engaged.

They may not be Lemforder, but Rennline sells a nice complete ball joint kit that includes the nut, lock plate, etc. It was a good savings over buying all the pieces separately when I used it.

[Bill Douglas]

Thanks, I've got the stuff including the special socket. Had it for a while and I feel now is the time to tackle the job. I'm a bit nervous about it for some reason.

[Locker537]

An impact wrench makes this a far more tolerable job. Even with a large 1/2 breaker bar and torque wrench, it's a real pain to keep the socket seated on the nut.

In addition to Cory recommending the Rennline parts, you may want to consider "decambered" ball joints if you have been hunting for a little additional negative camber.

[TxGerman]

When I changed out my ball joints, I used liquid penetrant (soaked for a couple days) but mine would still not budge, I have the proper socket and used a long breaker bar and cheater bar. Ultimately I applied a liberal amount of heat and then it gave up pretty willingly. The heat destroyed the boot, but it didn't matter since they were being replaced. My new ball joints, like others have said, came pre-greased, so no additional lubrication/greasing is required or recommended.

[dannobee]

Pipe wrench and a cheater bar to remove.

Install with the special socket.

[Bill Douglas]

Thanks Guys. I have the special socket and replacement parts so I think I'll warm it up slightly with the hot air gun. Good advice thanks very much.

[KNS]

I did the ball joints on my old SC many years ago. One of the big nuts came right off and the other would not budge even with the socket. I ended up using a Dremel to cut the nut off. Should have done that in the first place.

[mike sampsel]

I used a special socket and a cheap impact tool to get the nuts off of mine. No problem.
Changed mine at 97 k miles, fixed a front end shimmy.

[fanaudical]

I tried taking mine ball-joint nuts loose before removing the a-arms from the car. Both sprayed down with PB-Blaster for days ahead of time, both gently heated with a torch a couple of times. I had one come off cleanly with the socket, breaker bar, and using a jack under the breaker bar to hold the socket in place while I wrenched on it. The other nut wouldn't budge at all. That one got cut up with a Dremel and split.

[Bill Douglas]

I tried and I tried, but no luck.

Had been soaked in oil for a week, tried my low to moderate air impact wrench with socket. No luck. Phoned hire places for a beast of an impact wrench, they didn't have one. tried breaker bar jacked up, no luck. Hit it with cold chisel and mallet, still wouldn't budge. Tried all of the above with some heat no joy at all

I can't imagine how to get in there with a dremel to cut it.

[dannobee]

Pipe wrench and a cheater bar!

[Bill Douglas]

Thanks. But I don't have room for the pipe wrench to grab onto it. The socket only just got grip on it.

[dannobee]

I've done dozens of them. The Pipe Wrench fits. Put a big pipe on the end of the handle and have at it. I wouldn't have believed it either, but an old timer showed me years ago.

The ring sticks down just enough for the pipe wrench to grab it.