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| | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 Maniac | OP Maniac Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 | Don't worry, the arm is staying on the van.
Nate, I'm not 6'4" and weigh 300 pounds for nothing! I lift weigths and work out almost every day. Hulk Hogan could probably kick my ass, but I can probably manage to get these ball joints out.
Windows- they're what make a van worth owning! | | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,148 old hand | old hand Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,148 | I'm not a big fella (5'7", 128lbs at the time), but a good breaker bar, still attached to the van, and a 2 1/2' cheater bar got mine done curbside one afternnon. Next afternoon for the other side. Always use teh 3-n-1 household oil to put them back in as you can't do it without using cutting oil...
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| | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 Maniac | OP Maniac Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 | Thanks for he tip about the oil!
Windows- they're what make a van worth owning! | | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 21,211 Likes: 25 Supreme Master | Supreme Master Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 21,211 Likes: 25 | I'm short, but wide..5'10" 328 lbs. I would have nothing but dead weight to put behind that breaker bar. LOL!
Nate Breece | | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 3,124 pooh-bah | pooh-bah Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 3,124 | Be careful having a shop do the uppers. I had a shop do a set for me, and they pressed them out, ruining the a arm. I went nuts looking for another set.
When I got the new set, I changed them out myself. The socket is 3/4 drive, so I just got a 1/2" adapter and a bigass bar, and did it right on the van. A 4' pipe makes it easy work.
| | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 21,211 Likes: 25 Supreme Master | Supreme Master Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 21,211 Likes: 25 | I would've made it the shop's problem looking for A-arms. Aren't mid-Dodge upper arms the same as the ones from the 80's-90's??
Nate Breece | | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 Maniac | OP Maniac Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 | Nope. Starting in 79 Dodge vans went to a passenger car style alignment system and the upper A-arms changed.
Got my balls joints today ($50), went and bought the pecial socket ($43). I figure that I will be able to do it for far less than a shop would have charged me, plus I know it will be done right. But with my luck the cheater bar will slip off the ratchet and bean me in the forhead right when I bear down to get the ball joint out. I will get knocked unconscious and lay there and bake in the 90 degree sun, getting sunburned, until I wake back up and try again.... WHEEEEEE!
Windows- they're what make a van worth owning! | | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,855 Likes: 234 carpal tunnel | carpal tunnel Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,855 Likes: 234 | Another trick is to warm the arm up around the ball joint pretty good with a torch and then, right as you're ready to use that socket, shoot the ball joint with freon. It'll contract some and be easier to break loose. | | | Re: Quick, cheap, easy ball joint replacement 83 b-150? | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 Maniac | OP Maniac Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 | Torch? Freon? Those are pretty sophisticated tools! I just have brute strength and ignorance working for me right now....
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