I finally got the old ball joints out on the drivers side after fighting with them all last night. Got the lower one in fine, but the upper one I'm hesitant to put in.

The grease cup on the upper one doesnt come off like the cup on the lower one, but it looks like that grease cup has to go on the bottom side of the control arm. Problem is...is theres a lip on the top of the cup and it looks like the only way to put it in is to press the grease cup through the control arm, and then thread the ball joint in once the lip of the cup has gone though. Is this right? I dont want to rip the grease cup and then have to go get another ball joint.

 

What brand of ball joint you installing? Moogs just drop in and crank down. I believe the boot will come off any of them. I don't think you'll hurt anything by pressing the boot down through the control arm. Maybe a little slickum would help.

 

i figured it out. the parts store gave me the wrong upper ball joints. the type they gave me had the grease boot sealed onto it. looked VERY similar to the correct ball joints. Got the drivers side done today, passenger side tomorrow after work.

 

On a 2wd the upper ball joints thread into the upper control arms. Then once in place the grease boot just slips over the stud and is a press fit over the body of the ball joint under the lower control arm. Then you just install as normal and the stud will seat and compress the grease boot and hold it in place.