the realdocimastic
Junior Member
Just thought someone might find this useful. My ball joint seals had cracked / split; the ball joints themselves are otherwise good (tight with no free play and resistance to turning). Energy Suspension makes some "universal" boots that fit my 2000 Continental PERFECTLY ...it was if they were made just for this car. O'Reilly's got them in for me the next day...cost was $6....for a pair. (The listing says "boot" but it is a pair of boots, so just order one. And yes, it says "tie rod" but trust me.... Energy Suspension / O'reilly part number is 9.13119G. see http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...p?ck=Search_9.13119g_-1_4770&keyword=9.13119g
Each side should take 30-45 min if you work slowly, as I do.... LOL
Procedure: After raising the car (easy to lift the entire front (i.e. both sides) by using jack at the center of the front of the engine subframe) and placing on jack stands:
1. Loosen or remove lower joint castellated nut. Break tapered joint free from lower control arm using 2-jaw puller or specialty puller. Do NOT use a fork to separate..you will ruin the joint. Remove nut if not already done.
2. Remove inner control arm bushing bolt using 18mm socket. Use an air ratchet once broken free, if you have one. It has a "winged nut" on the front that keeps the nut from turning.
3. Manhandle / pull / pry the lower arm bushing out of the frame bracket and push the outer end off of the taper on the ball joint. Once the inner bushing is free of the frame bracket, you will want to rotate the arm on the anti-roll bar...inner end up; outer end down, obviously. Use some caution to keep the spindle (steering knuckle) basically in place so as to not over-extend the CV shaft, or you will be re-building that.
4. Use a 90 degree pick (think cheap at Harbor Freight) to remove the old boot and retaining springs.
5. Clean with shop towel soaked in brake cleaner, maybe use some compressed air. Be sure to clean the groove that is close to the lower arm.
6. Push / work some suspension / wheel bearing grease into the joint; move the joint back and forth and push the grease in again.
7. Fill the outer part of the new boot with the same grease... leaving an open area for the taper.
8. Push new boot into place. It will snap onto the grooved part.
9. Re-install arm. I found it helpful to use 2 screwdrivers to get the inner bushing aligned.... I used one as a pry bar (not much force at all is needed) and the other turned vertical between the bushing and the frame lip above it.... held it just right so the bolt would slip back in.
10. Remove excess grease that squeezes out of the boot.
TIP: In order to avoid or at least minimize needing to have the front end aligned, you may want to scribe a mark on the very end of the thread end of the tapered shaft so you know its orientation. Or make sure it doesn't turn.... (if it can be rotated by hand, the entire ball joint should be replaced.) One thing you can do to help keep it from rotating...once the lower arm is in place, use a jack under it to push it onto the taper. More pressure is better... it may keep it from spinning. I had a problem with it rotating as I tightened the nut using an impact. the lower part of the knuckle kind of went in a circle; it messed up my alignment, as i did not mark the orientation. You can probably rotate the tapered shaft/threaded end (or hold it in place?) by using a 1/8 drill bit in the cotter pin hole until the taper is seated under pressure.)
Inner bushing bolt torque: 73-98 ft. lbs.
Lower ball joint nut torque: 50-67 ft. lbs. Torque to 50, then if NEW cotter pin hole doesn't line up, gradually tighten bit by bit until it does, and install new cotter pin. 1/8X1 worked for me.
Hope this is useful info!
Each side should take 30-45 min if you work slowly, as I do.... LOL
Procedure: After raising the car (easy to lift the entire front (i.e. both sides) by using jack at the center of the front of the engine subframe) and placing on jack stands:
1. Loosen or remove lower joint castellated nut. Break tapered joint free from lower control arm using 2-jaw puller or specialty puller. Do NOT use a fork to separate..you will ruin the joint. Remove nut if not already done.
2. Remove inner control arm bushing bolt using 18mm socket. Use an air ratchet once broken free, if you have one. It has a "winged nut" on the front that keeps the nut from turning.
3. Manhandle / pull / pry the lower arm bushing out of the frame bracket and push the outer end off of the taper on the ball joint. Once the inner bushing is free of the frame bracket, you will want to rotate the arm on the anti-roll bar...inner end up; outer end down, obviously. Use some caution to keep the spindle (steering knuckle) basically in place so as to not over-extend the CV shaft, or you will be re-building that.
4. Use a 90 degree pick (think cheap at Harbor Freight) to remove the old boot and retaining springs.
5. Clean with shop towel soaked in brake cleaner, maybe use some compressed air. Be sure to clean the groove that is close to the lower arm.
6. Push / work some suspension / wheel bearing grease into the joint; move the joint back and forth and push the grease in again.
7. Fill the outer part of the new boot with the same grease... leaving an open area for the taper.
8. Push new boot into place. It will snap onto the grooved part.
9. Re-install arm. I found it helpful to use 2 screwdrivers to get the inner bushing aligned.... I used one as a pry bar (not much force at all is needed) and the other turned vertical between the bushing and the frame lip above it.... held it just right so the bolt would slip back in.
10. Remove excess grease that squeezes out of the boot.
TIP: In order to avoid or at least minimize needing to have the front end aligned, you may want to scribe a mark on the very end of the thread end of the tapered shaft so you know its orientation. Or make sure it doesn't turn.... (if it can be rotated by hand, the entire ball joint should be replaced.) One thing you can do to help keep it from rotating...once the lower arm is in place, use a jack under it to push it onto the taper. More pressure is better... it may keep it from spinning. I had a problem with it rotating as I tightened the nut using an impact. the lower part of the knuckle kind of went in a circle; it messed up my alignment, as i did not mark the orientation. You can probably rotate the tapered shaft/threaded end (or hold it in place?) by using a 1/8 drill bit in the cotter pin hole until the taper is seated under pressure.)
Inner bushing bolt torque: 73-98 ft. lbs.
Lower ball joint nut torque: 50-67 ft. lbs. Torque to 50, then if NEW cotter pin hole doesn't line up, gradually tighten bit by bit until it does, and install new cotter pin. 1/8X1 worked for me.
Hope this is useful info!
Last edited:
