This is on my 2005 Infiniti G35x with 150k, which has been in the rust belt its whole life.
So I was doing my driver's side control arm. Typical inner bushing went bad, I got a new arm. Turns out sway bar end link was bad as well and my ball joint had some play. Not completely bad, the boot was still there but a little too easy to push around. The wheel had no play when I checked.
With the arm removed, i figure it was cake. Pop the snap ring off from the bottom, took a couple smacks with a 3lb hammer and nothing. I rented the ball joint press. Loaded everything up and it didn't budge. Actually the threaded rod broke off a couple of threads before ball joint pop out. It's pretty dang on in there.Â
I've done ball joints before, the ones all had the ball joint drop out from the bottom. So a hammer made it easy. the G35 has the ball joint coming up. A lot harder to get leverage when on floor jacks.Â
Without the snap ring, what is holding the ball joint in? RUST fusion again? I made sure the ball joint had room to clear the cup. And I tighten the press using an impact and then a 3ft breaker bar. I was worried, I know its an OEM unit, could it be tack welded on?Â
Took a peek at youtube, couldn't find an AWD video but plenty of RWD and very similar setup but I have an axle slightly in the way. They pressed them out without any issues. Since the original ball joint wasn't completely bad, I put everything back together and I might try again on the weekend or ignore until completely bad.Â
So I was doing my driver's side control arm. Typical inner bushing went bad, I got a new arm. Turns out sway bar end link was bad as well and my ball joint had some play. Not completely bad, the boot was still there but a little too easy to push around. The wheel had no play when I checked.
With the arm removed, i figure it was cake. Pop the snap ring off from the bottom, took a couple smacks with a 3lb hammer and nothing. I rented the ball joint press. Loaded everything up and it didn't budge. Actually the threaded rod broke off a couple of threads before ball joint pop out. It's pretty dang on in there.Â
I've done ball joints before, the ones all had the ball joint drop out from the bottom. So a hammer made it easy. the G35 has the ball joint coming up. A lot harder to get leverage when on floor jacks.Â
Without the snap ring, what is holding the ball joint in? RUST fusion again? I made sure the ball joint had room to clear the cup. And I tighten the press using an impact and then a 3ft breaker bar. I was worried, I know its an OEM unit, could it be tack welded on?Â
Took a peek at youtube, couldn't find an AWD video but plenty of RWD and very similar setup but I have an axle slightly in the way. They pressed them out without any issues. Since the original ball joint wasn't completely bad, I put everything back together and I might try again on the weekend or ignore until completely bad.Â