2017 gmc 3500HD lower ball joint replacement
This repair does take afew hours, but heres how i do it!
1. If your only replacing one side you only need to support that side with a jackstand, supporting the lower A arm.
2. Remove the wheel
3. Remove the brake caliper, theres 2 rubber caps to seal the caliper sliders, pinch and pull those to expose the two 10mm allen heads that are your caliper sliders
Clean the sliders and set them to the side
4. Hang your caliper with a bungie cable so theres no tention on the brake line. Remove the caliper bracket held down with two 21mm bolts from the back side
5. Remove the rotor
6. Unplug the abs wheel speed sensor up ontop of the frame rail, two 11mm bolts holding the wire inplace and one holding the brake line
7. Undo the 21mm nut holding the outer tie rod in place and hit the knuckle beside the tie rod to seperate the taper
8. Remove the dust cap covering the axle nut gently tapping a small pry bar or chisel and remove the nut using a 34mm socket
9. Next remove the eight 15mm bolts attatching the other end of the cv axle to the diff
Pull the cv axle towards you and drop it down, tap on the threaded end were the axle nut was with a rubber mallet and slide the cv axle out of the way
10. Remove the upper ball joint nut with an 18mm wrench, seperate the taper with a hammer like the tie rod end but leave it resting in the hole
TIP
Sometimes the upper ball joint will spin, theres a small hole for an allen key on the end of the stud to stop it from spinning and assist the nut coming off
11. Loosen lower ball joint nut using 22mm socket but leave the nut on the last couple threads. tip the whole knuckle forward and hammer the knuckle beside the lower ball joint to seperate that taper
The knuckle will drop, holding it up undo those couple last threads and remove the knuckle
12. Clean around the ball joint with wire brush and grab your ball joint press, you can beat the hell out of it with a hammer to push it down and out but youll be there swinging for hours
13. Install ball joint press making sure everything is lining up straight as possible and push the ball joint out
TIP
Make sure to line up grease nipple towards rear of vehicle, theres a small indent to help with clearance for a grease gun
14. Line up install tool with new ball joint as straight as possible, pushing new joint in at an angle will destroy the lower A arm
Press new ball joint in, install grease nipple and retainer snap ring
15. Install your knuckle, tighten the upper and lower ball joint nuts
16. Install the sensor wire hold downs and plug it back in. The brake line hold down at the same time
17. Slide cv axle in, tighten the diff flage bolts and torque the axle nut to 177 ft pounds, reinstall tie rod
18. Install rotor, caliper bracket
19. Slide caliper back on, grease slider pins with correct slider grease and install caliper, dont forget rubber plugs to seal sliders
20. Install just cover over axle nut with rubber mallet
21. Do one last check over everything done make sure nothing was forgotten. Grease all your rod ends/ new ball joint, reinstall your wheel, torque your tires and your on your way!