I'm replacing ball joints on my 85SD. The tie rods and guide rod mounts were done not long ago and are almost new.

I've run into a little problem & want to confirm before screwing up and having to post in the "stupid admission thread".

The spring & shock are removed. The steering knuckle is removed. The upper control arm is removed.

Problem 1 Now I need to remove the lower control arm. The nut that holds the camber adjustment is removed. That's on the bolt that holds the lower control arm to the body. The bolt itself won't budge.

Problem 2 The bolt that holds the adjustment sleeve of the guide rod mount to the lower control arm won't move. ie vertical bolt at the front of the guide rod adjusting sleeve.


Well....while typing I had a thought. Are problems 1 & 2 because the guide rod is pushing everything forward? If so, I'll reduce the caster as much as possible and figure out how to pull the lower control arm forward.

I would prefer not to mess with pulling the guide rod mount down off the body because I remember how much effort it took to get it installed.

It's getting dark and mosquitoes are out and this will be a project for tomorrow.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Are you using a spring compressor? I suspect the tension is caused by the caster if the spring rather than the guide rod.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

I removed the spring and the caster is almost as low as it can be. The guide rod mount and bracket are nearly new. I have a come-a-long attached to the lower control arm and the tow eye to use for relieving pressure if needed.

Is the bolt through the forward end of the caster adjuster just a simple bolt through some bushings? If so, it is simply stuck and I'll use brute force to remove it. I have new bushings and I'm thinking it isn't that complicated. Still, I don't want to break anything.

The bolt turned a little with a 3' breaker bar and a shot of PB Blaster.

Edit: I dug the air compressor out and used the heaviest 1/2" impact that I have. It eventually turned the bolt and the rubber bushings fell out. I don't have electricity where the car is and the air hose is too short to reach. Using an extension cord for electricity blows the fuses so I have to drag the compressor back and forth. I'll buy some air hoses. We live in a 100+ yr old house still running on fuses.

I decided to change all 4 ball joints and all bushings because 2 ball joints are shot. I'm tempted to leave the lower control arm bushings alone but would hate it if they fail soon. The bolt holding the lower control arm isn't moving and will be a pita to remove.

I used a BFH to knock the lower ball joints out and will let a shop with a press put them back in. The c press from the store doesn't have anything that fits the ball joint. I've been putting this off & will be glad when it's done.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

I think the 85 SD uses the same steering Knuckle as the W123. If that is so and someone else reads this and wants to try useing that C-Press.

The pic is mine. In order to use the C-press on a W123 to install Lemfoerder Ball Joints you need to remove the Boot.

In the pic you see the red Arrows. That is where I should have put a large Waser with an hole that I enlarged so it would slide over the Ball Joint Shaft. With out the Washer the C-press wants to slide off of the area on the Lemfoerder Ball Joint.

I managed to get the Joint in anyway but not having the washer made it harder to keep it centered in the C Press.

The Yellow arrow points to one of the adapters that comes with the C-press Kit.
On mine a little bit of the Ball Joint portrudes out of the bottom so you need to use the adapter to proved some empty space for that protrusion and also you just need to use it anyway.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

If I reall the lower control arm bushings are very stout. I wouldn't hesitate to leave the alone if they are those huge rubber ones like in the w124s. I've never seen those bushing wear out on any car and I've had lots over 250,000 miles. But that is just my experience. I did replace them once on my 124 but decided it was a waste of money and time afterwards looking at the old ones.

I always removed my steering knuckle and take it and balloons to a shop to press them in. They charged me 30 a piece to remove the old and put a new one in.

Ps I am not picturing this guide rod. Mount. But I've never messed with a w126 front end. The control arm bushing bolt should just tap out with a hammer. They always came out easy for me on the w124. Do you have any pics ? Maybe the 126 is a different animal.

It is not required to remove the spring to replace the ball joints and/or caster bushings. And, compressing the spring is dangerous as hell! Even with the correct tool I never face the business ends once it's out.

If the lower control arm bushing looks good I'd leave it alone. They seldom fail and are a real pia to get out of the arm.

However, the bolt should just slide out once the nut is off.