DIY: Ball joint and front bushing removal the easy way
 

After reading some of the DIY instructions for changing the ball joints in the a-arms on a 124 with the a-arms install on the car I decided it would be easier and safer to just buy new a-arms with new ball joints and bushing installed.

In retrospect it would have been pretty easy to just remove the old ball joints and bushings and install new ones. I could have saved some money; the cost of the bushings and ball joints would have been about $150 for both sides. The cost of completely new a-arms with ball joints and bushings was about $400.

To remove old bushing you drill off the flared part of the tube that goes through the middle and then just pound out the bushings with a drift.

To remove old ball joints my friend who has a 20 ton hydraulic press pushed them out in about a minute. We used an impact socket to push on the ball joint I think the size was 27 mm.

Any difference with the new ball joints and bushings?
 

Steering or noise improvement?

Ron

Did you use a spring compressor?

Haasman

I replaced them because one of the ball joint boots was split. Never was any noise to begin with and I can not say the steering response was improved either. I also installed four new swaybar bushing on the front too. I've pretty much restored this wagon all the way around. Lots of the stuff I do to my cars is not 100% necessary. The wagon drives like it did when it was new.

Definately. I have that Klann clone sold by Baum Tool. That spring compressor works great.