W210 ball joints
 

My indie told me today that my ball joints are bad. This is hard to believe since my car only has 73K on it. My 124's balljoints lasted 175K!! Anyway...

As my mechanical skills seem to be progressing with every new repair, I would like to try this one myself. My mechanic said that it was pretty easy to do.

Does anyone have a step by step for this?

The ball-joint BOLTS to the lower control arm & the steering knuckle. All you need to do is support the lower control arm & then unbolt the ball joint. I loosen the nuts w/o removing them & then hit the old ball joint with a hammer to make the taper(s) loosen-up first.

MBDOC,

Thanks for the guidence. Am I correct in assuming that I do not have to compress the spring or press in or out the ball joints?

I understand the "loosen the nuts" part, but don't understand how I can hit the old ball joint if it is still in the knuckle. I imagine needing a pickle fork or press to get it out.

Would you expand on your description?

I think if you go to " Fastlane " & look at a picture of the balljoint, you will understand. ;)
Could be wrong ( for the first time ). :D

The picture does help. It looks like one nut holds the joint on the knuckle and the other the control arm.

After loosening the nuts I guess I will just bang it a few times to loosen the joint and then remove

Should I put in any kind of grease?

Does anyone know the torque?

Anything else I am not considering - beside a good alignment?

Any thoughts on needing to compress the spring?

I can't wait for the CDs to be available

I don't think grease is necessary.
My information on the torque values is 80 ft/lbs on the nut on the controlarm and 85 ft/lbs on the other.
If you support the controlarm, there should be no need to worry about the spring(s). ;)