2007 Nbs Upper And Lower Control Arms

[rockcrusherrevived]

LOL

[jnabq]

Found an older post about using the needle to grease those sealed joints. Anyone else try that method?

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry556486

[Eddie 70]

I have seen it done this way on cv joints on front wheel drive cars. If it works on those vehicles, should work on a ball joint for sure. I was thinking this might be the way to go when I was reading this post. I may have to give this a shot just to be sure.

[Paradigm49]

Well, after this post that was oh so long ago, New Upper control arms and ball joints are in, lower ball joints and new lower control arm bushings are in.....and in the process of completely disassembling the front end to install all of that, decided to replace the worn tie rod ends (both inner and outer, drive and passenger side)

 

 

 

AND ALL OF IT IS GREASABLE!!!!

 

 

 

sorry...a tad happy about it.

 

 

 

Total damage for control arms (with new ball joints and bushings) lower ball joints and bushings, and tie rods (inner and outer both sides) all Moog came to about $750 (80 for an alignment) and about 16 hours worth of work.

 

 

 

FYI....the zerk fittings for the ball joints i have a complaint. They have a tapered edge to them, and the grease "hole" in the ball joints is not threaded. They are supposedly self-tapping zerk fittings, however when the first zerk fitting was installed, it was snapped off in the ball joint. Took 3 1/2 hours to get the parts out and making sure that no pieces were in the ball joint. Poor quality metal for the zerk fitting.

 

 

 

Now...adding to this and having Hellwig front and rear swaybars, the truck drives like a dream. Btw...if you rent a ball joint press from advanced auto, make sure you rent the larger kit. The smaller kit doesn't have the proper cup to remove the lower ball joint. And a 7/8 inch socket on an airgun at line pressure makes removing and installing the ball joint go by so much quicker.

 

 

 

Sorry for the delay guys!

 

 

 

 

 

I have seen it done this way on cv joints on front wheel drive cars. If it works on those vehicles, should work on a ball joint for sure. I was thinking this might be the way to go when I was reading this post. I may have to give this a shot just to be sure.

[mhenshaw]

Glad to hear you like it. Im about to replace the UCA with Moog and all the shocks with Bilstein.

 

Was it worth to do the lower ball joints and bushings?

Why did you replace the tie rod ends?

[Paradigm49]

I don't know why i didn't respond to this so long ago, but i apologize. Not that i have the truck anymore....rear axle snapped back in december....as i was driving to work and i played ping pong off of 2 concrete walls.

 

 

 

As for was it worth installing them...that is a definte YES. there was slop in the front end that i had questioned if the ball joints were bad, even went and got a grease needle and filled the "grease" boots with grease to see if it would make a difference, and it did. Though GM seems to think that there is no need for greasing the ball joints...it's just a disaster waiting to happen, especially for those (and i don't find many of them on here) that don't know how to change out their ball joints. The tolerances on the moog parts were far higher than that of the OEM, and made a considerable difference in handling.

 

 

 

As for the tie rods...i had noticed that when i was replacing the ball joints (since i had to disconnect them anyways, that the inner tie rods were fairly worn and needed to be replaced. They weren't horrible, but i figured since i had the front end apart as it was...it would be stupid of me not to replace them while i had everything apart, and not have to deal with 2 alignments (that and trying to replace the tie rods without having everything apart)

 

 

 

So yes, for all the time, money and effort put into it, it was defintely worth it. It sucked that i put all of that time and effort into it and have a rear axle snap on me and destroy my truck...but hey...i got a brand new 2010 out of the deal for free..so....i'm sure i'll be doing the same replacements in 60,000 miles or so...at least this time it wont' take nearly as long

 

 

 

 

 

Glad to hear you like it. Im about to replace the UCA with Moog and all the shocks with Bilstein.

 

Was it worth to do the lower ball joints and bushings?

Why did you replace the tie rod ends?

[gmowner4life]

are there any write ups on changing the upper control arms? I've tried searching and still found nothing. I'm mechanically inclined, but would like some type of directions to follow while changing them out. I have about 100k miles now and the ball joints are pretty worn. I appreciate any help.