Best way to reconnect lower control arm to ball joint?

[shanzhu1]

Hi,

After done with the driver side CV boot change, I found that one of the most
difficult part of the process is to reconnect the lower control arm to the ball
joint.

Using the reverse process of separating (with pry bars) did not work well since
the pry bar itself would block the way of putting the ball joint back.

How did you guys do it?

Thanks,

PS: my car is 96 Camry V6.

[shanzhu1]

Anyone?

[Tercel GTS]

Use the 2 bolts instead of the tapered shaft for connect/disconnects.

[500KCamry]

The control arm has holes in it towards the pivot joints by the frame. You can put the pry bar in one of these holes and lever down the control arm without too much sweat. Then position the ball joint and let the control arm raise ontothe two bolts. While holding downward pressure on the prybar, put the single bolt in place using your fingers and/or a ratchet.

Don't use the pry bar right by the ball joint, cause then it is a bugger to get the ball joint into place.

[justchillinjefe]

are you putting the bolt with the cotter pin up through the ball joint or putting in the 2 bolts and 1 nut on the underside of the the control arm?

[fredk]

unbolt the ball joint from the control arm, and get a big long piece of pipe

[Tercel GTS]

[Nowhere Man]

When I was doing this on my 94 Camry V6, I used a pry bar and made a gap between the two mating surfaces and then used a long wrench to push down on the control arm and pop it into place. Remember to take out the pry bar once you get the wrench into place.

[shanzhu1]

Yep.

[shanzhu1]

down the control arm in some way to allow enough clearance
to let the ball joint go over the control arm.

I hope the control arm won't be damaged or mis-aligned somehow
since pushing it down will make it go out of the normal
working angle.

I was thinking of raising the steering knuckle up. But with a
wobbling ball joint and spinable brake disk, it seems too hard.

I was also thinking of putting back the tire and use a shovel to
lever the tire up so the ball joint can go over the control arm.

I will try the ways you guys suggested when I do the other cv boot.

Thanks again.

[500KCamry]

The control arm can be pushed downward without damaging it. You're only pushing it down enough to gain clearance for the ball joint bolt studs and it's just the torsion/stabilizer bar that tries to resist it going down.

Get a longer pry bar so you an do it with one hand, while your other hand is free to put the ball joint single bolt back on. Once it's been snugged down, the pry bar can be removed and you can put the other two nuts on. Then tighten the three up.