DIY Guide for Lower Ball Joints
04-06-08, 10:29 PM
#62
Hope this helps! It's always a good idea to have the right tools. My wife gave me a DeWalt 18V cordless impact gun for my birthday and it makes short work of breaking all those nuts and bolts. If you have not tried working with an electric impact gun.....do it. They have more torque than air guns and you don't have to have a compressor near by. I keep mine in my car in case I need to change a tire....and look like a Nextel Cup guy in the process 
I bought my electric DeWalt to remove and install wheels/tires with and it does NOT even move a lug nut.
Is it the "cordless" design that makes it remove lug nuts or the cordless just has more power measured in another way than ft/lbs to help it remove the lugs?
04-07-08, 05:54 AM
#64
This is a good write up. I know I need to do my struts ,.. would that be an advisable thing to add to doing LBJ's, IE: Does this make them easier to get to, or does it really matter?
On the struts is it just a joint that is the problem with them, or do you need the whole 'strut' new OEM when they are worn?
*Oh, and I'd love an Impact gun without the compressor -- I imagine that Cordless is mighty expensive if it has that kind of power. What kind of money we talking? If it isn't a fortune it might be worth the investment. Only thing is you have to buy an 'impact' set of sockets entirely for use with an impact wrench
-- But man would that help.
Lastly -- I've seen 27mm, 17mm, and 24mm as the bolt sizes -- Sockets aren't cheap -- Which is it , anyone know for sure?
Thanks
On the struts is it just a joint that is the problem with them, or do you need the whole 'strut' new OEM when they are worn?
*Oh, and I'd love an Impact gun without the compressor -- I imagine that Cordless is mighty expensive if it has that kind of power. What kind of money we talking? If it isn't a fortune it might be worth the investment. Only thing is you have to buy an 'impact' set of sockets entirely for use with an impact wrench
-- But man would that help.Lastly -- I've seen 27mm, 17mm, and 24mm as the bolt sizes -- Sockets aren't cheap
-- Which is it , anyone know for sure?Thanks
04-07-08, 07:51 AM
#65
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Cordless Impact
It's been a while since I posted on this thread and glad to see it is still alive and helping people.
Anyway, I saw the question on the Dewalt cordless and thought I would chime in again. The two tricks with the cordless impact are 1) Making sure it is charged fully and 2) making sure you use the right size socket. Lexus wheels use 22mm bolts and you need to use exactly that size socket. If you try to use one size larger, the impact gun won't hammer hard enough since the energy is lost by the socket moving around. Very few kits include a 22mm socket so you'll have to go buy one.
Also, as was mentioned previously, if some knucklehead over torqued the wheels down with an impact gun, you may just have to use a breaker bar to get them off...and then use that same bar to club said knucklehead across the skull. NEVER use an impact gun to torque bolts. Buy a torque wrench.
Good Luck!
Chet
Anyway, I saw the question on the Dewalt cordless and thought I would chime in again. The two tricks with the cordless impact are 1) Making sure it is charged fully and 2) making sure you use the right size socket. Lexus wheels use 22mm bolts and you need to use exactly that size socket. If you try to use one size larger, the impact gun won't hammer hard enough since the energy is lost by the socket moving around. Very few kits include a 22mm socket so you'll have to go buy one.
Also, as was mentioned previously, if some knucklehead over torqued the wheels down with an impact gun, you may just have to use a breaker bar to get them off...and then use that same bar to club said knucklehead across the skull. NEVER use an impact gun to torque bolts. Buy a torque wrench.
Good Luck!
Chet
04-07-08, 10:45 AM
#66
It's been a while since I posted on this thread and glad to see it is still alive and helping people.
Anyway, I saw the question on the Dewalt cordless and thought I would chime in again. The two tricks with the cordless impact are 1) Making sure it is charged fully and 2) making sure you use the right size socket. Lexus wheels use 22mm bolts and you need to use exactly that size socket. If you try to use one size larger, the impact gun won't hammer hard enough since the energy is lost by the socket moving around. Very few kits include a 22mm socket so you'll have to go buy one.
Also, as was mentioned previously, if some knucklehead over torqued the wheels down with an impact gun, you may just have to use a breaker bar to get them off...and then use that same bar to club said knucklehead across the skull. NEVER use an impact gun to torque bolts. Buy a torque wrench.
Good Luck!
Chet
Anyway, I saw the question on the Dewalt cordless and thought I would chime in again. The two tricks with the cordless impact are 1) Making sure it is charged fully and 2) making sure you use the right size socket. Lexus wheels use 22mm bolts and you need to use exactly that size socket. If you try to use one size larger, the impact gun won't hammer hard enough since the energy is lost by the socket moving around. Very few kits include a 22mm socket so you'll have to go buy one.
Also, as was mentioned previously, if some knucklehead over torqued the wheels down with an impact gun, you may just have to use a breaker bar to get them off...and then use that same bar to club said knucklehead across the skull. NEVER use an impact gun to torque bolts. Buy a torque wrench.
Good Luck!
Chet
i got lucky and found mine brand new on ebay for <$75.
ive never met a bolt i couldnt get off, but be aware there are some nuts/bolts on the suspension that you dont have nearly enough room to use the impact, for these, a breaker bar (or two) is your best friend. last time i did my susp i sheared my cheap 3/8in. bb and replaced it with a cheap 1/2in 
10-26-11, 06:53 PM
#68
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Step 12:
Assembly is the reverse of the removal. When you are re-inserting the tie rods, the bolt will sometimes rotate so it is hard to get pressure on it. If this is the case, use the tie rod puller in the reverse manner and try to use a little pressure to seat the bolt back into end.
Lower Bolts to hold new ball joint to knuckle: 83ft/lb torque
Lower Ball Joint: 112 ft/lb torque
Tie Rod End: 48ft/lb torque
Caliper Bolts: 87ft/lb torque
Assembly is the reverse of the removal. When you are re-inserting the tie rods, the bolt will sometimes rotate so it is hard to get pressure on it. If this is the case, use the tie rod puller in the reverse manner and try to use a little pressure to seat the bolt back into end.
Lower Bolts to hold new ball joint to knuckle: 83ft/lb torque
Lower Ball Joint: 112 ft/lb torque
Tie Rod End: 48ft/lb torque
Caliper Bolts: 87ft/lb torque
I have it at about 120 or more now and its not good enough to make the hole. Backing off the other way is more like under 100. no win situation...
10-26-11, 08:24 PM
#70
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only has one hole for pin, but I "gently cautiously tightned" that 19mm castle nut until it went all the way thru. seems good now. test drive car stil to come and seeif clanking noise is gone. then alignment
12-21-13, 03:12 AM
#71
Moderator
Just a quick question regarding the DeWalt cordless impact gun. It shows to deliver 300 ft/lbs of torque vs. DEWALT DW292(which I own) that delivers 345 ft/lbs of torque.
I bought my electric DeWalt to remove and install wheels/tires with and it does NOT even move a lug nut.
Is it the "cordless" design that makes it remove lug nuts or the cordless just has more power measured in another way than ft/lbs to help it remove the lugs?
I bought my electric DeWalt to remove and install wheels/tires with and it does NOT even move a lug nut.
Is it the "cordless" design that makes it remove lug nuts or the cordless just has more power measured in another way than ft/lbs to help it remove the lugs?
Wireless Impact < Corded Impact < Pneumatic Impact (properly powered)
05-03-14, 12:42 PM
#72
Just in case anyone is reading this: castle nut can be re-used, the pin on the other hand should not be reused. But my original Lexus pin is way stronger than the one I am about to put in, so I am still debating in my mind if I should re-use it...
03-16-15, 11:45 AM
#74
Driver School Candidate
Great thread
Followed step by step. I tried to use a pully puller but it kept slipping. I was able to rent (for free if I returned it) a tie rod puller from AutoZone. Made quick work of it.
FWIW, the large nut under the ball joint was a 24mm. I have a 96 but it was produced in September of 95.
Fixed all my symptoms.
Much Thanks!
FWIW, the large nut under the ball joint was a 24mm. I have a 96 but it was produced in September of 95.
Fixed all my symptoms.
Much Thanks!
09-06-15, 07:06 PM
#75
Driver School Candidate
!
it is 24 mm. I'll have to give it another try one day, could not move that nut from the driver side at all! Used breaking bar, cheater bar, pb blaster, nothing will move this nut. 
Followed step by step. I tried to use a pully puller but it kept slipping. I was able to rent (for free if I returned it) a tie rod puller from AutoZone. Made quick work of it.
FWIW, the large nut under the ball joint was a 24mm. I have a 96 but it was produced in September of 95.
Fixed all my symptoms.
Much Thanks!
FWIW, the large nut under the ball joint was a 24mm. I have a 96 but it was produced in September of 95.
Fixed all my symptoms.
Much Thanks!
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