Removal of front upper ball joints
 

Has anyone removed and replaced their front upper ball joints on a 2006 gs300 awd? Both Raybestos and Moog make replacement ball joints---this is alot cheaper than replacing the whole control arm.

Update
 

I ended up taking the upper ball joint boot off (it was held on by a wire wrapped like a key holder). Then I removed the c-clip. I am going to have a local shop press out the joint and have them press in a Raybestos joint. (see pictures below).

Much less expensive than buying a new upper control arm for $300-400 (ONLY available through a lexus dealership). The Raybestos joint was $35.

How has this worked out for you if you still have the car? Did the part hold up? I may entertain this too since i already have a bushing issue with my bushings on the front driver upper control arm. Ball joint looks fine but why not replace while you are in there if your solution works? :)

FWIW I just replaced the OEM upper control arm bushings and ball joints with Roca bushings and Moog ball joints. The moog parts where branded problem solver and manufactured in japan. I initially got a box that was manufactured in S. Korea, but i sent that one back and got another one manufactured in Japan.

You can just press the bushings and ball joint out of the OEM arm with a ball joint press. I used a socket and heavy duty washer in the ball joint press to push the bushings out very easily. No drilling the rubber, no chiseling the bushing. etc. Although you can do it this way, I just got a heavy duty washer and pushed the bushings out in about 10-12 turns. Note, you cannot use just a socket as it does not have the surface area to push the bushing out. You need the washer to cover more area on the bushing itself and then it will pop right out. They went back inside just as easy using the tool to push them in. At 89k, the control arm condition was perfectly fine, with no rust on the arm or the bolts. The OEM bushing housing was quite rusted but the internal rubber was fine. The rust was giving me the creaking noise as the arm "rode" the bushing, I did grease the inside of the control arm and the outside metal housing of the bushings upon reinstallation.