These videos are the best. You're not working on some factory new car where everything comes apart ez pz and you talk through all the issues and tips and tricks to do the work in a realistic scenario. Thanks so much!
Pro-Tip: Disconnect the front sway bar link from the control arm and you will gain the downward travel you need to let the LCA do the rest of the work at extracting that ball joint. It was fighting you in this vid because...it was doing its job and limiting suspension travel. This is also a great time to replace the lower control arms and sway bar links since, if the BJs are toast, the LCA bushings and SB links are usually cooked as well. Hope this helps someone. Excellent video otherwise! Cheers, 1AA. (I appreciate you guys in the automotive community, truly.)
I this is a fantastic video for your average DIYer. You call out the size of the sockets/wrenches, torque specs, and you use common hand tools as much as possible. I always know I'm going to get a quality how to guide when I watch one of your videos.
Just finished removing the ball joints on my Sister's outback. Your method worked great on the passenger side, just had to use some heat and patience to break the bolt loose. I used a long piece of wood and a hammer to knock on the control arm pull out the ball joint. The driver side wasn't as smooth as it looked like the nut on the ball joint had been cross threaded so I couldn't put the nut back on to use the control arm to pull the ball joint out. Thankfully I had seen another method on South Maine Auto using an air hammer and chisel bit and with a little finesse and back and forth with my air hammer the ball joint came out with out too much of a fight.
"pre loosened the pinch bolt" loosening that bolt without breaking it is the most challenging part of the job. Luckily I found another UA-cam just on removing that bolt. I did the control arm and sway bar links at the same time. Bushings were shot.
Just did mine on my 2013 Outback here in the rust belt. Nothing worked, pb blaster, torch, air chisel, hammering for days on a board down against the control arm. What finally did it, I jacked up the control arm so it was levelish with the ground, shoved an old pipe wrench that just fit in between the knuckle and control arm then lowered it. When the arm came down, the part where the pinch bolt goes in lessens the space between it and the control arm causing it to squeeze down on the pipe wrench into the control arm which was enough force to pop out the ball joint.
Great job with the video. You made it very clear what the parts do, how they work and most importantly fun to watch. Quote of the video... "You Do You Boo Boo."
Thanks for the walkthrough. Definitely cover all the deets for people who have no experience. Don’t throw loose bolts in your curbside recycling. I recently learned they don’t recycle unless sent to scrapyard as steel scrap
Thank you for making this vid! Feel better attempting the project after seeing this vid. Very helpful will be buying from 1A auto for my project. Keep the vids coming !
+Crosbo78 Thank you for the great reply. We love to empower our customers by showing you how-to perform your own auto repairs while installing our high quality auto parts. Have a great day! 1aauto.com
You make everything look so easy. I had to rent a pitman arm puller to get the threaded part out of the arm, my pickle fork just wasn't doing the trick.
I have a 2000 Sube Outback with a Lower Control Arm that completely rusted through. I live in the 'Rustbelt' (Chicago) and the undercarriage rust is so intense that it reminds me of the breading on an order of calimari. Needless to say, I PB-50 B'lastered the hell out if it. I'm currently stuck because pinch bolt head is beginning to round off. Like a dummy, I used the wrong type of socket (12 pt.). My advice is to use a 6 point deep-well socket..[14mm ], preferably the dark steel type designed for an impact gun 🔫 . Good luck!
Len, your videos are the best! The teaching style is fantastic, and I really appreciate the way you try to use tools that most diyers would have, rather than special OEM-specific ones. Your attention to personal safety is also really refreshing to see, and an important aspect that many other auto repair videos tend to ignore. Thank you for all of your hard work in making these videos. 👍
Why not use anti seize on the new pinch bolt. Seems like the one place where the anti seize would do the most good since the pinch bolt is the one bolt most likely to break the next time you have to do this job.
Hi, great video, thanks. Quick question: at some point, you say we can maybe use a little heat. I've read conflicting info on this. Some ppl say go ahead, others say to never heat suspension parts because the temper could be removed from the steel. Any thoughts on that?
+Flori Pilsl You can also replace those other steering and suspension parts as well if needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any further questions.
@@1AAuto , did mine, along with control arm as a set. everything went in well, torqued in specs, but now hear the sound of metal "snapping" when driving, not tied to any action. hear it when bouncing car when off, once or twice, then stops unless I move car> have reseated everything, re-torqued, still there. thoughts on what could have been broken and hidden? thanks
Bel lavoro! Dopo aver preso uno spartitraffico in una via buia ho notato che dal ricambio che hai sostituito esce un po' di grasso, la macchina va dritta e per scrupolo ho rifatto la convergenza, le gomme con il bordino hanno salvato i cerchi in lega ma non so se è solo suggestione, ora sento come una piccola vibrazione al volante😢
It would go easier if you undid the stabilizer bar... Control arm would get lowered far easier. Stabilizer bar keeps pushing your ball joint upwards...
+Nathan Hearne The part in this video fits your application, and the install should be the same or similar. Buy this part on 1AAuto.com: 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Yeah, you see. I watched this vid after I tried removing the pinch bolt. Turns out just penetrating oil was not enough. Broke right off. Tried to use an extractor after more penetrant, broke that off in the hole I drilled in the bolt. Tried to drill the bolt out from the front side(side that had the head), centering with a centerpunch. I worked my way up in size and drilled through to the broken extractor. Used a punch to push it out. I was going to finish drilling out the bolt when I realized that in my drilling, the bit must have wandered something awful, as I am now about 1/4" off where I am supposed to be(drilled through a part of the knuckle). I was still going to drill through to see if I could make it work when my 3/8 drill bit snapped. We happen to have another forester, same year, that got totaled. I am going to steal the knuckle from that one, hoping I don't have the same thing happen.
For the pinch bolt it shears very easily. I sheared them on both sides (salty norwegian roads) and spent about a week getting them out after trying all sorts of tricks eventually drilling it out. So be gentle, use hand tools and take your time
Is this the same procedure for a 2016 Impreza? Seems similar, but I got all the way to the point of prying out the ball joint and just absolutely can't get it out of the knuckle. I'm wondering if I need to do other steps before trying to pry it out. I used a flat head screwdriver in that slot near the pinch bolt and that did nothing to help release it. 2 days of PB blasting and I'm getting so angry with this. I've seen other vids that recommend removing sway bar link bolt and/or loosening the control arm bolts at the frame, is this worth doing? You didn't in this vid, so im guessing not. It's honestly stupid to me that the pinch bolts break so easily and yet the ball joints refuse to release easily, even after you remove that bolt. Not even 90k on the odometer.
+Emilio Gonzalez There are a lot of factors that determine this timeframe. Having suspension components regularly checked, usually when you have an oil change, will ensure you have them changed when necessary.
So I'm guessing if you weren't so lucky with the pinch bolt and it snapped it's time for a new steering knuckle eh? My 2013 Outback seems to have the power of the gods holding the bolts seized doing the lower control arms (purchased from 1A!)
Definitely did not go this easy for me. Pinch bolt was supposed to be the hardest part came out fairly easy soaked it with pb blaster the day before. Couldn't get the ball joint to come out no matter how hard I hit it. And punctured my cv boot soo new cv axle and tool from astro for tomorrow. On a 2017 Subaru legacy fun stuff.
Love the vids, customer service, easy warranty policy, speed of service, but disappointed in the quality. Purchased ball joints and the rubber seal tore after only 1 year. I drive Subaru legacy and do not do any harsh driving. In addition, I had to change out my TRQ struts twice in one year due to failed strut seal first time, 2nd time was due to failed strut bearing mount. Luv the team at TRQ, from the video crew to the customer service team, but it’s hard to repeat buy when I have to do double the work.
Why you will use a part that it replace a 19mm Nut for a 18mm and a bolt with a flange with a bolt without a flange and a different size head? Subaru uses a lot of 17,19, 14 mm but not 18 or 16. Other than that good job explaining everything
much better than the hack from South Main Auto. Would recommend using vise grips on the cotter pin after you've straightened the 2 ends; grip the other end and leverage it against a metal side. Glad to see you used an antisieze(unlike SMA)
South Main deals with rust that you'll never see in the southern USA, and he uses a professional work flow with air tools and a lift. For example the Astro 78620 tool was actually designed around his invention to get the Subaru joint out of the knuckle. Some of these joints are so corroded that the last steps can take hours without the right tools. I like this demonstration because it is closer to what we would do at home without specialty tools, but to pretend it is easy or better would be disingenuous.
LOL. Subaru ball joints are MAJOR PITA. The pinch bolt is NOT REMOVEABLE on 10 year old rust belt cars. You WILL be drilling the bolt out after you break it off. Drill from both sides to keep it as straight as possible. Start with a small drill and step it up. Then plan to hammer about 500 hits from a sledge hammer to remove the ball joint from the cup.
Surely if u unbolted the drop link the control arm moves easier for more movement and less power needed as control arms got more travel. Good video otherwise.
√ *Watch the Video*
√ *Buy The Part at 1A Auto* 1aau.to/m/Visit-1AAuto
√ *Do it Yourself*
√ *Save Money*
These videos are the best. You're not working on some factory new car where everything comes apart ez pz and you talk through all the issues and tips and tricks to do the work in a realistic scenario. Thanks so much!
This vehicle is pretty new...try working on an '03 where the bolts are compelety gone
Pro-Tip:
Disconnect the front sway bar link from the control arm and you will gain the downward travel you need to let the LCA do the rest of the work at extracting that ball joint.
It was fighting you in this vid because...it was doing its job and limiting suspension travel.
This is also a great time to replace the lower control arms and sway bar links since, if the BJs are toast, the LCA bushings and SB links are usually cooked as well.
Hope this helps someone.
Excellent video otherwise!
Cheers, 1AA. (I appreciate you guys in the automotive community, truly.)
I this is a fantastic video for your average DIYer.
You call out the size of the sockets/wrenches, torque specs, and you use common hand tools as much as possible.
I always know I'm going to get a quality how to guide when I watch one of your videos.
Torque specs are so important. Thanks for putting them in your video.
Great mechanic and really good teacher; this guy is great!
Just finished removing the ball joints on my Sister's outback.
Your method worked great on the passenger side, just had to use some heat and patience to break the bolt loose.
I used a long piece of wood and a hammer to knock on the control arm pull out the ball joint.
The driver side wasn't as smooth as it looked like the nut on the ball joint had been cross threaded so I couldn't put the nut back on to use the control arm to pull the ball joint out.
Thankfully I had seen another method on South Maine Auto using an air hammer and chisel bit and with a little finesse and back and forth with my air hammer the ball joint came out with out too much of a fight.
Replacing my lower ball joint soon. Thoroughly enjoyed this video with the subtle humor and realistic example of what to expect. Thank you!
This particular presenter is far better than all the rest. You made me laugh, and gained a new customer. Thank you!
"pre loosened the pinch bolt" loosening that bolt without breaking it is the most challenging part of the job. Luckily I found another UA-cam just on removing that bolt. I did the control arm and sway bar links at the same time. Bushings were shot.
+Irv Negrin Thanks for checking us out!
First time I have watched this specific channel; brilliant job instructing and such a nice manner about him.
Just did mine on my 2013 Outback here in the rust belt. Nothing worked, pb blaster, torch, air chisel, hammering for days on a board down against the control arm. What finally did it, I jacked up the control arm so it was levelish with the ground, shoved an old pipe wrench that just fit in between the knuckle and control arm then lowered it. When the arm came down, the part where the pinch bolt goes in lessens the space between it and the control arm causing it to squeeze down on the pipe wrench into the control arm which was enough force to pop out the ball joint.
Absolute best 1AAuto video! This gentleman is great! I always look for 1AAuto for any vehicle I may be working on. Love this mechanic here!
Great job with the video. You made it very clear what the parts do, how they work and most importantly fun to watch.
Quote of the video... "You Do You Boo Boo."
+Christopher Gately Thanks for checking us out. Shop for high quality auto parts on 1AAuto.com:
1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Thanks for the walkthrough. Definitely cover all the deets for people who have no experience. Don’t throw loose bolts in your curbside recycling. I recently learned they don’t recycle unless sent to scrapyard as steel scrap
+@matthewgiacobbe3474 Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Amazing video with excellent info for us who want to do this but are not as experienced as some others, many thanks from uk
+Bruce Wayne Thanks for checking us out. Shop for high quality auto parts on 1AAuto.com:
1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Thank you for making this vid! Feel better attempting the project after seeing this vid. Very helpful will be buying from 1A auto for my project. Keep the vids coming !
+Crosbo78 Thank you for the great reply. We love to empower our customers by showing you how-to perform your own auto repairs while installing our high quality auto parts. Have a great day! 1aauto.com
You make everything look so easy. I had to rent a pitman arm puller to get the threaded part out of the arm, my pickle fork just wasn't doing the trick.
+Ti50pq Smoith Thank you! We love empowering our customers and showing how to perform DIY auto repairs with our high-quality auto parts. 1AAuto.com
Thanks for this your guys videos are always the best.
+Damian Sullivan Thanks for the feedback!
I have a 2000 Sube Outback with a Lower Control Arm that completely rusted through. I live in the 'Rustbelt' (Chicago) and the undercarriage rust is so intense that it reminds me of the breading on an order of calimari. Needless to say, I PB-50 B'lastered the hell out if it. I'm currently stuck because pinch bolt head is beginning to round off. Like a dummy, I used the
wrong type of socket (12 pt.). My advice is to use a 6 point deep-well socket..[14mm ], preferably the dark steel type designed for an impact gun 🔫 . Good luck!
Len, your videos are the best! The teaching style is fantastic, and I really appreciate the way you try to use tools that most diyers would have, rather than special OEM-specific ones. Your attention to personal safety is also really refreshing to see, and an important aspect that many other auto repair videos tend to ignore. Thank you for all of your hard work in making these videos. 👍
The video quality of these videos are spot on! (Oh, don't use snips to remove cotter pins ;)
Thank you so much! Couldn’t have done it without this video.
Bro u rock, thank you for the help but most importantly the education part of it as well.
+New Meat Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
I really like how he explained that the head of the old Ball joint makes it hard for the knuckle to wrap around the head
Thanks for one of the better explained video I have seen and I’ve seen a lot.
Just wanted to say I Love your videos
Well made video! that's exactly what I was looking for!
Thank You, for the video, my daughter has same car and will need to have ball joints done.
+William Dyckman Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Excellent instructional video.
+I.E. Castillo Thanks for checking us out! 1AAuto.com
he is my dad anymore
thank you so much!!
Great video, watched every second of it. Thanks for sharing.
Why not use anti seize on the new pinch bolt. Seems like the one place where the anti seize would do the most good since the pinch bolt is the one bolt most likely to break the next time you have to do this job.
really good video my friend, keep up the good work!
Thank you for GREAT movie!
Nice. Can you do an older vehicle next time so you get some of the rusting and shearing issues inherent in an older car?
Hi, great video, thanks. Quick question: at some point, you say we can maybe use a little heat. I've read conflicting info on this. Some ppl say go ahead, others say to never heat suspension parts because the temper could be removed from the steel. Any thoughts on that?
@9:17 when you finish relaxing your "ball joint"
Aaaaaaah!
Great instruction thanks
Exceptional tutorial
I have 2006 imperza is this the same parts as on my car.
Like the parts are they interchangeable?
Great! Very interesting technology!
Ive heard that the 14mm pinch bolt is the biggest problem on this particular job. Been told they break quite often
Thanks for the info worked great
Hi, what would you add as a "while you are here" type of work?
would you do the tie rod ends?
control arm too?
sway bar ends?
Thanks
+Flori Pilsl You can also replace those other steering and suspension parts as well if needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any further questions.
@@1AAuto , did mine, along with control arm as a set. everything went in well, torqued in specs, but now hear the sound of metal "snapping" when driving, not tied to any action. hear it when bouncing car when off, once or twice, then stops unless I move car> have reseated everything, re-torqued, still there. thoughts on what could have been broken and hidden?
thanks
Awesome!!! Thanks!
Спасибо рассказал показал подробно.
Thanks for the great video
Is it safe to use a brass punch like yours on an aluminum LCA?
So.... what do you do if you twist the head of the pinch bolt off??? Yep..that's what happened to me...any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!
Does this video apply to 5th generation Subarus?
Some videos I've seen suggest you remove the thyroid ends. And let the control arm flow Loosely
Does the new ball joint come with the cotter pin?
Bel lavoro!
Dopo aver preso uno spartitraffico in una via buia ho notato che dal ricambio che hai sostituito esce un po' di grasso, la macchina va dritta e per scrupolo ho rifatto la convergenza, le gomme con il bordino hanno salvato i cerchi in lega ma non so se è solo suggestione, ora sento come una piccola vibrazione al volante😢
It would go easier if you undid the stabilizer bar... Control arm would get lowered far easier. Stabilizer bar keeps pushing your ball joint upwards...
Would this be the same process as well for a 2012 Subaru Impreza?
+Nathan Hearne The part in this video fits your application, and the install should be the same or similar. Buy this part on 1AAuto.com: 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Everything is easier to wrench on at chest height. Not so much when you're on hands and knees and it's 5°
+Michael Palmer Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c
Very great video except the new screw is without the fixed washer and I would recommend a screw with the integrated washer
Great video!!
Yeah, you see. I watched this vid after I tried removing the pinch bolt. Turns out just penetrating oil was not enough. Broke right off. Tried to use an extractor after more penetrant, broke that off in the hole I drilled in the bolt. Tried to drill the bolt out from the front side(side that had the head), centering with a centerpunch. I worked my way up in size and drilled through to the broken extractor. Used a punch to push it out. I was going to finish drilling out the bolt when I realized that in my drilling, the bit must have wandered something awful, as I am now about 1/4" off where I am supposed to be(drilled through a part of the knuckle). I was still going to drill through to see if I could make it work when my 3/8 drill bit snapped.
We happen to have another forester, same year, that got totaled. I am going to steal the knuckle from that one, hoping I don't have the same thing happen.
Any reason you shouldn't use an impact to loosen the bolts?
For the pinch bolt it shears very easily. I sheared them on both sides (salty norwegian roads) and spent about a week getting them out after trying all sorts of tricks eventually drilling it out. So be gentle, use hand tools and take your time
Does the new ball joint require any grease?
My 2011 Outback has the lower profile ball joint 🤦🏻♂️ I just ordered something that “fit” but i couldn’t get it in there. Time for round 2
Is this the same procedure for a 2016 Impreza? Seems similar, but I got all the way to the point of prying out the ball joint and just absolutely can't get it out of the knuckle. I'm wondering if I need to do other steps before trying to pry it out. I used a flat head screwdriver in that slot near the pinch bolt and that did nothing to help release it. 2 days of PB blasting and I'm getting so angry with this. I've seen other vids that recommend removing sway bar link bolt and/or loosening the control arm bolts at the frame, is this worth doing? You didn't in this vid, so im guessing not. It's honestly stupid to me that the pinch bolts break so easily and yet the ball joints refuse to release easily, even after you remove that bolt. Not even 90k on the odometer.
I'm halfway there. Pinch bolt was a fn pita. 4ft breaker bar did the job 🤣🤣
What’s the best interval to replace ball joints? Mileage or time? Or just wait until they fail? Thanks
+Emilio Gonzalez There are a lot of factors that determine this timeframe. Having suspension components regularly checked, usually when you have an oil change, will ensure you have them changed when necessary.
Just did this job. Man! It helped that I removed the sway bar bushings on both sides.
So I'm guessing if you weren't so lucky with the pinch bolt and it snapped it's time for a new steering knuckle eh? My 2013 Outback seems to have the power of the gods holding the bolts seized doing the lower control arms (purchased from 1A!)
Definitely did not go this easy for me. Pinch bolt was supposed to be the hardest part came out fairly easy soaked it with pb blaster the day before. Couldn't get the ball joint to come out no matter how hard I hit it. And punctured my cv boot soo new cv axle and tool from astro for tomorrow. On a 2017 Subaru legacy fun stuff.
Why didnt you remove the drop links first?
Love the vids, customer service, easy warranty policy, speed of service, but disappointed in the quality. Purchased ball joints and the rubber seal tore after only 1 year. I drive Subaru legacy and do not do any harsh driving. In addition, I had to change out my TRQ struts twice in one year due to failed strut seal first time, 2nd time was due to failed strut bearing mount. Luv the team at TRQ, from the video crew to the customer service team, but it’s hard to repeat buy when I have to do double the work.
Careful spreading to much u will Crack your cast nucke. And a air hammer and a lil heat works also. Just got done doing minel
+Jeff Beers Thanks for the feedback!
Tie Rod or Ball joint?........ 2004 BaJA Vibration in steering wheel at 50mph. Vibration also in turns. Slight clunk when braking.
Yeah ! No more taxes !!
It’s way easier if you loose the sway bar link, that way you don’t fight against the control arm with the pray bar.
Why you will use a part that it replace a 19mm Nut for a 18mm and a bolt with a flange with a bolt without a flange and a different size head? Subaru uses a lot of 17,19, 14 mm but not 18 or 16. Other than that good job explaining everything
+marcelogonico Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks
If only ball joints actually came out that easy. ROFL.
What do I need to bonk
much better than the hack from South Main Auto. Would recommend using vise grips on the cotter pin after you've straightened the 2 ends; grip the other end and leverage it against a metal side. Glad to see you used an antisieze(unlike SMA)
Thank you for the suggestions and for watching! +Bruce Madden
South main is far from a hack
whats wrong with south main auto my guy
South Main deals with rust that you'll never see in the southern USA, and he uses a professional work flow with air tools and a lift. For example the Astro 78620 tool was actually designed around his invention to get the Subaru joint out of the knuckle. Some of these joints are so corroded that the last steps can take hours without the right tools. I like this demonstration because it is closer to what we would do at home without specialty tools, but to pretend it is easy or better would be disingenuous.
But why are slotted/drilled rotors on an outback? Must be doing some serious performance driving on the daily.
👏👏👏
23:18 I think that tire has a screw in the tread.
👍
22:22 That upper one (tie rod end) looks like poo, too!
Ohh yeahhh we're not paying anymore taxes! 🤣
Should have shown the portion were you put the heat...
You change that cause you were having it rattling noise like when you go on uneven rove
100K miles in North East wont be soo ezy :)
LOL. Subaru ball joints are MAJOR PITA. The pinch bolt is NOT REMOVEABLE on 10 year old rust belt cars. You WILL be drilling the bolt out after you break it off. Drill from both sides to keep it as straight as possible. Start with a small drill and step it up. Then plan to hammer about 500 hits from a sledge hammer to remove the ball joint from the cup.
Surely if u unbolted the drop link the control arm moves easier for more movement and less power needed as control arms got more travel. Good video otherwise.
Was easier to seat it in the spindle first then drop it into the lca.
I feel like someone who doesn’t know how to remove a wheel shouldn’t tackle ball joints
Be careful when spreading the pinch bolt hole, I've seen these Subaru knuckles crack in that spot when you try to this.
+carsmasher Thanks for the tip and checking us out! 1AAuto.com
Yes had this happen on 2 of my subarus
So i wasn’t careful and cracked my knuckle. Tried to separate but it cracked. Be careful what you doing
yo if you disconnected your swaybar links you would have a way easier time
Bonk
You do you boo boo
Alldata won't even tell you how to do this if you pay them.
stopped watching after he used cutter instead of needle nose plier for pin. or whatever same difference 😂
Lost me at all the commercials