Hi there,
I am replacing the ball joint seals, or maybe the ball joints if necessary. My car has just 80K miles from new but I noticed the seals are falling apart, not surprising considering their age! I have the car positioned with the driver side jacking point sitting on top of one of my steel ramps with a few pieces of 2 x 4 wood blocks between the car and the ramp. I have my hydraulic jack under the lower arm, right under the spring. I have removed the lower bolt of the shock to give me some working room and I have removed the two bolts from the link that is still atttached to the steering rack. Am I safe to bust loost the ball joints without the spring giving me a serious smack in the face? I see there is a special tool that looks to run up through the center of the spring, do I really need this to be safe?
I also need a few pointers on removing the lower ball joint. There is not a lot of clearance to get a 1/2 socket on that nut. Suggestions on how to approach this in a better manner than I am going at it right now.
I hope the picture I will upload here will show my predicament.

 

Your floor jack under the lower control arm is fine IMHO. I've done it that way many times. Jack up the control arm just a fraction so there's a bit of pressure against the jack to hold it in position.

If you remove the upper joint and let the vertical/upright piece flop away you'll have easier access to the lower ball joint nut.

Unless inspection reveals the ball joints are positively good I'd replace 'em.....they're not that expensive and since you're going thru all this labor.....

Besides, with the boots broken the joints are probably shot.

If you use a pickle fork to separate the joints you'll might gall 'em up anyway. As an alternative you can use a ball joint separator. Or a few well aimed blows with a 3 pound sledge will do the trick. You wanna aim for the area were the tapered stud fits.

I'll also add the upper control arm bushings are very easy to replace at this point, as are tie rod ends. Lower control arm bushings....not so much. Also a great time to repack front wheel bearings.

Cheers
DD

 

I'd second that for a little over hundred bucks you can get a full set and by the look of the boots, I would replace them.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the responses.
I did get a big surprise when I pulled off the caliper and the steering arm link on the first side. I discovered 4 shims on the ground, I am not sure from where they originated! I didn't see them until I got the assembly off the car.

I kick myself now, although I did read Kirby Palm's book regarding the shim, there is so much good info in there, from reading the book to actually doing the work was a few days & I had forgotten about the shims. Now what?
I can't think why it would be necessary, but is the caliper ever shimmed to center it?
I will follow the directions of installing just one shim under the link on the long bolt, then using a feeler gauge to see if I need more.
Can I assume the shims all come from the steering link?
Live and learn I guess.
John.

 

Technically there CAN be caliper alignment shims but I've never seen a Jag with any.

However, they all seem to have the shims between the steering arm and the caliper. These, of course, cannot alter the position of the caliper. They merely take up the gap between the caliper and the steering arm. Usually it's one or two....four seems alot to me.

In any case when you're putting it all together snug everything down and see what kind of gap you have and install shims to compensate. It's a little fussy getting everything lined up during reassembly but you'll get the hang of it.

Many are reassembled without the shims which alters the toe-in setting and puts the steering arm under stress. Never heard of a broken steering arm but ya never know.

As far as the caliper goes just make sure that it is parallel to the brake rotor and centered over it. I've never seen one that was out of what in either respect FWIW.

The caliper bolts WILL almost certainly come loose over time without safety wire....so re-wire them or use some Loctite. Or check them once a year or so.

Cheers
DD