How to Remove the Ball Joint on a 1990 Dodge Shadow Mopar

In 1985, Chrysler replaced the simple, yet economical Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries with the sportier and more feature-packed Plymouth Sundance and Dodge Shadow. The Dodge Shadow enjoyed a relatively long production life, given the fact it was a money-loser for Chrysler, as it remained through 1994. The 1991 Dodge Shadow has just one set of ball joints on its front suspension, and they are located in the lower control arms. To remove them, you must have access to an arbor press.

Instructions

1

Loosen the front lug nuts with a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the Shadow with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the vehicles subframe. Lower the Shadow onto the jack stands. Remove the front lug nuts and pull the front wheels off the vehicle.

2

Remove the pinch bolt securing the ball joint stud inside the steering knuckle, using a ratchet and socket, while holding the nut steady with a combination wrench.

3

Unfasten the two bolts securing the retaining bracket on the end of the sway bar to the bottom of the control arm on both sides, using a ratchet and socket. Remove the retaining brackets and pivot the sway bar ends away from the control arm to make the clearance needed to remove the control arms.

4

Insert a 12-inch pry bar between the lower control arm and steering knuckle, then pry the control arm downward to remove the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle.

5

Remove the control arm-to-crossmember nuts, using a ratchet and socket to remove each nut as you hold each nut's respective bolt steady with a combination wrench. Pull the control arm-to-crossmember bolts, then remove the control arm.

6

Set the control arm in an arbor press, with the ball joint stud pointing upward. Find a deep-well socket whose diameter allows it to fit around the ball joints rubber boot and contact the head of the ball joint. Set this socket around the stud of the ball joint, so that the arbor press contacts it instead of the ball joint stud.

7

Pump the arbor press until it contacts the socket. Force the ball joint from the control arm by slowly pumping the arbor press until the ball joint falls from the control arm. Release the arbor press.

8

Flip the control arm over and insert a new ball joint, stud-side first, through the now vacant hole in the control arm. Set the socket on the head of the ball joint and pump the arbor press until it contacts the socket.

9

Press in the ball joint by slowly pumping the arbor press until the head of the ball joint sets flush on the control arm. Release the arbor press and remove the control arm.

10

Set the control arm back into its mounts on the crossmember, lining up the bolt hole in each control arm bushing with those in the mounts. Slide the control arm-to-crossmember bolts into the holes and hand-thread the nuts onto the bolts.

11

Slide the new ball joints stud into its hole in the steering knuckle. Insert the pinch bolt into the steering knuckle and hand-thread the nut onto the pinch bolt. Tighten the pinch bolt to 105 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket, while holding the nut steady with a combination wrench.

12

Rotate the sway bar back into place on the underside of the control arm. Position the retaining bracket over the bushing on each end of the sway bar and hand-tighten the bolts into the retaining brackets. Torque the retaining bracket bolts to 50 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

13

Press the end of a loaded grease gun on the Zirk fitting and pump fresh grease into the ball joint until the rubber boot feels firm. Never pump grease into a ball joint until grease starts oozing, as this means you have breached the seal and dirt may be able to get inside the rubber boot.

14

Repeat Steps 2 through 13 to remove and replace the ball joint on the other side of the Shadow, if needed.

15

Reinstall the front wheels on the Dodges front hubs and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the vehicle off the jack stands with a floor jack, then remove the jack stands. Slowly lower the vehicle to the ground. Torque the lug nuts, in a crisscross pattern, to 95 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

16

Tighten the control arm-to-crossmember bolts to 95 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket as you hold the nuts steady with a combination wrench. To access the nuts and bolts while the car is on the ground, turn the wheels as far as they will go left or right, as needed. Repeat this step on the other side of the Shadow, if needed.

17

Drive the Shadow to a repair facility to have a professional alignment performed.