Don't Try This At Home (was: Lower Control Arm Ball Joints)

[oldoutboardjim]

I bought replacement ball joint assemblies (Moog). Today I started the replacement process. I said, "started", because this turned out to be the project from hell. Everything went okay until I tried to remove the rivets that hold the original ball joint assemblies to the control arm. After completely removing the lower rivet heads, I tried punching out the rivets. I couldn't get them to budge - even with a pneumatic hammer. After hours of frustration, I finally removed the control arms. Now I am faced with a choice:
1) Should I replace the control arm assemblies? If so, should I go OEM, or is there a better replacement?
2) Should I use a hydraulic press to push out the rivets and then replace the ball joints assemblies while retaining the original control arms (this might make it easier to replace the ball joints the next time)?
Whichever I choose, it sounds like I need to replace the "torque to yield" bolts.
If I keep the original control arms, do you think I should replace the bushings, etc?
Knowing what I know now, I would never have tackled this project. I would have replaced the entire control arms or paid someone to do this.

[Steve@Tasca]

I didn't say anything in the other thread because you sounded set on doing the ball joints.

New OEM arms with ball joints and bushings are $86.00 each and I have them in stock.

[pantera1]

^^
Winner Winner Turkey Dinner!




Or left overs.......yummmmm

[oldoutboardjim]

^^
Winner Winner Turkey Dinner!




Or left overs.......yummmmm

Huh??????????????????

[FocusMech.73155]

There is a reason why us at the dealerships replace the lower control arm........

[oldoutboardjim]

There is a reason why us at the dealerships replace the lower control arm........

NOW you tell me!

[Jeffescortlx]

When I did ball joints on a grand-am I just drilled out the rivit's. The new ball joint's came with bolts.
But I've never seen ball joints on a Focus.

[oldoutboardjim]

I picked up the control arms this morning from Tousley, and installed them. Everything went very nicely. After the fiasco of trying to replace the ball joint assemblies, I would caution everyone out there that, unless you're too poor and cannot afford the control arms, don't bother with trying to replace the ball joint assemblies. It is a major pain!

[focinite]

yeah see the rivits arnt rivits...mmmmmm kay, they are pins that protrude through and are then mushroomed over. i laughed a little cus i did the same thing once and got all pissed and ended up foldin the arm in half, so its funny you where trying to drive the rivits through, cus they are actually the ball joint....... plus now you know whats been eating yer tires.

[oldoutboardjim]

plus now you know whats been eating yer tires.

I was so frustrated with trying to get those rivets out, that I was ready to eat the tires!