Ball Joint replacement

Nitrowolf

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Location
Kansas City
TDI
White 2003 Jetta TDI
I replaced the bushings on my LCA's... however, during the process, I mistakenly loosened the passenger side ball joint nut thinking that was what I needed to remove to take off the LCA. Obviously, I was wrong...

However, now the nut that screws onto what appears to be a bolt that goes into the ball joint itself, is slightly loosened. The problem is the whole shaft it screws onto (the bolt?) rotates with the nut and I can't re-tighten it.

I'm going to assume I killed the balljoint and it needs to be replaced. How can I do this without that VAG special ball joint puller tool thingy? And do I have to really remove the axel shaft to do this, or can I do it without removing it?

Since it's a fairly simple process if you have the right tools, would it be more advantageous to take it by the dealer and have them do it?
 

Nitrowolf

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Location
Kansas City
TDI
White 2003 Jetta TDI
Excellent, thanks! I did a search but that didn't come up.

I do have a question on step 10, though -

How am I suppose to keep unscrewing the nut if the stud and nut are both rotating together? Right now, my LCAs are off of the car, so the ball joint is just kinda hanging there. Is there some way to put enough pressure on the balljoint itself to prevent it from spinning the stud when loosening the nut?
 

Dunno513

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Location
Mirror Lake, NH
TDI
2006 NB PD-TDI DSG
apply pressure back upwards on the hub as if the car is back on the ground with the wheel on. The ball joint should re-seat itself and you will be able to loosen or tighten it.


Just my experience with other cars/trucks.
 

Nitrowolf

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Location
Kansas City
TDI
White 2003 Jetta TDI
I got both ball joints replaced following the guide in that link. I didn't do exactly everything, but it was pretty close. The turn-clunk has now been banished!
 

TMielke2

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Location
Charlevoix, MI
TDI
1999.5 Jetta, 1999 New Beetle
Nitrowolf said:
Excellent, thanks! I did a search but that didn't come up.

I do have a question on step 10, though -

How am I suppose to keep unscrewing the nut if the stud and nut are both rotating together? Right now, my LCAs are off of the car, so the ball joint is just kinda hanging there. Is there some way to put enough pressure on the balljoint itself to prevent it from spinning the stud when loosening the nut?
Sawzall with a good metal blade. About 2 minutes.
 

Nitrowolf

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Location
Kansas City
TDI
White 2003 Jetta TDI
Actually... it just required putting pressure on the ball joint itself. I put the jack under the ball joint and jacked it up a bit to compress the joint... bolt came right off then.
 
Top