I Need a bigger hammer????

[Fozzy]

I am replacing the ball joints today and after almost losing a finger tip trying to pry the ball joint off of the right side, I went and bought a pickle fork to pop the ball joints out. Now I have the new ball joints and cannot get the &@^!@#$%$^% ball joints back into the steering knuckle? If I have to pry something out... how do I get it back in without pressing the &#$%^@%^ back in??? Frustrated and staying away from it and the gasoline right now... I do not want to damage the steering knuckle nor the brand new ball joint.

[viper_707]

use a large bar to pry the knuckle and the lower control arm so someone can push the knuckle in place to se the pin back in the hole

[lscrx]

I don't remember having any trouble doing mine

[Fozzy]

End of crisis and probably the end of my days of going to AutoZone.... They had the wrong part or the part was not for my model. I drove down to the O'Riely's and they not only had the part, it was correct, and it was better (came with all the new bolts and actually equipped with a zerk fitting). I bought two of them! AutoZone wouldnt have anything till Wednesday. I did notice that the MOOG parts box had a warning about not putting these on a 1993 Protoge with a VIN# higher than 630000. I guess that was the problem with the other part? I did find that the tire on that side is shot too.. drats!!! Thanks for the replies!

[D323]

I try to use O'Reileys stuff over Autozone when I have to. They seem to be better in all of thier stuff.

[Fozzy]

Well, the only reason that AutoZone usually "wins" is its within walking distance! LOL I got used to walking there when I owned a Chevy Suburban.... when they sing that cool "Like A Rock" song.... I know why. The truck sat in the drive way like a rock most of the time.

Fozzy

[lscrx]

We have AutoZone, KOI, CarQuest, NAPA, Advance Autoparts, and O'Reileys... Advance is the closest to the house though

[protégébob]

Whenever i have to shop at Autozone i go to their website and look up the parts and just take the part numbers right to them, because they've given me wrong parts so many times that i'll only go there as a last ditch effort.

[D323]

Whenever i have to shop at Autozone i go to their website and look up the parts and just take the part numbers right to them, because they've given me wrong parts so many times that i'll only go there as a last ditch effort.

good idea.