🔧 Ball Joints - Replacement

On your Legacy, the front lower ball joints connect the front steering knuckle to the lower control arm. Worn ball joints can cause clunks over bumps, wandering steering, uneven tire wear, and in severe cases a dangerous loss of control.

Difficulty Level: Advanced | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

Assumption: Front lower ball joints are knuckle-mounted with a pinch bolt (common on Legacy).

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on a flat, solid surface and chock the rear wheels.
• Support the car with jack stands under the proper lift points; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• Do not hit the ball joint stud threads with a hammer (it can mushroom the threads).
• Use a new cotter pin on the ball joint castle nut; never reuse the old one.
• If any brake hose/ABS wire gets pulled tight, stop and reposition the knuckle to avoid damage.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Wheel chocks
• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• 19mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 19mm wrench
• Breaker bar (1/2-inch drive)
• Torque wrench (10–150 ft-lbs range)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Hammer (16 oz)
• Pry bar (18–24 inch)
• Ball joint separator (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Penetrating oil
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front lower ball joint - Qty: 2 (replace in pairs)
• Ball joint cotter pins - Qty: 2
• Ball joint pinch bolt/nut hardware - Qty: 2 (recommended if rusty)
• Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind both rear tires.
• Crack the front lug nuts loose before lifting (just 1/4 turn) using a 19mm socket and breaker bar.
• Spray penetrating oil on the ball joint pinch bolt area and the castle nut/cotter pin area. Let it soak while you set up.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and remove the front wheel

• Lift the front corner using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) and support it with jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the wheel using a 19mm socket.

Step 2: Remove the ball joint castle nut cotter pin

• Straighten and remove the cotter pin using needle-nose pliers.
• If it’s stuck, use penetrating oil and a gentle twist/pull with the pliers.

Step 3: Loosen the ball joint castle nut (do not fully remove yet)

• Loosen the castle nut using a 19mm socket and breaker bar.
• Leave it threaded on a few turns to protect the threads while you separate the taper.

Step 4: Separate the ball joint stud from the lower control arm

• Install a ball joint separator (specialty) between the control arm and the ball joint stud.
• Tighten/drive the separator as instructed by the tool until the taper “pops” loose.
• A “taper” is a wedge-fit stud that locks tight.

Step 5: Remove the knuckle pinch bolt

• Locate the pinch bolt that clamps the ball joint housing in the steering knuckle.
• Remove the pinch bolt using a 14mm socket (and a 17mm socket or 17mm wrench as needed for the nut, depending on hardware).
• Clean the area with a wire brush if it’s rusty so the bolt comes out straighter.

Step 6: Pull the ball joint out of the knuckle

• Remove the castle nut fully using a 19mm socket.
• Push the control arm down with a pry bar (18–24 inch) to free the stud from the control arm.
• Work the ball joint housing out of the knuckle by wiggling and pulling by hand; if stuck, use the ball joint separator (specialty) carefully at the knuckle joint.
• Support the knuckle so it doesn’t pull on the axle, brake hose, or ABS wire.

Step 7: Install the new ball joint into the knuckle

• Wipe the knuckle bore clean using a wire brush.
• Apply a thin film of anti-seize compound to the outside of the new ball joint housing (avoid the rubber boot).
• Insert the new ball joint fully into the knuckle by hand, ensuring it seats straight.

Step 8: Reinstall and torque the pinch bolt

• Install the pinch bolt using a 14mm socket and 17mm socket (as applicable).
• Torque to 44 Nm (33 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 9: Reconnect the stud to the lower control arm

• Use a pry bar (18–24 inch) to gently lower/position the control arm until the ball joint stud drops into the control arm hole.
• Thread the castle nut on by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Torque to 49 Nm (36 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench, then continue tightening only enough to align the cotter pin hole.
• Install a new cotter pin using needle-nose pliers and bend the ends over securely.

Step 10: Reinstall the wheel and lower the car

• Reinstall the wheel using a 19mm socket.
• Lower the car from the jack stands using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts to 120 Nm (88 ft-lbs) in a star pattern using a torque wrench.

Step 11: Repeat on the other side

• Replace the other front lower ball joint the same way (recommended to keep handling even).

---

✅ After Repair

• Turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock and confirm nothing binds and the ball joint boots are not twisted.
• Road test at low speed first. Listen for clunks and verify straight-line stability.
• Get a front-end alignment as soon as possible; ball joint work can affect camber/toe.
• Recheck lug nut torque after 25–50 miles using a torque wrench.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $400-$900 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60-$200 (parts only)

You Save: $340-$700 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-4 hours.

---

🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.