New Knees

6. Disassemble the spring compressor and position it inside the coil. Then screw the three pieces back together and install the compressor as high as possible on the spring to manage as much of it (number of coils) as possible. Install the compressor on the bottom end and begin to tighten it.

7. Next, remove the upper and lower ball-joint castle nuts, first loosening them so that there's about a 1/4 inch clearance from the original seat. Be certain that the castle nut still maintains plenty of thread engagement.

8. Remove the sway-bar link from its upper end as well as at the lower control arm.

9. Apply a pickle fork and a 1-pound hammer to the joint and give it several heavy, deliberate hits. When the spindle comes free from the ball joint, it'll make a loud bang. Don't be scared but do wear gloves (unlike our monkey). Compress the spring so that it may be removed.

10. Position the floor jack beneath the lower ball joint and unfasten the castle nut from the top ball joint. Allow the control arm to drop down, then carefully remove the spring and loosen the compressor. Do not stand in the path of the spring.

11. Lubricate the upper and lower control-arm nuts then remove the bolts.

12. When you remove the crossbar holding the top of the control arm, retain the alignment shims in the order they were removed. Pull the arm free.

13. Secure the control arm in a vise and remove the upper ball joint. Bolts indicate that this ball joint has been replaced at least once; the OE joint is installed with rivets that must be ground off.

14. Assemble the retainer plate, dust boot, and ball joint and attach them to the upper control arm with the supplied bolts.

15. Use the nuts on either end of the crossbar to pull the bushings into the holes; the hand press will usually bend the ends of the arm inward.

16. Install the new crossbar in the control arm. Plant the bar in a vise to keep it from rotating when you tighten either end.

17 The bushings in the lower arm are secured by a press-fit but can be easily pushed out. Chuck the arm in the vise, center the correct-diameter collar on the bushing, and use the vise or hydraulic pressure to eject the bushing from the hole

18a-b. Using the press and a suitable combination of collars, push the new ball joints home.

19. Remove the old idler arm from the passenger-side frame-attachment point and from the centerlink with a pickle fork. Install the new idler arm.