Lower Ball Joint - Pontiac FIREBIRD 1972 Service Manual

3-32 1972 PONTIAC SERVICE MANUAL
1. Install new ball joint assembly using the special bolts,
washers and nuts supplied with ball joint package.
2. Tighten ball joint assembly attaching nuts to 9 lb. ft.
torque.
3. Insert ball stud in steering knuckle hole and tighten
nut to 40 lb. ft. torque. Insert cotter pin.
CAUTION: Care should be taken to insure that
steering knuckle hole, ball stud and nut are free
of dirt and grease before tightening nut. Turn
nut in tightening direction only to align slot
with hole to insert cotter pin. DO NOT BACK
OFF NUT. Maximum torque to align slot with
hole not to exceed 70 16. ft.
4. Install wheel and tighten nuts to 70 lb. ft. torque.
5. Lower car.
LOWER BALL JOINT
REMOVE
1. Raise car and support front lower control arms under
spring seats.
WARNING: THIS KEEPS SPRING COM-
PRESSED AND ALLOWS CLEARANCE TO POSI-
TION TOOL J 9519-10.
2. B & F Series: Remove brake caliper assembly (see
STEERING KNUCKLE AND/OR STEERING
KNUCKLE ARM
-
REMOVE, steps 2 through 7).
A, G & X Series: Remove hub and backing plate as-
sembly or brake caliper assembly (see STEERING
KNUCKLE
-
REMOVE, steps 2 through 5).
3. Remove lower ball joint stud from steering knuckle
by prying on control arm using a suitable pry bar and
tapping sharply on knuckle in area of ball stud.
NOTE: Instead of using
a pry bar, the PRE-
FER R ED METHOD using tool J 23 742- 1 can
be used (F~ig. 3-23).
4. Pry off ball joint seal and retainer with a screwdriver.
5. Remove ball joint from lower contorl arm by arrang-
ing tools as shown in Fig. 3-32.
6. Turn down on hex head screw of tool
J 9519-10 until
the ball joint assembly is pushed out of the control
arm.
-~
Fig. 3-32 Removing Lower Ball Joint
INSTALL
1. Start the replacement ball joint assembly into the
control arm and arrange tools as shown in Fig. 3-33.
2. Turn down on hex head screw of tool J 9519-10 until
the ball joint assembly is seated properly in the con-
trol arm.
CAUTION: See CA UTION on page I of this
Section regarding the fastener referred to in
step 3.
3. Insert ball joint stud into steering knuckle hole and
tighten nut on B Series to 80 lb. ft. torque or on A,
G, F & X Series to 70 lb. ft. torque. Insert cotter pin.
CAUTION: Care should be taken to insure that
steering knuckle hole, ball stud and nut are free
of dirt and grease before tightening nut. Turn
nut in tightening direction only to align slot
with hole to insert cotter pin. DO NOT BA CK
OFF NUT. Maximum torque to align slot with