BALL JOINTS AND HUB IS A ALIGNMENT NECESSARY?
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True Car Nut
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From: Chicago,IL MWBF '04 SURVIVOR MWBF '05 SURVIVOR Napa Manager

I am bout to replace the hubs and ball joints on my car do i have to get a alignment after i am done or will everything be ok and i save money?
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From: Halifax Nova Scotia ASE Master Service Tech

I have changed hundreds if not thousands of lower ball joints on cars (being a licensed mechanic) and I have never had to do an alignment after. As long as the ball joint has been made to the specifications of OEM, the size and length should be the same. On your Bonneville there are 3 nuts and bolts (or studs if they are OEM, which would need to be torched or ground off) that hold the ball joint onto the lower control arm. The other one is on the top of the ball joint that entends through the control arm. After you get all four of these off you will need a pickle fork to pop the ball joint out. Reverse for installation making sure that the it is tight and greased. As long as you don't touch the 2 bolts on the bottom of the strut (which adjusts camber) or the ones under the hood on top of the strut (which adjusts castor), the alignment will not change. Please use either Moog or OEM front end parts, cheap does not pay!!! If, for some wierd reason, the steering is not quite right after doing this (you will know!!!), then take it in for an alignment. Again, this has never happened to me.
This is just my advise.
This is just my advise.
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From: Halifax Nova Scotia ASE Master Service Tech

Well....for the one on the joint that goes up through you will need a large wrench. Impact gun cannot fit in there because of the CV shaft. It is a bit of a pain but not impossible.
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