EDIT: To pry the CA down you will have to remove the endlink assemblies. Yours look original. They will probably be a little PITA, but maybe you can upgrade now. ?

My mechanic is an *******, I took out the "old" TRW ball joint and it was fine. Yea it "stutters" when I try to swivel it around but when i shake it, it doesnt rattle or anything. Not worn at all. Dad told me how the original set rattled when you shook it when he had the first set changed out, this one doesnt. In fact it looks new.

Im going to go ahead and replace that one side since its already out and let the other be. Im kinda pissed right now, wasted money on parts, wasted money on time, and I still have the problem of bumping/cracking/thudding noise when I steer. I can live with the noise, I just dont want my suspension to fall apart.

How'* the top ball joint?

Im going to do the other side later, I figure it will be for the better especially with end links that wont be brittle. Probably take it to the mechanic so he can doulbe check the torques and give it the alignment that it needs.

You got me on that one! Actually I wasn't sure & looked it up on Advance'* website. They show a link for Upper Ball Joints but if I would have clicked on it all I would have found was a rear lower joint. :o

When I changed mine I noticed the passenger side was great. Very tight and hard to move the joint by hand. The driver side was another story But replacing 12 year old parts will always result in an improvement. Luckily ball joints aren't that expensive, and lucky for you you didn't have to pound out rivets.