Replacing lower ball joints

i would replace the stabilizer link too

 

Okay so if you're going to try to leave the drive axle in place this is a big no-no because you're going to get stuck It's going to be well I'm not going to say that but it's going to be a big problem when you get the castlehead nut all the way up it may be tough to make it clear whatever it needs to clear on the axle to come off and then getting the tapered shaft out of the aluminum maybe problematic with the axle sitting in place usually when I do this I take off the whole hub off of the strut the ball joint right off of its mount so what comes out of the car is the whole hub with the bearing in it and the lower ball joint on it at that time I use my impact to take the lower ball joint off change it Newcastle head nut and a cotter pin so when I put it back on I'm putting the three bolts that go into the ball joint at the lower control arm not putting the castle head nut on.

 

I’ve replaced the ball joint(s) on our ‘12 Prius v (wagon). I do not recall the clearance being so little.

I could not find a wide enough ball joint puller for a long while, (to borrow or buy from a brick and mortar store). But eventually I found a Baum B312240KPLUS kit. (EDIT- Per my thread 31 mm fit nicely). I vaguely remember you can buy the correct size separately and save some…

No I did not pull the axle, which I suspect requires a new axle nut.

2 Time Alignment Fail, Right Front Caster Off. | PriusChat

 

I reused my axle nut on both sides that I did this on and I did it like stated above and no puller was ever used to get the ball joint off just run the castle head and nut up to flush smack it with a light hammer the castle head nut drops down to the aluminum bore undo the castle head nut and the ball joint falls on the floor in the castle had nuts in my hand clearance may allow you to do this and I still wouldn't need a ball joint puller just in one smack with the hammer will drop the tapered shaft that's falling towards the floor so gravity's working with you one or two light smacks and usually that comes right undone even in rush States I lived in Western Massachusetts and used to do this to my Corollas steering and ball joints pretty regularly in that rust bucket state.

 

You can replace the ball joints without removing the axles with a pickle fork and a long six sided ratcheting box end wrench. I have done it a few times and a 12 point wrench will round the castle nut. Loosen the nut and hit the ball joint with the pickle fork and loosen the nut again as you create space to take the nuts off.

If you take the axle nut off replace it. Not worth messing up the cv axle threads with a staked nut with bad threads. Been there done that and retreading CV axles is not fun.

This is the wrench you need and you can rent the pickle fork for ball joints at oreilleys or autozone. You would need a sledge hammer too to get the ball joints loose.

https://www.tekton.com/17-x-19-mm-long-flex-ratcheting-box-end-wrench-wrn77113