08 Tahoe lower ball joint removal help!!

[Isaiah13]

I have a 08 Tahoe that I’m replacing all the ball joints on and I was wondering how to get the factory lower ball joint out that has the metal tabs and not a snap ring? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[CaptainAmerica1]

Replace the entire control arm… easier

 

[wsteele]

Looks like it is staked in place.

I think you have to replace the whole control arm assembly. If I am wrong, someone will be along right smartly to correct it.

 

[Isaiah13]

Okay, I’ve been told you can take a punch and punch the metal stakes over and beat it out and I’ve tired that but it won’t budge.

 

[OR VietVet]

Especially in a rust state with salt on the roads, better to do the whole arm with new ball joints and bushings. There are a bunch of choices at RA and I would use Genuine GM or Moog.

 

[Isaiah13]

Okay sounds like probably the best route to do, mine are aluminum arms, could I put steel arms on them or do I have to go back with the aluminum ones? Also how do you know if your Tahoe has the police package suspension or not?

 

[Isaiah13]

I just hoping I could get the old joint out instead of having to buy new control arms so I could save some money.

 

[OR VietVet]

There still may be a way to get them out but maybe look for a you tube video or two to see what you can find. It may be easy but is unknown right now. I personally have never dealt with aluminum control arms or ball joints that look like that.

 

[swathdiver]

I have a 08 Tahoe that I’m replacing all the ball joints on and I was wondering how to get the factory lower ball joint out that has the metal tabs and not a snap ring? Any help would be appreciated.

Don't those tabs have to be pushed in with a hammer and chisel for example?

Sure, you can change the ball joint and save some money, but what about the control arm bushings? They're 13 going on 14 years old now.

As for the cop suspension, look for RPO code Z56.

 

[Isaiah13]

I think I will just replace the arms, can I put steel arms on it or do I have to go back with aluminum like what’s already on it?

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Replace the control arms, along with the ball joints. I just completed that project on my truck. It is a lot easier, and more effective, to replace the entire control arm, including all related bushings.

 

[mattbta]

I used a chisel on the tabs, but could also use a Dremel. Then to get it out, had to use a pickle fork with a 6 foot pipe slipped on for leverage. You should have heard the POP when it released.

 

[wsteele]

I think I will just replace the arms, can I put steel arms on it or do I have to go back with aluminum like what’s already on it?

I have read a few threads on a few different forums that discuss this question and the general internet opinion has been that going from aluminum to steel is not a problem. The other way won’t work without buying new bolts, as the bolts used on the AL arms are a little longer to compensate for the thicker material of the AL arms.

I have no personal insight, just what I have read.

 

[wsteele]

I used a chisel on the tabs, but could also use a Dremel. Then to get it out, had to use a pickle fork with a 6 foot pipe slipped on for leverage. You should have heard the POP when it released.

Did you restake the new one or did a new snap ring version fit?

 

[iamdub]

I think I will just replace the arms, can I put steel arms on it or do I have to go back with aluminum like what’s already on it?

+1 for replacing the arm. Avoiding the headache of swapping the BJ as well as getting new bushings makes it worth it.
The steel arms will bolt up to the frame just like the aluminum ones. What I'm not so sure about is if the BJ in the aluminum arm has a different taper on the stud. This would cause a problem with it going into the spindle. I might be confusing this with the models that have an aluminum spindle, though. Having said that, I'm thinking the steel arms would be a direct swap for the aluminum ones, BJs and all, since there aren't two different types of drop spindles for the "regular" Tahoes and the XFE Tahoes (they have aluminum lower arms).

 

[mattbta]

Did you restake the new one or did a new snap ring version fit?

This was on a rwd NBS, but the snap ring version worked perfectly.

 

[wsteele]

This was on a rwd NBS, but the snap ring version worked perfectly.

Good to know, thanks for getting back to me.