i was wondering if anyone has one or rented one. im looking to buy one for the Jk and wanted advice on what worked and what dosent

 

you can rent one from autozone or the like and it will do the job. do not get the one from harbor freight as they are weak and will bend. also, they do not come with the necessary adapters that you will need for a jeep. if you decide to buy one, i would recommend that you get the following:

OTC 7249 Ball Joint Service Tool Set
OTC 7894 Jeep 4 WD Ball Joint Adapter Set

both can be bough at amazon for about $150

 

Harbor Freight. Yeah, it's a el cheapo, but if you keep it lubricated WELL, it should last.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=38335

 

thanks for the responses. trying to beef an axle myself and dont want a shop messing around with ball joints

 

How about putting one of those write ups together for future reference. Seems these might just be a matter of time.

 

good stuff DIY

 

while were on the subject, how does one know when they are worn out and need to be replaced. is there a visual que or do i need to do something to figure it out

 

Jack up each front wheel (one at a time) and slide a pry bar underneath the tire. Have a friend pull up on the pry bar repeatedly while you watch/listen to the ball joints for play.