FutureMarineLT

Step one: Call a mechanic
Step two: Set up an appointment
Step three: Drip your car off for appointment
Step Four: Pay the $400 bill with a smile knowing you didn't break anything attempting to do the work yourself and saved the enormous headache you might have had for an entire day trying to save yourself $400.

That's all. Hahhahaha

FutureMarineLT

I tried doing it myself and eventually spent 5hrs to simply get stuck because I didn't have an air hammer to break loose parts. Not to mention the couple hrs I wasted renting all the tools I thought I'd need and then getting all those tools plus my tools to my grandpas garage because I didn't want to do it in 25 degree weather outside. I'm finally getting my Jeep back this afternoon from the mechanic. I dropped it off 2 days ago so they could install my synergy ball joints and do an alignment. The mechanic told me of the hundreds if not thousands of ball joints he has replaced that mine were in the top 5 of the hardest he's had to replace. He said he thought they were either glued in or welded for some reason because they simply would not budge.

I was a little pissed because I'm like most of you and want to do everything myself but this appeared to be a little out of my grasp and it was a learning lesson for me. Certain things I need to not do myself and just pay someone that knows what they're doing.

That's all. Hope this is helpful for everyone. Hahaha

Noxian

What would you need a air hammer for?

FutureMarineLT

I don't know the name of the parts that it was needed to break them apart. If it helps they were held together by 3 bolts that screwed in from the inside(engine side) out. They are cast iron and have a half moon shape metal piece shimmied partially between them.

Noxian

Sounds like the wheel bearing, I found a trick how to remove them years ago on my TJ, and it works on the JK too, I had to do it this summer when I replace my front axle housing.

Unit Bearing - 1

^ work everytime

Chili

Axle shaft bolts?

Infinity

Just did mine a few weeks ago. It was a chore to say the least. That said, my mechanic buddy helped me get the bearing assembly (with axle shaft) removed. Take your brake rotor, turn it around backward and slide it over the wheel studs. Put at least 3 of the lug nuts back on, but only 1/2 way. Now use the rotor as a slide hammer. Popped them babies out pretty quickly.

Now, I needed an air powered pickle fork to get the hub detached from the old ball joints. This was after working for 20 minutes just to get the cotter pins out!

I learned a lot doing this myself, but I did this at a buddy's shop and had help. This would have been really frustrating solo.

NETAAA

I did mine last week! I'm not mechanically inclined but tackled it! The only thing I had to get was the ball joint press, I followed the instructions from woods video on YouTube.. The bottom joint seems like they were welded on.. Took me a while, but I would do it again if I had too. Feels AWSOME to do it yourself! Follow the video and add a little muscle and you will be fine.
Woods makes it seem easy, if you do it like him with 5x the muscle you'll get it done. Lol!

Noxian

I just used a pickle fork and a big hammer, wasn't too bad, but then again my jeep only has 25,000kms on it and 2 years.

FutureMarineLT

I got 65,000mi out of my stock joints and 35,000 of that was with 35's on them.