Jeep Jk Ball Joint Installation
11-29-2012, 12:07 PM
#12
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Location: Nashville, TN
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Mine is an 07 with 72k miles on it. I probably could have used a hammer and regular fork, but since I had the air powered one, it made at least one part of the install painless 
Truth be told, the hardest part was pressing them back in straight. The top ones really wanted to go in crooked so we had to really take our time with them. Also, we managed to damage the inner axle seal which caused a leaking problem. For those doing this, make sure you are careful when you put the axle shaft back in. Mine had a plastic ring outside of the seal to help line up the axle with the diff. It had fallen sideways when we tried to put the axle back in (which we didn't realize) and we shoved that part way into the diff causing the leak. Had to tear everything back apart to redo the seals to stop the leaking.....
Truth be told, the hardest part was pressing them back in straight. The top ones really wanted to go in crooked so we had to really take our time with them. Also, we managed to damage the inner axle seal which caused a leaking problem. For those doing this, make sure you are careful when you put the axle shaft back in. Mine had a plastic ring outside of the seal to help line up the axle with the diff. It had fallen sideways when we tried to put the axle back in (which we didn't realize) and we shoved that part way into the diff causing the leak. Had to tear everything back apart to redo the seals to stop the leaking.....
11-29-2012, 01:10 PM
#13
JK Super Freak
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
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
Wow! I was quoted $250 to install ball joints AND weld in c-gussets. I hope that included the price of the ball joints.
11-29-2012, 02:40 PM
#15
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: St. Joseph, MO
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Nope they're synergy ball joints. I had already purchased them so the price if the ball joints was not included in the $400. It was actually $365. $300 for the install on ball joints for labor and then $50 for an alignment plus tax.
11-30-2012, 03:51 PM
#16
JK Junkie
Did mine in 4 hours. Instead of separating all the steering components I used some leverage to push the unit bearing and hub apart. Just pivoted it out of the way.
It was a bitch to press them in and out, but the impact got the worst of it.
It was a bitch to press them in and out, but the impact got the worst of it.
12-01-2012, 10:51 AM
#17
JK Super Freak
yeah the trick is to leave the steering on until after you remove the unit bearing, thats how I do it. Using the steering you can pop off the unit bearing super easy.
12-01-2012, 02:18 PM
#18
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Great Project to Tackle
First off, I am far from being mechanically inclined. After some researching, preparation and patience, and not to mention, being extremely pressed for cash, I resorted to tackling the project of removing axles, pressing out and in ball joints, u-joints along with doing a dif service on my own with the help of my two teenage boys (14 & 17yrs)
Appreciating this learning experience, I would definitely do it again. Plus my boys and I had a great time bonding and learning to wrench together. Good times
Here are some pics;
Appreciating this learning experience, I would definitely do it again. Plus my boys and I had a great time bonding and learning to wrench together. Good timesHere are some pics;