Currently, I'm unsure of all the adapters and different adapter sizes I'll need as well as what would come in a rental kit aside from the press. When the ball joints arrive, I'll measure the diameters and that should probably tell me the OD/ID diameters of the adapters I'll need. I think I'm just going to do like jedg suggested and get the ball joint adapter kit from HF, goto advanced auto and rent their kit, and then hope I have everything I need once I dive into it. I'm hoping the HF kit contains that bottom adapter size and I'll modify it. That's what I'm really trying to figure out, is if the kit contains that size or if I need to look elsewhere for it.

This coupon should come in handy for the HF adapter kit.

 

I needed the adapters once (I've replaced my ball joints 3 times now) and that was with the crap AutoZone loaner press. The Advance Auto press is much better and has more fittings. None of them fit like a glove or were perfect by any means, but with a little finesse they got the job done. Check out the ball joint presses before renting one, not all are created equal. I believe the Advance Auto press is a Powerbuilt? Black case. Avoid the red case AutoZone press at all costs.

Just a heads up.

 

I used the autozone one twice with no issues myself.

The only thing you don't get with the rentals, or at least not with the autozone one, was the magic piece needed to remove the ball joints nicely. The first time I was removing factory joints and they were going to the trashcan anyhow, so just blew the stud right up through the top and then pressed the rest out. I'd lean towards Bora Bora's suggestion of the AAP rental (if you have one around) since noting it has more adapters. The additional adapter set from HF would be nice so you could cut the one piece you need to match the C perfectly, but hopefully you're only doing this job once.....and paying $50-$70 or whatnot for the kit would be up to you. I've used that adapter kit 2 times as my buddy bought one (required for the Rare Parts BJs), so I was able to just borrow it.

 

To be fair, the one I got was a complete piece of crap. Whoever borrowed it before me didn't apply any sort of lubrication to the press, and it was all gunked up and wouldn't operate smoothly. THAT was the day I got my full money's worth out of my impact

Yep I hear ya on the removal, I had to use the same method of blowing the cap off/pressing the stud out first.





Gotta love ball joints!

 

If this job turns out anywhere near as painful as my EGR valve replacement......blood is going to be spilled. Remember, I have 150K miles on those stock ball joints, which at this time, have been exposed to 8 Michigan salted road winters. When I hear you guys describing PIA removal scenarios, where you live in the warmer climate states, chills start to run down my spine and my butt starts to pucker a little. I did buy a 4lb BFH from HF yesterday, for just in case measures. There is an Advanced Auto in my neighborhood, as well as all the others mentioned. I'll go to Advanced for the rental, thanks for the tip.

With the coupon the adapter set at HF will be $57. As long as the tools cost 1/2 as much as paying a shop to do the work, I'm usually ok with buying a lower price one time use tool set. Especially considering while I've got things apart, I'm going to perform these additional repairs which would likely run the shop price up.
- Replace passenger side wheel hub bearing (had driver side done last year out of necessity)
- Replace both front speed sensors. I want the newer/longer mopars since they route better. I had the longer one on driver side, newly installed and idiots at the shop cut it during the wheel hub replacement and used the shorter wire sensor that came with the hub.
- Replace front brake pads. Still need to find what is a good pad to buy as replacements for my original Mopar BBK pads.

 

Oh, the job isn't THAT bad....you know, unless you're doing it 3 times in under a year, at which point you just get dang tired of doing the same labor. The worst part is just you have to spend so much time breaking things down and putting back together just to access what you need to get to. The actual pressing in and out isn't terrible, at least for what you are installing. The factories will come out easy, and the TF should go in pretty easily. The last set I installed where knurled DT's.......and I will say, those knurls indeed made it a major pain in the ass. This shouldn't be anything like an herculean EGR effort. I'd imagine job will take you 4 hours or so. Maybe a touch longer since first time...and definitely longer if taking the time to fabricate one of the pieces to mate with the C. If you've not removed those bearings, the bearing bolts might be a booger.

 

.......and if it's not terribly obvious, grease the axle shafts at/around the spines, and be careful putting em back in least you knick the seal, allowing your gear oil a place to escape....and causing you to repeat all the labor to THEN replace your axle seals. LOL..

 

Not sure how many folks have air tools, but I used an impact socket with the press and drove the ball joints in and out that way. The HF adapters help a bunch. Also, I compressed the opposite side from where I'm working and drooped the side I'm working on (unhooked the shock for more droop)... this gave me more room to work with.

 

This is one job I prefered to use manual tools on when it came to pressing in/out......namely because you can feel when something isn't right...and stop before blowing up the press....which I have seen done. There is no doubt pnuematic or electric impact makes the job faster, but I have been up against that thinking "this doesn't feel right", and sure enough, would see I was just a bit misaligned or something along those lines. That's just my opinion though.......cuz I know my likelihood of effing something up always runs a bit on the high side.

 

Good point, and I'll admit to starting the new ones by hand. But air after that and air to take the old ones out.