Tips on replacing ball joints?
JK Junkie
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,343
Likes: 1
From: The San Andreas Fault
Since ball joints are one of the JK weak points,tThere are a couple of good recent thread discussing the options on ball joints and how to replace them. There is even one thread where someone dissected a stock ball joint with pics. Run a quick search.
Reading those should get you started and then you can ask more specific questions regarding your concerns.
Reading those should get you started and then you can ask more specific questions regarding your concerns.
JK Freak
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 505
Likes: 0
From: Rancho Cucamonga, Ca
I just replaced all 4 of mine.
You will absolutely need a ball joint press tool. Autozone 'rents' them for $99, you get it back when you bring it back, but you could also keep it. The tool consists of a giant, heavy-duty c-clamp and a couple spacers. Here's where the kit falls short. You will need 4 spacer setups, upper and lower removal and upper and lower installation. All 4 are somewhat different and I could not figure out a way to do it with just the spacers in the kit. I have a fair pile of misc. tubes, squares and other metal shapes in the garage. It will be helpful if you have either the kit with a bunch of spacers or alot of scrap metal shapes laying around.
Basics steps:
1. remove wheel
2. remove brake caliper and rotor
3. Disconnect wheel speed sensor form unit bearing
3. remove axle/unit bearing assy as one piece. You'll need a 13mm 12 pt socket and/or a 13mm box end wrench. There are 3 star shaped bolts on the back of the knuckle that hold it in place.
4. remove tie rod and or drag link from steering knuckle. This is a taper fit and must be banged out.
5. Remove castle nuts for the steering knuckle.
6. With a medium opening pickle fork, seperate steering knuckle. This is a double taper fit. A large hammer and about five heavy blows will be required to pop it free. It'll drop to the floor once seperated.
7. Press out upper and lower ball joints. This is the hard part, as you'll be fiddling with all kinds of combinations of spacer to get the right press, and the c-clamp is heavy and cumbersome. Once you get the right setup tho, it's like magic and comes right out. Expect a pretty loud bang when it first lets go. You'll likely need a fair amount of leverage so a breakerbar comes in handy.
8. Press BJs in and reinstall everything. Make sure to put the little wheel speed sensor bracket on before installing the upper castle nut. I forgot. Bummer.
Once they're in, its just the reverse of the above.
You will absolutely need a ball joint press tool. Autozone 'rents' them for $99, you get it back when you bring it back, but you could also keep it. The tool consists of a giant, heavy-duty c-clamp and a couple spacers. Here's where the kit falls short. You will need 4 spacer setups, upper and lower removal and upper and lower installation. All 4 are somewhat different and I could not figure out a way to do it with just the spacers in the kit. I have a fair pile of misc. tubes, squares and other metal shapes in the garage. It will be helpful if you have either the kit with a bunch of spacers or alot of scrap metal shapes laying around.
Basics steps:
1. remove wheel
2. remove brake caliper and rotor
3. Disconnect wheel speed sensor form unit bearing
3. remove axle/unit bearing assy as one piece. You'll need a 13mm 12 pt socket and/or a 13mm box end wrench. There are 3 star shaped bolts on the back of the knuckle that hold it in place.
4. remove tie rod and or drag link from steering knuckle. This is a taper fit and must be banged out.
5. Remove castle nuts for the steering knuckle.
6. With a medium opening pickle fork, seperate steering knuckle. This is a double taper fit. A large hammer and about five heavy blows will be required to pop it free. It'll drop to the floor once seperated.
7. Press out upper and lower ball joints. This is the hard part, as you'll be fiddling with all kinds of combinations of spacer to get the right press, and the c-clamp is heavy and cumbersome. Once you get the right setup tho, it's like magic and comes right out. Expect a pretty loud bang when it first lets go. You'll likely need a fair amount of leverage so a breakerbar comes in handy.
8. Press BJs in and reinstall everything. Make sure to put the little wheel speed sensor bracket on before installing the upper castle nut. I forgot. Bummer.
Once they're in, its just the reverse of the above.
