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Ball joints and tie rod ends

C

Cerober1

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Orange county ca
Hey everyone I'm getting prepared to do all my ball joint and tre for the first time on my xj is the any random advise to making the job any easier. Or tricks.
 
Cerober1 said:
Hey everyone I'm getting prepared to do all my ball joint and tre for the first time on my xj is the any random advise to making the job any easier. Or tricks.
Click to expand...

Do the TRE replacement first with WHEELS on the ground so that you can minimize the amount of adjustments after you bolt everything back up.
 
Ok cool. When I do the ball joints do I need to pull the axel shafts to access them if so how much more work is it to replace the axel tube inner seals
 
Cerober1 said:
Ok cool. When I do the ball joints do I need to pull the axel shafts to access them if so how much more work is it to replace the axel tube inner seals
Click to expand...

To replace ball joints you need to get the knuckles off. To get the knuckles off you need to pull the axle shafts. You can do it one of two ways: remove the hub from the shaft (to make sure it's not frozen and so that you can do field shaft replacement on the trail without any issues) or you can just remove it all as one unit. To make things easier get from Harbor Freight Ball Joint kit. What also helps is to get the 4wd add on kit as it has the angled adapters.

Inner axle seals? Not hard... you are half way there... to get to them you need to:
1. Drain the diff
2. Pop the cover
3. Pull the carrier out
4. Obtain a broomstick long enough to knock them out ;)
5. After installing them give them a light coat of grease or oil so that the axle shaft slides in easier...

But unless they're leaking I wouldn't worry about replacing them just make sure to support your axle shaft as you pull it out to try and minimize the spline on seal drag.
 
Ok cool I did them this weekend and wow it's alot of work for on person on a driveway haha anyway I rented the joint press from autozone and I replaced my axel seals one was leaking real bad. I got everything back in but now my brake dust cover on my driver side is slightly touching my brake disc. Any I dead what happened. Also is any one available with a angle finder to help check pinion angle. I am unsure how to do it. I have read the post over and over and it doesn't make sense to me.
 
I think the new tie rod end or knuckle is holding it in place I might of tweaked it some how I'm under it right now. The dust cover looks straight and in the right holes. I lined the holes up by the dirt marks from the hub
 
Where ever it's touching/rubbing just bend that part back and you should be good if it's not on backwards...

You can lift the front up and spin the wheels to see where it rubs then go from there.

Hope that helps
 
Oh I didnt check to see if it's on backwards I must be exhausted haha any way I think it's still on the verge of wobble. I should have started with my first xj being stock. Oh well you live and learn and spend money
 
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=937821

There's my writeup on changing the inner axle seals, everything you need to know is inside :cheers:

edit: ah I just saw that you already got it done. as said above just bend the dust shield back. if you put it on backwards the rotor wouldn't have gone on, and if it wasn't in the right position the caliper wouldn't have bolted back on.
 
I guess Cerober1 is a newbie and didn't realize that this should have been posted in the OEM tech section.

Cerober1, as an FYI for the future, non-chapter specific tech goes in OEM tech or modified tech. :)
 
Ohh yes I amnew to the forum sorry about that I'm still learning the ropes. I'm new to all forums. I will put this stuff in oem or mod forums from now on. I did fix it though with a really big flat head
 
agreed with RenegadeT, just leave the dust shields off if you ever have to do this again.
 
One more thing I was reading the link on ball joint replacement. I don't think it's a very good idea to hit two hammers together like that. They are two hardened steel heads that can shatter or explode. Some times. Some random knowledge I picked up some where. Any ways good write up very through and picks are great. That adjustable ball joint is crazy looking.
 
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