Ball joint removal

[Apostle]

Havent dove into this yet, but do you need to remove the axle shaft assy to replace ball joints?

weather kinda crappy, so probably going to hit next weekend, just learning everything first.

 

[in4aride]

pull bearing and shaft as one unit to gain complete access..
remove upper then lower and replace lower then upper.

upper and lower gout out and back in opposite directions of each other....

getting the first "pop" out of each is hard, then they push right out

 

[Apostle]

Thanks Mike.

did a search, but couldnt find a write up

Mod can delete this thread

 

[UnlimitedMatt]

Make sure you rent a good ball joint press. I tried a few different ones and found the best one at Advanced Auto Parts.
UM

 

[Frank Z]

Pull both wheels.
Raise one side high enough to keep the oil from draining into the tube after the next step.
Remove the unit bearing hub and shaft together.
Remove the steering knuckle.
Use a quality balljoint press to remove the balljoints. HF brand tend to bend and sometimes break.
Apply some Anti-seize to the new joits and install.
Reinstall the steering knuckle.
Apply a liberal amount of anti-seize to the hub, add a little fresh grease to the axle seal surface and reinstall..
Repeat on the opposite side.

 

[Apostle]

Forgive me in advance. never had this issue before, so total newb to it.

Saturday, one of the guys looked at the tire, dont recal who he was, appologize for that. but he stated if when lifted, the tire can move up and down it was the ball joints, but if it moved left to right it was the front hub. at least that is what i recal him saying.

anyway, ran out and lifted driver side tire off ground, no play at all up and down, but some play left to right.

so with what i was told Sat and what i just saw, it seems to make sense the ball joints are still ok (didnt say good, just said ok) and the hub or the bearings inside are going bad.

Is that correct? the main issue, when i turn the wheel i get a squeek, just recently started and constant when i turn wheel

 

[in4aride]

up and down can be either. side to side can be bearing or TRE

lift the front axle to get tire off the ground
grabe the top and bottom of tire. try to move the top and bottom in and out. this is easiest test for bearing...

with jeep still lifted. take a hi lift pole or similar, and slide under the tire sit at the front of the wheel as you pry the pipe/pole/bar up in quick jerks. while doing so look at the balljoints, see if there is any compression or release between them and the knuckle...

still in the air, grab the TRE and with one hand on it and the other on the tire, push the tire side to side and see if the TRE pops or moves as you wiggle tire.


any movement in any of those tests indicates the part you are testing is bad....

 

[Frank Z]

Bring it by my place and we'll take look.

 

[Apostle]

I know the TRE is bad already, but dont think thats causing the squeek. no movement at all at the balljoints from what i saw (just me out there though).

guess cheapest fix is the TRE, will replace and see what happens.

 

[in4aride]

squeek is usually bearing, but anything is possible.

 

[Apostle]

May take you up on that Frank. ill shoot you a PM later today

TRE is bad, and the one that goes to the pitman arm. ok for now, but not something i want for a extended period

 

[Apostle]

Replaced all the ends. apparently whoever messed with it before me, placed it in reverse. so the inner was the outter and vice versa. found that out when i had it torn apart. 5 stores later, inner/outter/pitarm replaced.

wheel was off, moved the tire right-left (barely) and got a squeek. looked at the ball joints and there is no movement. picked up a hub, will replace it this weekend.

(all that shit is expensive... going to have to sell jeep rides to pay for parts)

 

[.40CalPatriot]

My tires started to wear funny and my alignment was good. I had no play that would make me suspect the ball joints were bad. I replaced them anyways because I suspected they were factory still. When I pulled the knuckle off both of the bottoms joints fell apart. The only thing holding them together were the nuts and the upper joints.

 

[Apostle]

Ya know, my luck, i will replace the hub and the whole thing sheers off.

 

[zluster]

I would just like to add that HEAT makes it much easier to remove and install new balljoints.

 

[UnlimitedMatt]

I would just like to add that HEAT makes it much easier to remove and install new balljoints.

I agree but only adding heat to the cast parts, not the joints. I put the new balljoints in the freezer for a couple of hours before I installed them.
UM

 

[Boostwerks.com]

I would just like to add that HEAT makes it much easier to remove and install new balljoints.

It does, but be careful. There is a teflon liner in each joint that can easily melt killing the joint.

 

[ColoradoRaptor]

It does, but be careful. There is a teflon liner in each joint that can easily melt killing the joint.

Truth!! :thumbup:

 

[Apostle]

squeek is gone, have a clicking noise now. every time tire rotates (like rock in tread, minus the rock)

steering is awesome though. play in box, but that will be remedied soon.

 

[in4aride]

id check axle shaft ujoints for play