Loose Ball Joints

OK So i made the mistake of using Autozone Lifetime ball joints maybe like a year ago.

we got the nice sturdy BJ Press and we were like man no way to do it without it because they were TIGHT the first time.
Not sure what cheapo brand they are but i have had to replace them multiple times since .

This time instead of getting the part replaced for free i wanted Good ones so I ordered a set of SPICER 706944x Ball joints and when i saw them was very pleased they looked to be made of a higher quality material .

So the bottoms pressed in just fine but the tops can be pushed in and out by hand. After looking at the Autozone ones they are Knurled (i think thats what uts called) where they press in. making them a bit wider than the spicer ones that are smooth where they press in.

After looking closer at my outer C's on my axle you can see where the knurled part of the Autozone Ball joints have widened the hole the ball joints go into. out of curiosity i checked and the Spicer Ball Joints fit nicely if you put them in from the other side (wrong way) that isnt stretched out from the AUTOZONE ball joints.

Because i needed my car I went to autozone and had them replace my lifetime ball joints and pressed them in and they fit fine. I am Really disappointed i cant put the higher quality ball joints back in and feel like the autozone parts damaged my axle.

So I have 2 questions

1. Did i order the correct Spicer Part #?

2. What can be done about the wallowed ball joint holes ?

I read on a thread someone used metal from a beer can to sleeve the hole and then pressed the ball joint in and got a good fit that worked for them..


My jeep is an 01 but i Swapped in a built high pinion D30 i bought off a member here so im not sure what year the axle came off of .

Not sure how the balljoints would have wallowed the hole out without some pretty severe abuse, the knurling is supposed to flatten out during install not damage the axle housing. You have the right part number.

A little term clarification - the balljoints press into holes in the inner C or inner knuckle - the tapers go into the outer knuckle, which is the part most people call the steering knuckle.

kastein said:

Not sure how the balljoints would have wallowed the hole out without some pretty severe abuse, the knurling is supposed to flatten out during install not damage the axle housing. You have the right part number.

A little term clarification - the balljoints press into holes in the inner C or inner knuckle - the tapers go into the outer knuckle, which is the part most people call the steering knuckle.

Click to expand...

thanx for the terminology lesson.
and maybe you are right and it wasn't the ball joints fault but either way it's wallowed out.

it's ok as long as I use the cheapo ball joints. But what if it gets worse or I want to use the nicer spicer ones ?

does the beer can metal sleeve sound viable ?

if not are there any other suggestions. (i do have acess to a welder maybe add a bead of metal then grind it down so the b joint can press in ?

I'd be worried about getting it to hot tacking them in place . And am not sure what metal the spicers are made of ? Stainless ?

My old 30 had seen more then a few sets of ball joints put thru it, after awhile the holes were loose too. Take a small punch and make some indents around the inside of the hole on the inner C. This will create some high points that will bite onto the ball joint and help hold it inside the hole.