Ball Joint replacement - Tips

[the_weirdo]

Pretty sure that I need to do a ball joint replacement - they have 150k on them; 50k with 33" tires on 3.5" backspace. When I turn the steering wheel to the left, I get a super load groaning like metal on metal - it is not a popping, it is a loud "creak" like opening a rusty gate. Its so loud that people who are far away from me turn and look when I make a left turn in a parking lot. I will put it up on stands and verify that it is the ball joints before I start the work. I have pretty decent mechanical skills and can blame Tim (knucklehead_61) for any problems that arise.

I plan on getting Spicer joints which are roughly $90 for both sides, uppers and lowers.

From all the write-ups it seems like this will take a full afternoon (5+ hrs) to complete my first time. I daily drive my junk so I cannot afford for this to take more than a weekend to get done. I plan to use the Autozone tools to get this completed. Anyone done this and have any tips? Given that I NEED my stuff back on the road quickly after teardown, is it worth it to have a reputable shop do it?

 

[Alex E]

Check your tie rod ends too, some times they dry out or get all gross and make that same noise your talking about. They might not have play either, you can have someone work the steering and a lot of time you can feel where the noise resonates from. Let me know if you want any help or someone to drink coffee and watch you work. FYI when your doing ball joints, I'm not sure how the tool your using works but typically one end is smaller and drives the ball joint in while the other end has space for the ball joint to pass through and bottom out on the other side. You'll know what I'm talking about when you do it, just pay attention to how long the threaded bolt is if your using a big "C" clamp style. You may want to do the bottom first then the top ball joint or the other way around depending if the threaded bolt interferes with the other ball joint. The tool at my old shop always seemed to stick through the upper ball joint opening when install the lower. If I installed the upper first then your SOL. I use an air hammer to drive them out.

 

[XJensen]

First off you would be off to a good start by just blaming Tim for the nose in the first place.

I tried to use the autozone tool and it bent like it was made of aluminum. Go get yourself a good ball joint tool and the angled jeep adapter. It will make the job much easier.

I didn't use the jeep adapter and had to shim the tool with washers. The first side went as smooth as I could expect, taking about two or three hours. I couldn't get the top joint to line up good on the other side and it took the job into the next day.

 

[kastein]

As I recall, the tool I borrowed from a friend of mine was from Advance Auto Parts originally. He rented it and didn't bring it back soon enough, so he ended up not being able to return it. It worked great.

I seem to recall removing the lower first, upper second, then reinstalling upper first and lower second but I'm not sure. Taking them out just do whichever you can first, but think your steps through before installing either so you don't paint yourself into a corner.

 

[yossarian19]

What about smacking the knuckle with a hammer to release the joints? I've yet to do any damage this way.

 

[kastein]

Unless you are much stronger than me, you won't do any damage... don't go all hammer happy on any mounting/seating surface, only non-machined cast surfaces, and you will be fine. I found that getting the knuckle off was easy, I removed both balljoint nuts and whacked the sides of the studs with a BFH (it chewed the threads up, but I didn't care because I was about to toss the balljoints anyways.)

 

[jeepme]

here is a good step by step article. They are installing adjustable ball joints, but the removal and install is the same no matter what joints you use.

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/ARadjustableBallJoints/adjustableballjoints.htm

 

[Letterman]

What about smacking the knuckle with a hammer to release the joints? I've yet to do any damage this way.

I have done this so many ways, a few good hard swings in the right spot is all it takes. That write up from MadXJ shows the two hammer trick, helps to keep the force in the right spot. I have also used a harden steal center pin from an old Dana 30 spider gear. I think the brass punch is the best, or a brass hammer used as a punch, the brass sends all the energy from the hammer into kicking off the knuckle, the brass sucks up all the vibes and will not damage your knuckle, and you can swing a BFH at it and not have some small lite brass hammer trying to do all the work.

Just remember to put your purse down, hike up that skirt and swing like you have a pair!

This is a few hour job if you have all the right tools and parts.

For the Ball Joint tool make sure you get the upgraded "4x4" Ball Joint Tool, it makes a big difference.

Stu has a good write up too:
http://www.stu-offroad.com/axle/balljoint/balljoint-1.htm

Do this yourself, you never know when you will need to do this on the trail. Also if you are cheep, save the best set of ball joints for trail spares.

When are you thinking of doing this Josh?

 

[the_weirdo]

When are you thinking of doing this Josh?

I'm not sure. First I gotta make sure it is the ball joints and not the TRE that is making the noise. I'll replace the TRE tonight. If it is the ball joints, I'll probably try to knock it out on a weekend in the next month or so.

 

[Letterman]

Well I would bet it is your track bar!

You near my house at all?
Maybe I could stop by and check a few things for ya?

 

[the_weirdo]

Dave, I'm near your place once or twice a week when I go chug beers at my brother's house. I'll shoot you a PM and set up a time to drive it over to your place.

 

[the_weirdo]

I checked the track bar and mount. Everything was tight. I am running the RE double shear and the mount is not only bolted to the driver side but is stitch welded. I also have the RE brace running to the passenger side. All is tight.

I swapped out the drivers side TRE tonight and the noise went away. It also feels much smoother to turn the wheels. We'll see what happens tomorrow. I may have jumped the gun guessing it was ball joints. I've just never heard a bad TRE sound so terrible when it went out so I overlooked it.

I also took this opportunity to grease everything fitting that I could find: 2 on the lower arms, 2 on the upper arms, 4 on the steering, 4 on the JKS disconnects, both driveshafts, etc.

 

[knucklehead 61]

First off you would be off to a good start by just blaming Tim for the nose in the first place.

ouch, no love for knucklehead 61 Hasta

 

[knucklehead 61]

my green heep kills unit bearings. i had to replace one on my vacation last week. when my ball joints were bad last year they didn't make any noise, they were just loose it their sockets. the unit bearings make all sorts of noise when they crap out though.

if you need to change them we should have a pizza / beer / watch josh work while we hurl insults at him type party at the fun factory. party1:

 

[tommyr]

Put one side up on a jack. Grab the wheel at the 12 & 6 o'clock positions. Try pullling/pushing on the wheel. If you feel any play, ball joints are bad.

As far as replacing, do get a quality c-clamp remover. The Harbor Freight one will bend, I have an ATD which has worked OK for me.

This part is a little ghetto:
I've had luck getting the tool in there and just pushing on the stud with the C-clamp screw. Eventually the stud will blow out the top of the joint, (wear glasses) but it saves you the trouble of having to remove the knuckle first. After it blows, blow the the other one, now the knuckle will just fall off. (make sure not onto your foot). Now you can remove the joint with the knuckle out. \ghetto

IMHO people make too big a deal about having the right angled adapter to install the lower one. I'm sure it makes it a little easier but I've never used one. Yes it goes in at an angle, but I have found if you start it in the hole by holding a 2x4 or some such on it, then whacking it with a hammer, you can get it started on the proper angle. Looking at it from the top, you will think it isn't going in straight, because of the angles on the "C". However if you look at it from the bottom side, you can see whether it is going in properly or not. I also use a little anti-seize on it to help it go in

Do a search. You'll find other tips and clues, like which one goes in first.
I can't remember which is which, but I end up putting the screw of the c-clamp thru the hole left by one ball joint to install the other.