Ball joints

[Shran]

Word of warning - you WILL break the HF ball joint press if you use a big enough impact. Mine isn't broken but it's ultra bent and I have only used hand tools with it.

If you get to the point where the press is very tight and the joints aren't coming out, smacking the sides of the knuckle around where the joint goes in always makes them pop.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Word of warning - you WILL break the HF ball joint press if you use a big enough impact. Mine isn't broken but it's ultra bent and I have only used hand tools with it.

If you get to the point where the press is very tight and the joints aren't coming out, smacking the sides of the knuckle around where the joint goes in always makes them pop.

Take heed, good info! Spend the extra and get GOOD tools, you'll never regret it,

Richard

 

[tjs4x4]

Wow. Thanks for the info guys. We have a small, very small air compressor. Still sounds like a big job to me though lol.

 

[tjs4x4]

Is there any way that I can see for myself if the ball joints are bad? I want to make sure they need replaced before I do anything.

 

[K-Slice]

Lift the wheel off the ground, shake it from side to sid, then up and down. If there is any movement or if you can feel/hear any poping then something is broken. Could be a ball joint, tie rod end, or wheel bearing.
If you do feel that loosness then go behind the wheel while someone else shakes it and look for the source of the movment.

 

[tjs4x4]

Ok ill check it out.

 

[tjs4x4]

Well, they were right. The right front wheel is loose up and down pretty good. Should I do both sides at the same time or just replace the ones that are bad?

 

[K-Slice]

I'd do both ball joints while I had the nuckle off. Getting the whole thing apart is a time consuming job so replacing them both will save you time in the long run. Especially if they're both old.

 

[tjs4x4]

The whole vehicle is old lol. I do not know anything about the history of my rig. All I know is everything is needing to be replaced lol. I will have to find out how much more it would be to have the shop do both at the same time.

 

[Shran]

A shop will charge you at least several hundred dollars to change out two ball joints on one side. Buy the press, axle nut socket, torque wrench, and ball joints yourself and still be at least $100 ahead.

 

[tjs4x4]

I have a neighbor who has a press, he said if I needed any help to just let him know. If I can get him to help me do the ball joints, I won't need to buy much if anything.

We have a big huge socket to remove the hub/spindle I believe. We also have a torque wrench

 

[K-Slice]

I'm not gonna say it.

 

[ashleyroachclip]

moog ball joints cost me 65 each , I would also do the inner u joints at the knuckle at the same time.

I spent about 300 on parts when I rebuilt mine , that included bearings , seals , the afore mentioned u-joints , ball joints, brake pads, break hoses

A shop will charge you that much in labor easily, just for one side.

 

[tjs4x4]

Front brake lines have already been fixed. Man, you're talkin' about a lotta parts and a LOT of work lol. I would have to read up on all those that you just mentioned, not to mention get tools that I don't have that I need.
I will do all the brake pads at once, not gonna do them two at a time, unless the rear ones are good.

 

[adsm08]

Lift the wheel off the ground, shake it from side to sid, then up and down. If there is any movement or if you can feel/hear any poping then something is broken. Could be a ball joint, tie rod end, or wheel bearing.
If you do feel that loosness then go behind the wheel while someone else shakes it and look for the source of the movment.

This, except use a pry bar to move the wheel straight up and down. It's easier to find ball joint play that way. Rocking it by hand can throw bearing or tie rod play into what you feel and give a false positive.