b4000 4x4 front upper and lower ball joint install..?

[Jmazda94]

Well I live on an island in Alaska and we don't have free tool rental places, we do have a napa but they don't have one..i got one more place that might rent one but if they don't, would the process i described in the earlier post work?? Thanks dude!

 

[brinker88]

Yea, it'll work. I welded a large nut to the end of the C-clamp so I can use an impact or ratchet on it for more torque.

 

[PanamaExpat]

I am with Sasquatch on the heat part. Changed many front end parts with the help of the fire hatchet over the years and never had an issue yet. So I'll keep doing them that way.

Now tomorrow watch my front end fall apart while it is sitting in the garage... LOL

 

[Jmazda94]

interesting..can't say I would know what to do with a fire hatchet but sounds fun. Looked all over town no one has one besides the shops and they wont rent it..asking a few people if they got one other wise it might be C-clamp time. One place said if i could bring the cross arm in they have a hydrolic press i could use..really dont want to pay god damn 600$ for ball joint replacement.

 

[brinker88]

Before I knew how to do all this stuff, I used to take the knuckle down to the nearest shop to me and have them press the balljoints in/out. They usually charged me around $30. That might be an option for you.

 

[Jmazda94]

Yeah, that is an option. Most likely what i will end up doing. If that is the case ill need to take the coil spring out and get a compressor to put back in.?

 

[PanamaExpat]

On the B4000 you won't need a coil spring compressor. I certainly didn't and I did mine in the garage behind my house with common tools and a bit of ingenuity. It wasn't really that hard at all. While I had it apart I put all new U-joints in the front axles and replaced a borderline wheel bearing.

 

[Jmazda94]

Cool, that is what I like to hear. Now, just to find the time..In all honesty i need a new front end. The girl who i bought the truck from was using the 4x4 with no oil in the front pumpkin..now when I put in in 4x4 it makes a loud rubbing noise when Im on the accelorator. And i have to keep filling the diff. Thanks for your guys help.

 

[PanamaExpat]

I put new seals in the punkin when I had my axle out. Depending on what ratio you often see used punkins in the parts for sale section and if you don't mind paying a bit to ship it where you are. That would probably be easier than trying to fix the existing one. But even if you get a used punkin put new axle seals in it.

Your shipping problems are probably similar to mine. Really jacks the price of repairs through the roof.

 

[Jmazda94]

We shall see..I will probably end up doing the seals also. I am not sure what ratio it is..haven't changed anything so whatever stock is..? Shipping to panama must be a lot. and yes shipping to ak is not great, quickly turns an affordable good deal project into borderline worth it.

 

[PanamaExpat]

You can get your gear ratio off the sticker on the driver's side door. Look in the tech library for a decodification of the axle number.
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Axles.html

For example my B4000 has an axle code of 91 which is a 3.27 open diff.

 

[Jmazda94]

Well I found some awesome person to lend me their ball joint press for the weekend, so gonna rock it out on sat. while napa is open. Any tips or advise on things i might run into that are not mentioned in the tech library?

 

[brokemechanic3000]

I agree with these other guys. At work the proper tool is basically a large C clamp. But sometimes you just need a BFH -Big F***ing Hammer, and just beat on things until they come out. Heating parts with a torch is common and done all the time to losen old and rusted parts. the price you were quoted seems high and 3 hours is about right if they take the time to do all of the extra things to make life easier for the next guy who changes parts on your truck.

 

[crazypj]

1.) I don't know where you get your numbers. I bought my IR 1/2" impact for less than $160 and it's more than capable to do the job. Wrenches and socket sets exceeding $800? Harbor Freights tools are (again) MORE than capable of doing this job. Really?

2.) Most people already have these tools on hand.

3.) "Ghetto" isn't even the word for it. There is absolutely nothing Ghetto about doing balljoints the way I have described.

Please remove the stick from your ass so we can continue to help people that aren't MADE of money and can't afford gold plated tools and can't pay someone else to do it. Thank you.


Ghetto....

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+ LOTS
First ball joints I ever did on my Rover P6 (around 30yrs ago) I did have sockets etc but used a BFH (FBH?) and an AXE to 'chisel' them out.
I've only done one set since, (about 2yrs ago) 20 ton press makes life too easy
Still don't have a proper ball joint press though