8:27 pm
April 23, 2012
Offline
Add an axle u joint to the list
9:25 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline Wow! Good luck John! Hopefully the work goes smoothly.
I need to replace my ball joints as well.
12:18 am
Club Member
January 20, 2009
Offline Cool! Lots of winter projects going on right now!
6:25 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline Good list of projects. You'll be ready for Spring.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
9:47 pm
Club Member
September 3, 2008
Offline What ball joints are you using this time?
Um...what?
11:06 pm
April 23, 2012
Offline Because I'm poor the same alloy usa ones that I have for warranty because they started to have play after 3 months. I know it's just wishful thinking but maybe I just got a bad set
: \ ?
Next go around I'll probably try synergy if that doesn't work I'll have to spend 4-800 on some super "legit" ones and if those don't work I guess the only option is a 8k front axel
12:37 pm
April 23, 2012
Offline Making progress
just have to fill in the back of the top gussets let it cool again and then press in the new joints.
My axel doesn't fit in my vice with spacers to pop out the u joint so I'm hoping I can use a floor jack and the frame of the Jeep to pop out and in the new u joint. We shall see how that goes
4:38 pm
Club Member
September 3, 2008
Offline http://www.jkowners.com/forum/.....38;page=10
^ Checkout that build. Compares the dynatrac pro steers to the rare parts ball joints. Rare Parts are looking like a solid option.
Um...what?
4:54 pm
Club Member
September 3, 2008
Offline Alloys and Synergy ball joints appear to come form the same manufacturer...at least, that's what my web wheeling skills tell me.
More on the rare parts ball joints: http://www.jkowners.com/forum/.....p?t=250361
Um...what?
7:14 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline So, how does this ball joint thing work?
Pop em out and pop in new ones?
I guess I need to learn!
10:04 pm
Club Member
January 20, 2009
Offline I have a universal ball joint tool if either of you need to borrow it. Looks like a giant C-clamp.
12:08 pm
April 23, 2012
Offline 
In simple yes pop in pop out but they can be pretty tuff. And on the jk 30/44s the upper C has a slight angle to it. Sometimes the tool lines up right and they pop right in and sometimes, 3 out of the 4 times I've done the tops, it takes 30 min to 1.5 hour and two people just to pop in the top with some washers or metal spacers to get it to line up strait. Luckily this time one popped in in 5 mins and the other only took about 30. I'm assuming axels with flatter shaped "[" type ends would be much easier
here's to hoping these don't show signs of failure in 3 months
If anyone wants to do balljoints I won't be happy about it but I will most certainly help - I could probably be classified ad a pro the amount of times I've done then on this platform.
12:38 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline I need to find out what ball joints I actually own, and then post here asking for suggested "premium" options. I am not concerned about price, so long as I don't need to do it again.
Thanks. I'll do some research and post back.
12:53 pm
Club Member
September 3, 2008
Offline Glad you got them done.
Brad, how come you need ball joints already? I thought 60 ball joints where beefy!
Um...what?
2:42 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline Gregulator said
Glad you got them done.
Brad, how come you need ball joints already? I thought 60 ball joints where beefy!
Not sure. I'm following the alignment shops "to do" list. They said, basically, one joint needs replacement and one is loose but that 2 are fine. I questioned why I'd replace half and do the other half later. I'd rather fix everything right now, in one shot.
A complete set of splicer joints can be had for about 120 for my axle. A complete set of lifetime joints are 165. Both are cheap in my mind. However, the replacement is my concern. Is anyone using an air powered tool? Or, are both John and Kevin's the manual "screw" c-clamp type?
I think, a quality neumatic tool would make the process pretty easy. What are eveyone thoughts?
I think all I'd have to do is:
remove wheels
remove rotors and calipers
remove axle nut
remove unit bearing
remove outer C
do I need to even remove the shafts?
then press out ball joints, press in new ball joints, and reverse the process?
Does this sound correct?
3:21 pm
May 4, 2004
Offline BKGM Jeepers said
do I need to even remove the shafts?
I've only replaced ball joints on my TJ Dana 30 / Rubi 44 axle so I'm not 100% sure about your axle. Based on my limited experience though, I don't see how you'd replace ball joints without pulling the axle shafts. The outer knuckle has to come off to do it.
4:52 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline Ok, thanks Fred. I guess it really doesn't matter. I'd just slide them out at that point.
9:57 pm
Club Member
January 20, 2009
Offline Mine is the manual c-clamp style. I used it on my old YJ Dana 30. Don't remember if I used a breaker bar or impact wrench with it. 
10:13 pm
April 23, 2012
Offline It's a manual big c clamp with a big screw you can use air impact on it just got to make sure everything is lined up and going in evenly ( if you screw up on install there is a good change you have ruined the balljoint or may have to ruin it to get it out to properly install it) - this is a job you would be able to do Brad its just kinda a P.I.T.A.
Well I got my project all done today. I ran into all sorts of stupid little issues that just multiplied the amount of time it took. Some threads were screwed up and I didn't have a big enough die so out came the diamond files and Castel nut to recut them, I was having a hell of a time with the brake calipers, and I finally decided to replace the abs sensors and that's way more of a pain than it needs to be.
Nice new u joint wish I had two and that they weren't so expensive!
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