After a local shop also refused an alignment job because of my ball joints, they quoted me a wonderful price to fix of $1200. I ordered the parts I took the job on to replace my upper ball joints with inner and outer tie rods. After grinding off the rivet heads on the upper ball joints, I tried the punch, press and then cuss a lot method. I wound up drilling them out with a cheap set of drill bits. After sending several drill bits to the great drill bit graveyard in the sky, I invested in a set of cobalt drill bits. Wow, what a difference on the other side. I got chicken on the lowers and took it for an alignment as is.
After getting the alignment done at a different shop, they confirmed that I need lower ball joints but did the alignment. They wanted $300 labor to do them. They said that replacing the lowers will not affect the alignment so the good news is that will not have to be redone. Bad news was that they also say I need a steering box, but that will have to wait.
After reading Haynes and here, I have a question. How do you remove the axle? Haynes does not make a lot of sense. I see the inner screws and the hub nut, but surely you have to remove the screws behind the hub too. Do you pop it out of the transfer case then back inward through the hub?
I have the ball joint tool and the adapters for pressing them in and out. I hope that is the easy part. Mine do have the deformed ears instead of the circlip.
Lastly, can this be done without separating the tie-rods and upper ball joint?
BTW - I am using MevoTech components from Rock Auto.
Thanks for the time.
Alan
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so, you separate the lower and you pry the spindle around the lower ball joint stud? With the axle engaged, the spindle assembly has enough give to do this? Or are you removing the entire lower control arm?
One thing Schusterjo, tell people to wet their protective rags when grinding the upper rivet heads. helps prevent the rags from catching fire. Only a small fire on a dry rag because I was watching it and pulled it out in time. Soaked the rag and did not have an issue.
so, you separate the lower and you pry the spindle around the lower ball joint stud? With the axle engaged, the spindle assembly has enough give to do this? Or are you removing the entire lower control arm?
thanks for the help
Support the truck on the the lower control arm (compressed) but set it up so you can get to the ball joint (leave enough room). To seporate the lower you remove the tire, and brakes. Remove the carter pin and nut on the lower ball joint. Now the upper control arm will be loose as there is no spring action. The lower has the T-bars that force from the lower control arm up. Now use a separator to knock the spindle down off from the threaded end of the ball joint. The upper control arm and spindle will fall down off the lower ball joint threads.
At this step the upper ball joint will support the upper control arm and spindle as it will just hang there because of gravity and because there is no spring action forcing it up or down on the top of the upper control arm. Again the spring action is only from the bottom.
Now on the very top of the lower ball joint there is a large lock ring. Remove this lock ring. Now use the puller to pull it out and install the new one. Remember to line up the grease hole of the new ball joint to the grease zerk on the lower control arm so it can be lubricated. Install the spindle. Lubricate the ball joint. Then finish install.
One more question, my ball joints look to have three or four ears that appear to bent outward instead of the retaining ring. Do you have to grind the ears away or will they fold back on themselves when you press the BJ out?
Well if your able to pop that lower one and get it all the way of the flange bolt on the ball joint, then ya u will because all you would do then is just push that hun out of your way moving the axle with it. thats if u can get it to clear the ball joint.
