OK, I definitely need upper ball joints on my 2WD 1500 with 122k miles(boots are non-existent).

Confusion first: Through my place of employment, I have access to 2 repair manuals, Chilton's & a lesser known Auto Reference Center. Both of them say that the upper ball joints are threaded into the UCA and to remove/replace them using "tool C–3561, or equivalent". This tool is just a special socket, and they even provide a torque for re-installing the bj. However, my Haynes says to remove the whole UCA and have a shop press/in out the ball joints. Which one is correct, thread-in or press-in?

Advice request: Looking at Moog parts on rockauto, I can get 2 ball joints and 2 sets of UCA bushings for $99 (about $70 if I go with ACDelco ball joints). Or, I can get two Raybestos Professional grade UCA assemblies for $244. It seems like a no-brainer for me to take a few extra minutes to rebuild my UCAs for no more than $99, but can anyone give valid argument for spending the $244 for UCAs? Thanks for your time.

 

What's a UCA?

On a 4x4 all you do is press the ball joints out and put the new ones in

 

I'm not familiar with 2wd (4wd here), but I think the bj's are either pressed in or riveted.

If pressed, press old out and new in.

If riveted, grind off heads of rivets, punch out center of rivets, remove bj, install new bj, install supplied bolts in place of rivets.

 

Upper Control Arm

 

Oh that makes sense now

 

Not exactly sure on the year it changed, but I know '01 2wds have riveted ball joints, again not sure on the year change but earlier years 2wd are press in I thinks....

 

OK, it seems the consensus is that the bj is pressed into the UCA (although it would be sweet if they were threaded in like the Chilton manual says...wonder why it says that?). My recollection is that my '96 doesn't have rivets on the ball joints, which is good.

But, that kinda leads into my unanswered advice question...did they change to a riveted design because I have read (on youtube, I think) that some people's replacement ball joints fit very loosely in the UCA and some even had their's pop out while driving. I also read that even the dealerships were putting 3 tack welds to hold them to the UCA. If that's the norm, is it better to just buy the whole UCA?

 

I would go out and have a look. Should be able to tell at a glance if they are rivited or not.

If they fit loosely, replace the control arm. Welding is a bandaid fix, and I would never even consider it. (not even on my own car.)

 

That's one reason why I'm asking. I plan to order my parts from rockauto. So, I don't want to order ball joints if there are folks in this community that speak up and say that odds are I'll have to replace the UCA anyway after I press out the old bj and press in the new one, because the hole in the UCA will be enlarged.

Anybody successfully pressed in new bj on a 2wd '96 or similar without any problems as mentioned above?

 

my 98 2wd has pressed in type, replaced both sides uppers and lowers without problem at 167000 miles, and the lowers(stock), where still in really good condition, is not that hard to do with the press tool