Hey fellas, Im about to embark on another surgery on my 95 Ram 1500. Back in 17' I did the front axle seals, axle ujoints, hubs and more. I did not do the ball joints at that time. I have since gone through 2 sets of new tires and one set of used tires. I am thinking that the ball joints may have needed replacing back then. Since Ive gone through that much rubber, and now I noticed the axle ujoints are super loose again. Brought it in to get the tires swapped last week and the mechanic told me to do the lower ball joints asap, said it was barely holding the wheel on. So I figured its about time, lol ! Gonna be digging into this in the next few days, as soon as this snow lets up. Planning on renting that (evil) press tool that I used last time to do the u joints. Was like a wrestling match, ended up rolling around on the ground with that damn thing trying to put enough pressure on it to get the u joints to pop out. Im hoping it goes a bit easier since I bought a electric impact to help me replace the rear axle yolk last year. Man ! What a game changer that thing is. If any of you kind gents on here have done ball joints on one of these trucks please feel free to offer any suggestions on what helped make it easier and what not to do. Thanks again

 

I knock 'em out with a bfh, and use the press to install them. Less likely to break the press that way.

 

I broke a press installing ball joints on my front Dana 60 axle. The cheap press I used cracked right across the middle. I ordered another cheap press off eBay and completed the job.

 

bfh ! lol I didnt realize breaking the press was a possibility. Your making me rethink using the rental one from the auto store. If I break it, its gonna be a 200+ dollar f up. HF sells one for 90, but I dont want to end up like @Atomic Dog and have to buy 2 !

 

I was using the press with a large Ingersoll Rand 3/4" air impact wrench. The cheap metal used in the foreign made press I was using for that job just couldn't hold up and cracked across the middle of the press' main beam when working on the last ball joint replacement on my truck. This was a while back and I think I found another press on eBay for less that $30 delivered to my door.

 

No BFH is going to remove them, But if you heat the axle where they are pressed into and smack the top of the ball joint tool it will help it along. If i remember correctly one of the auto stores won't charge you if their tool breaks. That is IF you use it correctly but don't ask me witch store.

 

I've use that method for decades, and have yet to find one that I couldn't knock out.

 

There is always a bigger BFH

 

Air hammers are good too. Just.... LOUD!

 

I always end up in my driveway and am to lazy to run a bunch of air line. I always say, "It will be easy 30 minutes TOPS" It never is lol