[jakwi]

I'm hoping some one can point me in the right direction. I'm replacing my ball joints. I've removed the rotor, axle, etc. I've removed the upper and lower ball joint stud nuts.

Does the split ring come out next or do I remove the knuckle first?

 

[jakwi]

I've read that I need to press it out, but I've also read that pressing it out won't work.

Update, so I pounded on the upper stud with the castle nut in place. No apparent effect, but when I tried the split ring again it was loose, so now it's just the lower joint that is hanging on. No real way to pound on that one.

Any ideas?

 

[Shadow86]

When I did my ball joints, I removed the knuckle first. I removed the knuckle by hitting the axle with a BFH near the top ball joint. I believe this was the first time the knuckles had been removed and they pretty much just fell off after hitting them two or three times. You shouldn't need a press to remove the split ring as it is threaded. I actually purchased to split ring tool but found that mine could be removed by hand. Hopefully this helps. Good luck!

 

[jakwi]

Thanks!, so you were hitting the axle housing, not the knuckle or the ball joint stud?

 

[jakwi]

That did the trick! Thanks! So how did you press the new studs in?

 

[only in a jeep cj]

While hitting the knuckle housing worked in this case, I found hitting the stud of each ball joint with a mini sledge works best as it is a direct path to the stuck area vs jumping the gap through the joint. The joint will absorb the energy of the hit and a beat up knuckle housing is the result.
I use an old pickle fork to reach the bottom stud, striking down at an angle.

If you don’t have one, you’ll need a spanner socket for that split ring.
Seat the lower ball joint first at 80 foot pounds, then install the split ring and seat it at 50, then the upper nut at 100

I’ve foind Moog joints best and Rock Auto is half the price of the local parts places.

 

[cjoffroad]

That did the trick! Thanks! So how did you press the new studs in?

You can usually rent the ball stud press from your local auto parts store or take it to your local mechanic and have them press them in for you.

 

[Spieg8]

I bought a cheap press from Harbor Freight.

 

[StoneTower]

Oreilly's and Autozone will rent you a press like those above for free. You pay for the tool in full and when you are done using it (Oreilly's gives you 24 hours, Autozone gives you up to 90 days) you can return it for your full deposit.

I just rented that exact press from Oreilly's to replace a rear u-joint and I was able to use this press to do it while the front of the driveline was still attached to the transfer case under the Jeep. I have never had such an easy time pressing in a u-joint in my life and I did it under the Jeep. I think the deposit was around $127.00 but I got every penny back 2 days later when I took it back.

 

[jakwi]

Good to know about free rental, looks like I'll be hitting an Autozone. I called a couple of places and they want $100 to press them in. I've already removed the old ones. I don't know if that is normal, but it's to rich for me.

At the moment I have another issue. My driver's side knuckle tie rod end hole is damaged. I don't know if this is a big issue, or not. I was planning on replacing all of the tie rod ends, but I hate to put new ball joints in this knuckle if this damage is going to to big to ignore.

To give you an idea, it was still tight enough that I had to use a puller to remove the tie rod end.

So what's the verdict, Replace the knuckle, Repair? is that even possible? Ignore? Where can I even get a new knuckle if I wanted one? Napa doesn't sell them.

 

[jakwi]

If you don't have one, you'll need a spanner socket for that split ring.
Seat the lower ball joint first at 80 foot pounds, then install the split ring and seat it at 50, then the upper nut at 100

I've foind Moog joints best and Rock Auto is half the price of the local parts places.

I do have the spanner socket. I'm a little nervous about my torque wrench though. It was a yard sale special, so no telling if it's accurate or not. I may have to rent one of those at an autoparts store also.

 

[only in a jeep cj]

On your tie rod hole, see if the damaged area (1oclock position on your first picture) is raised up ...as the metal had to go somewhere.

Just as a try, Id place the bottom of the arm on a vice/anvil, and use a large hammer to pound back down that area. It probably wont be true round again, but once you tighten up the tie rod it may just work. You could try it before the ball joint is pressed in but if does end up moving on you later, it all has to come back apart.

 

[StoneTower]

You might check Harbor Freight for a 1/2" torque wrench.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-drive-click-type-torque-wrench-239.html

They go on sale for $9.00 sometimes and even when they are $19.99, you can use the 20 percent off coupon that they send out regularly. Don't forget to get your free gift using one of their other free coupons. When I am in the area, I stop by and get a 5' x 7' blue tarp. I buy a 69 cent paint brush or something and use a 20 percent off coupon on the pain brush. You can never have too many tarps. Great for camping, Jeeping and they work great for cleaning a deer on the ground.

The HF torque wrench is surprisingly accurate. If a torque wrench is off a couple of pounds it is not usually too big a deal. You want the torque for most things in the ballpark. You can also use one torque wrench against and other torque wrench to check the accuracy of both. Having a HF torque wrench works great for rotating tires too.

For $10.00 it is not worth going to the auto parts store to borrow one for most applications. If you are assembling an engine it might be more important but for ball joints, lug nuts and such the HF torque wrench is more than sufficient.

I do have the spanner socket. I'm a little nervous about my torque wrench though. It was a yard sale special, so no telling if it's accurate or not. I may have to rent one of those at an autoparts store also.

 

[Fourtrail]

Drill it, insert new bushing for the tierod flip, re-install the factory pitman arm and get factory steering back.

http://www.goferitoffroad.com/products.htm

At the moment I have another issue. My driver's side knuckle tie rod end hole is damaged. I don't know if this is a big issue, or not. I was planning on replacing all of the tie rod ends, but I hate to put new ball joints in this knuckle if this damage is going to to big to ignore.

To give you an idea, it was still tight enough that I had to use a puller to remove the tie rod end.

So what's the verdict, Replace the knuckle, Repair? is that even possible? Ignore? Where can I even get a new knuckle if I wanted one? Napa doesn't sell them.

 

[StoneTower]

I agree with the tire rod flip idea. I was thinking of that as a solution when I first saw the pictures he posted.


Let me pose one more idea. I cannot tell from the pictures, but could it be that the top of the knuckle is not flat and when the hole was reamed, it made it look uneven? If you drill a plumb hole through a piece of metal that has a sloped surface and then ream that hole plumb with the hole, it will look oblong. This was only an idea and I cannot tell from the picture, but it could be an explanation. I cannot even imagine how that tapered hole could get damaged like that. The tapered end of the tie rod end should have kept the tapered hole in shape.

The taper may be good in the bottom part of the hole and the misshapen part may not really hurt anything.

 

[jakwi]

I agree with the tire rod flip idea. I was thinking of that as a solution when I first saw the pictures he posted.

Let me pose one more idea. I cannot tell from the pictures, but could it be that the top of the knuckle is not flat and when the hole was reamed, it made it look uneven? If you drill a plumb hole through a piece of metal that has a sloped surface and then ream that hole plumb with the hole, it will look oblong. This was only an idea and I cannot tell from the picture, but it could be an explanation. I cannot even imagine how that tapered hole could get damaged like that. The tapered end of the tie rod end should have kept the tapered hole in shape.

The taper may be good in the bottom part of the hole and the misshapen part may not really hurt anything.

You know it is possible it is an illusion, but I really don't think so. I took a million pictures trying to be able to see it better, because even in person it is difficult to see. The other side looks perfectly circular though so I think if it was drilled off square that side would also look oblong.

It may have been there all along. I bought the jeep 6 or 7 years ago and the PO had already upgraded the tie rods with extra heavy duty units, so maybe the original tie rods were damaged, and this damage occurred then? who knows. The only way I can imagine this sort of damage happening is if the tie rod end was loose, and you continued to drive anyway, but that was definitely not the case at present.

I'm inclined to put it all back together with new ball joints and tie rod ends and worst case scenario I can install inserts to repair it if needed. Or do the inserts have to be installed with the knuckles off the axle?

The only new knuckles available are from Crown, which doesn't inspire confidence and they are $145, with used over the internet they are cheaper, but it's a crapshoot. Either way it's at least $100 I didn't plan on and can't afford.

I also have another question. When I called the local shop to ask them about pressing in the joints for me the guy asked if I knew about adjusting the pivot at reassembly. He said that sometimes it takes a few times with the split ring. I mentioned the torque's 80-50-100, he let it go, but it sounded like there was more to it. I've read a lot of writeups about Dana 30 ball joints, and I don't remember seeing anything about adjusting the pivot. Did I miss something?

Thanks again for all the help

 

[jakwi]

On your tie rod hole, see if the damaged area (1oclock position on your first picture) is raised up ...as the metal had to go somewhere.

Just as a try, Id place the bottom of the arm on a vice/anvil, and use a large hammer to pound back down that area. It probably wont be true round again, but once you tighten up the tie rod it may just work. You could try it before the ball joint is pressed in but if does end up moving on you later, it all has to come back apart.

I don't know that I have anything heavy enough to hold up to trying to form 1/2 inch steel. I do see what you mean though. I think I'm inclined to go with the insert solution.

 

[Colt44]

There are times when nothing but brute force will do.
Mine were so tight I couldn't knock them out, period.

I wound up just using my saws-all to cut the ball joint in half, then put the knuckle in a vise and using the press to get the rest of the ball joint out.