Replacing Lower Ball Joints

Edwin · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:56 am

Can anyone tell me how to change the lower ball joints myself?

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:50 pm

you will need to remove the knuckle, then some say you need to press it out of the knuckle. I will hopefully find out when I do mine this weekend... c'mon UPS man, get her Friday!

kj lad · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:12 pm

I changed mine about 2 months ago. I took off the LCA and basically pounded out the old joint (it was in pretty good!) and tapped in the new one and put it all back together again. It took about an hour or two! I thought it was quite an easy DIY job

Ian

Extracted from the KJ 02 workshop manual:

KNUCKLE
REMOVAL
(1) Raise and support the vehicle.
(2) Remove the tire and wheel assembly.
(3) Remove the caliper adapter. (Refer to 5 -
BRAKES/HYDRAULIC/MECHANICAL/DISC
BRAKE CALIPER ADAPTER - REMOVAL).
CAUTION: Never allow the disc brake caliper to
hang from the brake hose. Damage to the brake
hose will result. Provide a suitable support to hang
the caliper securely.
(4) Remove the disc brake rotor. (Refer to 5 -
BRAKES/HYDRAULIC/MECHANICAL/ROTORS -
REMOVAL).
(5) Remove the wheel speed sensor. (Refer to 5 -
BRAKES/ELECTRICAL/FRONT WHEEL SPEED
SENSOR - REMOVAL).
(6) Remove the axle shaft nut. (if equipped with
four wheel drive)
(7) Remove the hub/bearing. (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/
FRONT/HUB / BEARING - REMOVAL).
(8 ) Remove the outer tie rod end. (Refer to 19 -
STEERING/LINKAGE/TIE ROD END - REMOVAL).
(9) Remove the lower ball joint nut.
(10) Seperate the lower ball joint from the suspension
arm using tool C–4150A.
(11) Remove the upper ball joint nut.
(12) Seperate the upper ball joint from the knuckle
using tool C–4150A.
(13) Remove the knuckle from the vehicle.

INSTALLATION
(1) Install the knuckle to the vehicle.
(2) Install the upper ball joint nut. Tighten the nut
to 81 N•m (60 ft.lbs.).
(3) Install the lower ball joint nut. Tighten the nut
to 81 N•m (60 ft.lbs.).
(4) Install the outer tie rod end. (Refer to 19 -
STEERING/LINKAGE/TIE ROD END - INSTALLATION).
(5) Install the hub/bearing. (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/
FRONT/HUB / BEARING - INSTALLATION).
(6) Install the axle shaft nut. Tighten the nut to
135 N•m (96 ft.lbs.).(if equipped with four wheel
drive).
(7) Install the wheel speed sensor. (Refer to 5 -
BRAKES/ELECTRICAL/FRONT WHEEL SPEED
SENSOR - INSTALLATION).
(8 ) Install the disc brake rotor. (Refer to 5 -
BRAKES/HYDRAULIC/MECHANICAL/ROTORS -
INSTALLATION).
(9) Install the caliper adapter. (Refer to 5 -
BRAKES/HYDRAULIC/MECHANICAL/DISC
BRAKE CALIPER ADAPTER - INSTALLATION).
(10) Install the tire and wheel assembly. (Refer to
22 - TIRES/WHEELS/WHEELS - STANDARD PROCEDURE).
(11) Perform the set toe procedure (Refer to 2 -
SUSPENSION/WHEEL ALIGNMENT - STANDARD
PROCEDURE).

Androvsky · **Posted:** Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:23 pm

Good post !
Can we move it to the technical section.
Tanks !

USAFCOP · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2005 1:14 am

I am half done with my upgrades, I will type up a technical post with pics sometime next week.

Mine is a bit more complicated due to lift and brake upgrades at the same time, but hey, if you are going to tear it apart, why not do it all right?

If tiy have a large c-clamp, you can pretty much use steel conduit and scrap metal to build the "press" I used for mine. Maybe I will do a seperate post on how to build that too.

Hey moderators, do we need to pm tech posts to you all first, or just post them?

the1jferg · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2005 10:32 am

A good ball joint should last at least 70K without failure even under hard use!!!

After all, its a part that your LIFE depends on.

Why are they going bad so frequently?

Edwin · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2005 1:06 pm

Got her done. The driver side anyhow. Made due with one for now. In the meantime I'm going to buy all the proper tools and re-do both sides with the hd ball joints when the passenger side goes out.

Replacing Lower Ball Joints

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