Upper Ball joint HELP!!!!Please!!!

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:44 am

Ok so while working on my kj with a buddy he striped my ball joint and bad too.. So now I can’t tighten or loosen it at all. Any suggestions?? I’m about to cut the thing off and get new a arms all together or swap the ball joint. How hard is this to swap out?? I have a new born so I don’t have the cash right now to get Al’s but has anyone heard anything about rusty’s? whats the price on them? Please help this is my dd and I have till Jan 14th to get this fixed so I can go back to college.

JHCRASH · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:31 am

I cant believe no one has chimed in here.I have not messed with the uppers at all on the kj so I cant help much but I have seen somewhere that you can buy the whole arm and ball joint for like $100 or less I think I saw it on rockyroadoutfitters site. but im sure other places are the same price. Sorry I could not be more help.

wildrussian · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:07 am

JHCRASH wrote:

I cant believe no one has chimed in here.I have not messed with the uppers at all on the kj so I cant help much but I have seen somewhere that you can buy the whole arm and ball joint for like $100 or less I think I saw it on rockyroadoutfitters site. but im sure other places are the same price. Sorry I could not be more help.

the only place that makes Upper control arms would be All J. Rustys and Rocky road say they have them but they never actually made them. You can try a new pair of wise grips to clamp on the nut and take it off. The nut is not very tight on there so you shouldn't have much problem. if you don't have the money you should just replace the ball joint.

JHCRASH · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:16 am

The ones rockyroad sells are just factory arms and joints.

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:57 am

JHCRASH wrote:

The ones rockyroad sells are just factory arms and joints.

They aren't even that! They don't have them, can't get them, Can't ship them. BUT, they WILL charge you for them if you order and you'll never see that money again! DO NOT BUY UCA's FROM ROCKY-ROAD!!!

JHCRASH · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:40 am

Dje Ryu wrote:

JHCRASH wrote:

The ones rockyroad sells are just factory arms and joints.

They aren't even that! They don't have them, can't get them, Can't ship them. BUT, they WILL charge you for them if you order and you'll never see that money again! DO NOT BUY UCA's FROM ROCKY-ROAD!!!

Is this what glen owes you money for?

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:14 am

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?action=getJointLocator&siteid=214583&chapter=&Sectionids=19,2512&groupid=61991&subgroupid=0&componentid=0&make=17&model=Liberty&year=2007&graphicID=T043050&callout=10&catalogid=1&displayCatalogid=0

This is a good place to get OEM parts. Shipping is fast, if it in stock, and prices is good.

You are looking for OEM uppers, right?

Pull the arm off take it to a NAPA store with a mechine shop have them pull the ball joint and replace it, take it home and re-install. should not cost you more than a 30.00 bucks labor plus the ball joint.

Only thing is, if it were me I would replace BOTH (left and right) uppers and/or ball joints at the same time. And while you are at it I would do the lower ball joints too, if they are original and have any kind of milage on them.

HOW did he strip out the threads?

A tip: when re-installing the Nylock nut on the balljoint nipple (can I say nipple here?), use some spit, loctite or what ever something liquid to lube up the Nylon part of the Nyloc Nut. and have something like an impact wrench to spin it on fast. Otherwise the ball joint will do what it is designed to do and turn making it a witch to tighten the nut. Set the nipple or stem in the knuckle and hold it firmly. spin on the Nylock nut fast and it should go on with some lube and torque down.

Guest · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:48 am

I'm not sure that the upper ball joint can be replaced without replacing the whole control arm. They are not pressed in from the top. they appear the be cast into the arm as one complete assembly.

It's $100 more for the JBA arms, but if you are lifted, & you have to repace the arms anyway, the it's worth it. Even though they are more, this is the most economical time to get the JBA's. But it you can't swing it, JBA also sells Moog replacement arms, which appear to have replaceable ball joints:
http://jeepinbyal.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=3

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:52 am

KJpilot wrote:

I'm not sure that the upper ball joint can be replaced without replacing the whole control arm. They are not pressed in from the top. they appear the be cast into the arm as one complete assembly.

It's $100 more for the JBA arms, but if you are lifted, & you have to repace the arms anyway, the it's worth it. Even though they are more, this is the most economical time to get the JBA's. But it you can't swing it, JBA also sells Moog replacement arms, which appear to have replaceable ball joints:
http://jeepinbyal.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=3

They are not cast. They are pressed in. take the whole arm off take it to a shop and have them pulled out and new ones pressed in.

the arms are cast iron and the ball joints are not.

ALL ball joints are replaceable. just depends on how much of a pain in the booty it is to do.

wildrussian · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:08 pm

Yeah im pretty sure they are just pressed in because one of the lifts that Al J is working on uses that ball joint bore for a knuckle extension.

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:18 pm

Tust me pull BOTH upper arms, go to a local NAPA machine shop, have them pulled and re-pressed in and re-mount the arms.

Just being me, I would not only do BOTH uppers and BOTH lowers while i was there, I would get new bushing for the uppers and save myself a trip under the KJ.

Just me though. All depends on the age and milage of the KJ though.

wildrussian · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:54 pm

WoodysKJ wrote:

Tust me pull BOTH upper arms, go to a local NAPA machine shop, have them pulled and re-pressed in and re-mount the arms.

Just being me, I would not only do BOTH uppers and BOTH lowers while i was there, I would get new bushing for the uppers and save myself a trip under the KJ.

Just me though. All depends on the age and milage of the KJ though.

Wasnt doubting you at all

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:34 pm

Was he installing the nut or taking it off? I have done a bunch and some spin but you can still put a wrench or vise grips on and remove the nut. Most times all it takes is to hold down pressure on the arm to set the ball joint and you can tighten it. Cant imagine that he messed it up bad enough that one way or the other you would have to replace the arm.

Also please send a link to the "replacement upper ball joint" , whole arm is replaceable but havent seen a replacement joint yet. I want to see one! :wink:

Tom

Guest · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:50 pm

WoodysKJ wrote:

KJpilot wrote:

I'm not sure that the upper ball joint can be replaced without replacing the whole control arm. They are not pressed in from the top. they appear the be cast into the arm as one complete assembly.

It's $100 more for the JBA arms, but if you are lifted, & you have to repace the arms anyway, the it's worth it. Even though they are more, this is the most economical time to get the JBA's. But it you can't swing it, JBA also sells Moog replacement arms, which appear to have replaceable ball joints:
http://jeepinbyal.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=3

They are not cast. They are pressed in. take the whole arm off take it to a shop and have them pulled out and new ones pressed in.

the arms are cast iron and the ball joints are not.

ALL ball joints are replaceable. just depends on how much of a pain in the @$#% it is to do.

You're taking me too literally. I try not to write a dissertation everytime I post, so I write with the assumption that if people are talking about ball joints & control arms, they have an idea of what they look like.

If you know from personal experience that the ball joint assembly can be pulled out, & NAPA has an aftermarket ball joint that can be pressed back in... well, you should have said so!:)

I'm sure many of us have had someone say "just go down, & have a shop do this and you're good to go." Then find out that it isn't nearly that easy. So when someone says "this is what I did & it worked great", It takes care of any doubt. :wink:

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:05 pm

KJpilot wrote:

WoodysKJ wrote:

KJpilot wrote:

I'm not sure that the upper ball joint can be replaced without replacing the whole control arm. They are not pressed in from the top. they appear the be cast into the arm as one complete assembly.

It's $100 more for the JBA arms, but if you are lifted, & you have to repace the arms anyway, the it's worth it. Even though they are more, this is the most economical time to get the JBA's. But it you can't swing it, JBA also sells Moog replacement arms, which appear to have replaceable ball joints:
http://jeepinbyal.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=3

They are not cast. They are pressed in. take the whole arm off take it to a shop and have them pulled out and new ones pressed in.

the arms are cast iron and the ball joints are not.

ALL ball joints are replaceable. just depends on how much of a pain in the @$#% it is to do.

You're taking me too literally. I try not to write a dissertation everytime I post, so I write with the assumption that if people are talking about ball joints & control arms, they have an idea of what they look like.

If you know from personal experience that the ball joint assembly can be pulled out, & NAPA has an aftermarket ball joint that can be pressed back in... well, you should have said so!:)

I'm sure many of us have had someone say "just go down, & have a shop do this and you're good to go." Then find out that it isn't nearly that easy. So when someone says "this is what I did & it worked great", It takes care of any doubt. :wink:

I have not had mine replaced. BUT i do know that all ball joints can be replaced. They are a mechanical part in a cast part, assembled in mexico probrably and shipped as an assembly.

With regards to the uppers and lowers of the KJ, I have been in a napa store and held them in my hand. They have a new one out. more expensive but SUPPOSED to be much better. Many times we are told something can not be done by some mechanic simply becasue he may not have the neccessary equipment or training to do so. OR the whole part generates him more money for the same or less labor than doing it the right way. I promise that any and all ball joints can be pulled and replaced, IF you have the proper equipment. I know for a fact that MINE can be because I have discussed this with my local napa store in anticapation of future KJ ball joint concerns.

So NO i have not had it done on my 07, had the stealership do the misses 02 under recall. Plan to do mine and her again as needed this way.

Jesus why do some people get so testy on here.

Pote · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:09 pm

Todd,
Is this what you are referring to??????

http://jeepinbyal.com/detail.aspx?ID=393

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:26 pm

Lower ball joints were done on the recall, not the uppers, now trying to fiqure out what everyone is talking about on this topic as it has went way around the issue.
I was in NAPA this morning and happen to ask them about the upper control arm/ ball joints, they stated that you have to buy the whole arm as no replacements are available, yes they looked them up on line whuile I was there. But I keep reading on here that they can be. So please someone get me a part number for them so I can tell my local NAPA store. :wink:

Tom

Guest · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:29 pm

WoodysKJ wrote:

So NO i have not had it done on my 07, had the stealership do the misses 02 under recall. Plan to do mine and her again as needed this way.

Jesus why do some people get so testy on here.

That's odd... I didn't realize I was testy. I thought you were being testy...
hmm, perhaps it's too easy to read in to things?
If I was testy, I would have reamed you a new one for putting that huge
URL in your post, making everyone have to scroll back& forth to read
posts.

The recall was on the lowers, as you likely know. we're just talking uppers.
If anyone has had the ball joints pulled out of the upper arms, I'd like to know about it... Not being testy, I'm just curious!:)

Guest · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:36 pm

Pote wrote:

Todd,
Is this what you are referring to??????

http://jeepinbyal.com/detail.aspx?ID=393

Those are the replacement ball joints for JBA's upper control arms, not the stock arms.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:36 pm

Ive never heard of someone replacing the upper joints without replacing the arms.

Ive got a spare arm laying around and I dont really see a way to get the joint out.l

Upper Ball joint HELP!!!!Please!!!

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