Lower Ball Joint Replacement How To (lots of Pictures)

[MountaineerGreen]

Those are the inner tie rods.

 

[stackz]

Hard to tell with the plastic on. Almost looks like CV joints. I think you're right though, probably inner tie rod end.

if it helps they are only about 10 or so inches long lol...and my mountie is 2wd

 

[joecrna]

Looked at the web site you got them from. Definitly inner tie rod ends. Evan is correct as usual. Im getting old, couldn't tell what they were at first in those bags.

 

[Turdle]

ok, I got the kit today and its better than expected AND the seller has awesome communication. The parts look pretty damn good AND they have grease fittings on them as a bonus and are cheaper by $20 shipped than the other kit I was shown. so for $160 shipped from canada, I cant complain!!

I already have the lower balljoints and the swaybar joints installed....but I pretty much almost dont have a clue what the following parts are. I'm THINKING they may be the part that attaches to the tie-rod ends and goes up into the boot on the power steering rack but I'm not sure. This is my First time doing suspension components.

Good deal. Thanks for letting us know.

 

[John_Rock]

Yes, they are the inner tie rods.

 

[stackz]

ok, inner tie rods, it's dark outside and cold so I'm wussing out on going out there and looking at the rack...

do I need to buy new rack boots and wormgear clamps to replace these or are the boots able to pop off easy so I can replace these??

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I'd just use zip ties- I did and they are working fine. Its nearly impossible to get anything else in there.

Inner tie rod thread:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187888

 

[stackz]

I'd just use zip ties- I did and they are working fine. Its nearly impossible to get anything else in there.

Inner tie rod thread:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187888

that is pretty much what I was thinking of doing except now that I have both inner and outer tierod replacements WITH nuts...I'm just gonna pull the old assembly off as a set and then put the new ones together as a set and match the lengths before tossing it back on so I can get it nice and close as a set against a known set before driving the 32 miles to the alignment shop

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Don't forget to move your boot over to the new assembly. Ask me how I know

 

[stackz]

Don't forget to move your boot over to the new assembly. Ask me how I know

dont tell me I have to seperate the inner/outer in order to get the boot out??

seems like I'll be spray painting some threads to mark some places lol.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Yup, you need to separate the outer from the inner to get the boot off. Just mark the threads, remove the outer end, then put it back.

 

[stackz]

I think I know how I'll do that in my head lol. oh and yeah, I'm really glad we had to go to atlanta to help my fiance's sister move...I stopped by harbor freight and picked up the balljoint 3-1 set for $25 and it was worth it's weight in gold.

I just simply beat on the old joints with a hammer to get them out but I have no clue how I would have gotten the new ones in without using the balljoint set and a floorjack and hammer...wow.

though my hearing is still a bit dull from the loud whacks with the hammer

 

[bandit]

The first time I changed my ball joints, I didn't know about this forum.

I took the Mounty in for an alignment after I bought it. They called and said they could replace the ball joints and do the alignment for ~$600. I said don't touch a thing, came got the Mounty. The alignment tech said the LBJ's were nearly impossible to change without a special tool, the torsion bars were dangerous, I shouldn't do it myself, bla bla.

I went to Oriley and bought two ball joints, the cheap ones. (which was stupid looking back) I used a hammer and large sockets to remove the LBJ's, pressed them in using a jack like I mentioned. The first side took ~2 hours because I had to figure out what parts to remove and not to remove, the second side was done is much less time. I learned the hard way how to do it, so when it came time to replace them after Moab and ~35k miles, I decided to do this write up to save people some time.

After I did the ball joints the first time, I found out about the press kit from AZ, so I got it for this job. I'd say it made it easier, but this time around the ball joints weren't nearly as tight in the LCA. Now I can blow apart and reassemble the whole front end in a matter of hours.

I just had new tires put on, and they said they couldn't do the alignment, all my ball joints are bad (or course I can't shake the tire)
they wanted 850.00

I just found your write up... seems simple enough, I have one ???, I don't have to touch the torsion bars @ all right? I don't need to loosen them... nothing right?

 

[1996xlt]

No you won't have remove/loosen the torsion bars.

 

[nscarnati]

thanks, instructions worked perfectly

I bought a BJ press from harbor freight for $40 (figured I would be able to use it again in the future, and I like having the tools available when I need them)

 

[vroomzoomboom]

 

[ophidia]

Excellent write up.

My questions is, when I look up the parts online, some sites say that you have to replace the whole lower control arm as the ball joints are not replaceable on either the upper or lower in 1995+. It also says this in my Haynes manual.

Is there any truth to this?

 

[DeRocha]

Excellent write up.

My questions is, when I look up the parts online, some sites say that you have to replace the whole lower control arm as the ball joints are not replaceable on either the upper or lower in 1995+. It also says this in my Haynes manual.

Is there any truth to this?

NO... the Upper ball joint comes with control arms, and the bottom Ball-joint can be replaced by itself.

 

[Nick26]

This video has been removed due to terms of use violation

damn whyd they kill your youtube video?

 

[Turdle]

damn whyd they kill your youtube video?

Yeah
I thought I had downloaded it but I can't seem to find it-
If someone has it I will put it back up in my youtube account.