Do I need a special tool to remove them? I see my book shows a factory tool to screw/unscrew them.

 

Make it easy on urself......Yes

 

Should NAPA have it or the dealer?

 

NAPA should have it.

I'll give you some advice on getting these upper ball joints out, and back in. I give this advice after learning the hard way....

Best if you use two guys to do it. One to keep downward pressure on the socket and balljoint...without this person the socket tends to torque up and round off the edges...if this happens you are HOOPED!! The ball joint will not come out, or go in. The second guy uses a big breaker bar, and maybe a persuasion pipe as well, to slowly spin out, and then in the ball joints.

 

Thanks. Gotta make a call this morning and maybe I can get the boss' kid to help me out tomorrow.

 

Here's post #30 from the thread I created after replacing my ball joints. The same thread I linked to in your thread about control arms .

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...1&postcount=30

For a small price, I had a local suspension shop install the upper and lower ball joints as well as the bushings in all 4 control arms. Far cheaper than the special socket and saving myself the labor trying to install them myself. Not to mention, I don't even have a press to do so.

 

For a small price, I had a local suspension shop install the upper and lower ball joints as well as the bushings in all 4 control arms. Far cheaper than the special socket and saving myself the labor trying to install them myself. Not to mention, I don't even have a press to do so.

Great advice!

 

I'm just doing the uppers for now. Will have a 4x4 by the end of next month so I can park the Cummins and work on it proper.

 

Anyone have the NAPA part number for the socket? The local store said they checked everywhere and no one has it.

Thinking if nothing else, I can cut the shape out of a piece of steel plate, then weld a piece of pipe to it, then weld another plate on top to put the ratchet drive hole in.

 

I found a few on evilpay. Looks like Wright part number 6889.

 

Napa part number is NCP 2786059. Should be a 3/4" drive, 2 1/8" socket. Price is fairly expensive at $82 for one. After finding this, I had a local shop install all the bushings and ball joints for far cheaper.

 

I just bought a 1 7/8 and a 2 1/8 off evilpay for $45. seller has 100% feedback. There is another on there for $35 buy-it-now, but with $8 shipping. I figured I may as well pay another $2 and put the other up on the shelf somewhere. Never know, may need it someday.

 

Or someone here may need it, and you could make a few $$ renting it out.

 

I was thinking something like that. One day, sooner or later, the only way we are going to have tools like this is to share them with each other.

Just over half price of new, so I figure I can't have done too bad.

 

I wasn't able to use any kind of socket in removing my uppers. I removed the control arm and put it in the vise. I had to beat on it with a chisel and hammer for about half an hour before I finally noticed any movement. Took about another 15 minutes before it got loose enough to move with a big wrench.