Front driver's side upper. Any body do this themselves? What tools are involved, and can I do this at home? How much are parts & tools? Seems to me the shop charged $400 for the lower replacement.

 

I just had my 4 ball joints, 1 wheel bearing, 1 stub axel and U-joint, and alignment all for the bargain price of (drum roll please) $2900 Canadian. Not to mention the DSS, 03 trackbar and adapter, Both tie rods, and drag link which was about another $1200 dollars just for parts I installed them myself. So for over $4000 I have a truck that steers straight at least for the next 10000KM. All joints have lifetime warranty at least. I opted for a shop to do the ball joints and bearing cause it looked like a PITA. I did however do the bearing on my old 96 gasser 1500 and its not too bad but still did not do ball joints myself. I do know they are pressed in and out. I bleive the axel nut is 1 3/4 from memory 6 yrs ago. Have fun.

 

On my 98.5, I could take the knuckle out to a machine shop to press the old ones out and the new ones in. The job itself was not hard with no special tools needed. On my Dad's 2001, the ball joints are put in differently, so I had to make a tool to press them in and out with, but neither job was that hard. I made sure greasable ones went back in there though.

 

check out www.quad4x4.com. They have all the parts and the low down. I am getting ready to do all the ball joints on mine. You can get a ball joint press from any decent tool store and most auto stores. Some part store let you rent them. The hardest part will be getting the hub out of the knuckle. See it you can get a copy of the dan the gear man video from quad4x4.com, he goes thru the whole process.

 

Holycack , what shop did ya use in this little expensive town ??? The dealer is out of the question , wouldn't let them put air in my tire.

 

pulling the knuckle is not hard..then take it to a machine shop and have the ball joints pressed in. Cost $40 for me to have it done. Make sure you get some good penetrating oil or spray (PB blaster is the bomb!) and hose everything down one or 2 times the day before you decide to do this. This will make your job much easier.

 

oh and I am curious...how did you get the screen name "geico"?

 

Good advice above. I would like to add: Do BOTH ball joints on that side while it's apart, since both are accessable while the knuckle is off. Saves doing it all over when the lower one wears out in a month.

 

I did my own, if they are factory have fun getting the old ones out. It took me twisting on the ball joint press at the same time as my kid was hittin it with the air hammer. They are a bear to get out. I second the use of 4x4quad parts and video, he has alot of info on those videos and parts are only the best. New joints slip right in no problem, I even put some anti sieze on them for the next time. Hubs came out pretty easy with a slide hammer, but if your reusing the same hub, rotor and lugs I would sugest an air hammer on the back of the hub to break them loose, that way you don't damage anything. While mine was apart I went ahead and changed bearings, rotors, hubs and lugs just so I wouldn't have to do it again. If your ball joints are bad you can bet the rest isn't far behind anyway. It's not that bad a job but you will work up a sweat.

 

I'm going to try a c clamp press from harbor freight, I wonder how long it will last?

 

I did my 95 and learned a few things.

After spending well over an 1.5 hours doint the right side witht he clamp method I got smart. After removing the nuts on the ball joints I proceeded to cut the bal joints between the axle and the knuckle with the grinder. Then the area was nice and clear for me to press the old ones out, took all of 10 minutes to remove the ball joints on the left side.

Like I always say, the grinder is your friend if used correctly..

Jason

 

Geico is the name of my company. Geico Insurance goes nuts, but I've used it since 1973, so they leave me alone.

 

What does your company do? I was curious because I race for GEICO

www.bigdeezul.com is my site

 

haynes manual says to use a 2 jaw puller to pop em in and out...I'll be doing it shortly so I'll let you know how it goes. $20 CDN @ napa

 

I dont see how a puller will remove pressed in ball joints?