Ball Joints For An 04?
#1
02-05-2008, 04:45 PM
#3
02-06-2008, 04:55 PM
#4
02-08-2008, 05:14 PM
the 60 was hammered and would have been too spendy to rebuild and put in so I decided to embark on this ball joint adventure.
In case anyone here plans on doing this I'll share my experience:
(my qualifications- pro fabricator and basic mechanic for 9 years.)
That's 6 hrs of my life I'll never get back. JEEEEEEZ were those wheel hubs shoehorned in there!
I did the driver's side yesterday and probably wasted 2 hrs trying to be gentle w/ the hub removal. I ended up heating the knuckle a little w/ the torch then built a driver out of an 18mm impact socket and some solid stock long enough to get in good position for a BFH. Burned a little handle on to it after a few hits where it flew across the shop
After the wheel hub was out it was pretty much straight forward and fast.
When I did the pass side today I found some minor short cuts that might save you a minute or a tool or two. This only took 2 hrs since I didn't screw around or try to be nice w/ the hub.
You don't have to separate the axle shaft and the wheelhub. (big socket people not in the industry won't have.)
Having the tierod hooked up gives you a dampening safety when beating on the hub bolts... but since you have to turn the whole assembly side to side 10 million times it's better to just unhook the tierod and let the knuckle bounce a bit. It's faster.
as far as the joint pressing goes... I didn't like the attachments in my set so I cut some new tube that was perfect lengths and capped them w/ 3/8 plate so there was no chance of bending or the clamp siding around and killing me...
Lastly... AAM... GETYOURHEADOUTOFYOURASSANDREDESIGNALLTHATJUNK. Kinpins, lockouts, and wheel bearings for life!!!!!!!!!!!!
-ordered up a BD torque converter and valve body today as well... hopefully I don't have to work on the truck again for another 100k
In case anyone here plans on doing this I'll share my experience:
(my qualifications- pro fabricator and basic mechanic for 9 years.)
That's 6 hrs of my life I'll never get back. JEEEEEEZ were those wheel hubs shoehorned in there!
I did the driver's side yesterday and probably wasted 2 hrs trying to be gentle w/ the hub removal. I ended up heating the knuckle a little w/ the torch then built a driver out of an 18mm impact socket and some solid stock long enough to get in good position for a BFH. Burned a little handle on to it after a few hits where it flew across the shop
After the wheel hub was out it was pretty much straight forward and fast.
When I did the pass side today I found some minor short cuts that might save you a minute or a tool or two. This only took 2 hrs since I didn't screw around or try to be nice w/ the hub.
You don't have to separate the axle shaft and the wheelhub. (big socket people not in the industry won't have.)
Having the tierod hooked up gives you a dampening safety when beating on the hub bolts... but since you have to turn the whole assembly side to side 10 million times it's better to just unhook the tierod and let the knuckle bounce a bit. It's faster.
as far as the joint pressing goes... I didn't like the attachments in my set so I cut some new tube that was perfect lengths and capped them w/ 3/8 plate so there was no chance of bending or the clamp siding around and killing me...
Lastly... AAM... GETYOURHEADOUTOFYOURASSANDREDESIGNALLTHATJUNK. Kinpins, lockouts, and wheel bearings for life!!!!!!!!!!!!
-ordered up a BD torque converter and valve body today as well... hopefully I don't have to work on the truck again for another 100k
Last edited by sillyneck; 02-08-2008 at 05:16 PM.
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