Dana 30 ball joint

Ole Rusty

Ole Rusty

Shadetree Mechanic
Lifetime Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2022
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115
Location
Kentucky
Replacing a front axle seal and decided to replace u-joints and ball joints while I have it apart since Jeep has 200k and I have no idea when/if they've been replaced. Driver side came apart as expected. Passenger side lower ball joints came out with the knuckle. Is this a sign the axle housing is worn? Or maybe they were replaced before and not fully pressed in? Or it means nothing and reinstall as usual?

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Yeah the c is a little worn.....especially if it has the knurled joints that's how you know she's been ran through to say the least😅

The fix I couldn't tell you,unless they make a set that's a few thousandths bigger but I doubt it but you never know
 
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So those are all the correct answers.

Now for the I'm broke or leaving tomorrow morning answer...grab the big blue squirt gun...put in five or six healthy tacks...use a carbide burr...or rat tail file if you have four hours...and grind it down to fit.

-Mac
 
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D's Jeep Wrld said:
Yeah the c is a little worn.....especially if it has the knurled joints that's how you know she's been ran through to say the least😅

The fix I couldn't tell you,unless they make a set that's a few thousandths bigger but I doubt it but you never know
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Yeah she's been around the block a time or two 😅
 
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Progress update. Found some great advice here on the forum from @mrblaine about dimpling the ball joints. I mirrored the process in that post and used the Loctite 638 as suggested. Before dimpling both upper and lower joints would fit almost all the way in the bore by hand. After dimpling resistance starts close enough to where they should. Finished product feels solid. Once again this forum is awesome.

Last question before I button it up. What's the brass fitting for in the Spicer kit? I'm notorious for asking questions after the fact so hopefully it wasn't step one.

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You don't need the brass piece, it's for a YJ IIRC, Blaine had also mentioned the dimpling when I made a post about this a few months back. No issues since the installation, and the jeep has gotten quite a few km.
 
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Ole Rusty said:
Progress update. Found some great advice here on the forum from @mrblaine about dimpling the ball joints. I mirrored the process in that post and used the Loctite 638 as suggested. Before dimpling both upper and lower joints would fit almost all the way in the bore by hand. After dimpling resistance starts close enough to where they should. Finished product feels solid. Once again this forum is awesome.

Last question before I button it up. What's the brass fitting for in the Spicer kit? I'm notorious for asking questions after the fact so hopefully it wasn't step one.

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Can you post a link to where you found that advice on the ball joints? Might come in handy for me.
 
Ole Rusty said:
Progress update. Found some great advice here on the forum from @mrblaine about dimpling the ball joints. I mirrored the process in that post and used the Loctite 638 as suggested. Before dimpling both upper and lower joints would fit almost all the way in the bore by hand. After dimpling resistance starts close enough to where they should. Finished product feels solid. Once again this forum is awesome.

Last question before I button it up. What's the brass fitting for in the Spicer kit? I'm notorious for asking questions after the fact so hopefully it wasn't step one.

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The gold piece is actually steel. Its a preload adjustment sleeve for a different axle.
 
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Ole Rusty said:
Progress update. Found some great advice here on the forum from @mrblaine about dimpling the ball joints. I mirrored the process in that post and used the Loctite 638 as suggested. Before dimpling both upper and lower joints would fit almost all the way in the bore by hand. After dimpling resistance starts close enough to where they should. Finished product feels solid. Once again this forum is awesome.

Last question before I button it up. What's the brass fitting for in the Spicer kit? I'm notorious for asking questions after the fact so hopefully it wasn't step one.

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Click to expand...

Brass isn't magnetic, try it. ;)
 
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