Wrangler TJ Ball Joint Replacement

Chris said:
I've got one of those as well. It's a damn fine tool to have around, no doubt!
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I agree. I have two, one big and one small. The smaller one I use for the 4runner cuz it fits in the wheel well.

Funny thing is I've never used the adapter set in all the ball joints I've swapped so far even though I should. I was unaware of the adapter set back when I first got into jeeps so I found a way to angle it.

I should pick up the set but it's going to be a long time before I swap ball joints again (new spicers in it).
 
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Ok so after watching a YouTube from carssuck the ball joint replacement doesn't look all that hard [emoji15]. I think...

Is there much worry with getting the joint in position correctly? It seems that with the press there is a chance of damaging the joint itself with improper installation?

I don't have it in my budget to pay an indie shop $500 to do it. Looking for second opinions and even mechanic buddies to get back in touch that will help for pizza and beer maybe.


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After you do one then the rest are easy.

You have to make sure the ball joint is going in straight but if you have the proper BJ adapter then it should do that without issue.

They usually pop right out and in and I'm done with both sides within an hour, hour and half.
 
(wanting to keep all discussion on ball joints in one thread versus starting my own thread)

Recently, I experienced death wobble for the first time in my Jeep. And now, its a regular occurrence on the highway. Exactly where you want death wobble.

So, no more cheaping out (also because my Jeep has 120,000 miles on it and could use a front end rebuild). I will be replacing all steering related ball joints on my front end, and of course have my tires balanced once I am finished for the coup de grâce. I just need to order all of the parts:

I already have sitting in their boxes:
1) JKS adjustable track bar
2) Moog ZJ tie rod
3) Moog ZJ tie rod end
4) Generic drag link I bought a while ago from Amazon

What I need to buy:
1) Upper and lower ball joints - have this sitting in my Amazon shopping cart: Spicer Ball Joint Kit; however, I wish that they were greasable. Could I get ya'll's thoughts on possible an alternative? Spicer is clearly the best of the best. However, it's frustrating that they don't have grease fittings built into them.
2) Drag link end - buy a Spicer? Can't find a Spicer on Amazon. Just buy a Moog instead?
3) Buy a new steering stabilizer for the heck of it?

Is there anything that i'm missing?

I would love to replace my hubs, u-joints, axle seals, etc. while i'm at it, however I am not ready to shell out that kind of dough.
 
Kyle_W said:
(wanting to keep all discussion on ball joints in one thread versus starting my own thread)

Recently, I experienced death wobble for the first time in my Jeep. And now, its a regular occurrence on the highway. Exactly where you want death wobble.

So, no more cheaping out (also because my Jeep has 120,000 miles on it and could use a front end rebuild). I will be replacing all steering related ball joints on my front end, and of course have my tires balanced once I am finished for the coup de grâce. I just need to order all of the parts:

I already have sitting in their boxes:
1) JKS adjustable track bar
2) Moog ZJ tie rod
3) Moog ZJ tie rod end
4) Generic drag link I bought a while ago from Amazon

What I need to buy:
1) Upper and lower ball joints - have this sitting in my Amazon shopping cart: Spicer Ball Joint Kit; however, I wish that they were greasable. Could I get ya'll's thoughts on possible an alternative? Spicer is clearly the best of the best. However, it's frustrating that they don't have grease fittings built into them.
2) Drag link end - buy a Spicer? Can't find a Spicer on Amazon. Just buy a Moog instead?
3) Buy a new steering stabilizer for the heck of it?

Is there anything that i'm missing?

I would love to replace my hubs, u-joints, axle seals, etc. while i'm at it, however I am not ready to shell out that kind of dough.
Click to expand...

Why do they need to be greasable? They are sealed, which means they will keep dirt and debris out when you're off-road, unlike non-sealed greasable joints.

This is why many of us upgrade our u-joints as well, to the sealed, non-greasable u-joints.

Moog is just fine for the drag link end. I'm not even sure I've found a Spicer one. Moog makes good stuff though.

As for the stabilizer, it won't hurt to buy a new one if yours is really old. You won't gain anything from it though, and stabilizers have nothing to do with death wobble either.

The only other thing I might replace is unit bearings potentially.
 
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Chris said:
Why do they need to be greasable? They are sealed, which means they will keep dirt and debris out when you're off-road, unlike non-sealed greasable joints.

This is why many of us upgrade our u-joints as well, to the sealed, non-greasable u-joints.

Moog is just fine for the drag link end. I'm not even sure I've found a Spicer one. Moog makes good stuff though.

As for the stabilizer, it won't hurt to buy a new one if yours is really old. You won't gain anything from it though, and stabilizers have nothing to do with death wobble either.

The only other thing I might replace is unit bearings potentially.
Click to expand...

Well eventually though the grease has to work its way out over time and lose lubricity? That's what i'd imagine?

And, I also imagined that your steering stabilizer is just another contributing factory to death wobble - however I did replace mine a couple years ago. So it's really not even worth replacing probably.

Thanks for the response!
 
Kyle_W said:
Well eventually though the grease has to work its way out over time and lose lubricity? That's what i'd imagine?

And, I also imagined that your steering stabilizer is just another contributing factory to death wobble - however I did replace mine a couple years ago. So it's really not even worth replacing probably.

Thanks for the response!
Click to expand...

It doesn't work it's way out unless the seal breaks. All modern vehicles with the exception of heavy duty trucks have sealed chassis. Your joint will go bad long before the grease leaks out. The non-greasable joints are an upgrade for most of us, even Jerry would tell you that. Plus, when you go off-road, you won't have to worry about debris and crap getting in your joints. I replaced all my u-joints and everything I could with the sealed versions.

Nope, steering stabilizers have zero effect on death wobble whatsoever. That's a common myth, but it's a false one. I'd skip on the stabilizer. The death wobble could be from ball joints, tie rod ends, improperly balanced tires, a track bar bolt (or steering bolt) that isn't torqued properly, etc.
 
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Chris said:
It doesn't work it's way out unless the seal breaks. All modern vehicles with the exception of heavy duty trucks have sealed chassis. Your joint will go bad long before the grease leaks out. The non-greasable joints are an upgrade for most of us, even Jerry would tell you that. Plus, when you go off-road, you won't have to worry about debris and crap getting in your joints. I replaced all my u-joints and everything I could with the sealed versions.

Nope, steering stabilizers have zero effect on death wobble whatsoever. That's a common myth, but it's a false one. I'd skip on the stabilizer. The death wobble could be from ball joints, tie rod ends, improperly balanced tires, a track bar bolt (or steering bolt) that isn't torqued properly, etc.
Click to expand...

That was the other argument that I read up on. It's just, grease has got to leak through the metal to metal "seal"? Albeit - maybe a negligible leak of grease?

Roger that. Thank you!


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Possibly, but it would be negligible at best! Those ball joints are what the majority of us run though.
 
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I bought the spicer joints on Amazon and the uppers are greaseable. I do not see an issue with the lowers not being so cuz they go 100k+ from the factory without being greased.
 
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Doug Abbott said:
I noticed some other forums are removing the steering knuckle with the tie tod end attached as a unit. Is there any particular reason you advocate taking this off independently? Thanks, getting ready to replace my ball joints.
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You can do it either way in all honesty. I just find it easier to undo everything. But really, it doesn't make any difference either way.
 
Chris said:
Why do they need to be greasable? They are sealed, which means they will keep dirt and debris out when you're off-road, unlike non-sealed greasable joints.

This is why many of us upgrade our u-joints as well, to the sealed, non-greasable u-joints.

Moog is just fine for the drag link end. I'm not even sure I've found a Spicer one. Moog makes good stuff though.

As for the stabilizer, it won't hurt to buy a new one if yours is really old. You won't gain anything from it though, and stabilizers have nothing to do with death wobble either.

The only other thing I might replace is unit bearings potentially.
Click to expand...

Getting closer to replacing all of the said steering components. The only component that I do not have much knowledge on, are the wheel bearings. I understand how to replace them and the process look's decently easy. However, I am not sure if I even need to replace my wheel bearings? Jack the Jeep up and shake the tires up and down, and see if there's any movement (possibly just in my upper and lower ball joints, but if my ball joints aren't moving, then it could be my wheel bearings?)?
 
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Kyle_W said:
Getting closer to replacing all of the said steering components. The only component that I do not have much knowledge on, are the wheel bearings. I understand how to replace them and the process look's decently easy. However, I am not sure if I even need to replace my wheel bearings? Jack the Jeep up and shake the tires up and down, and see if there's any movement (possibly just in my upper and lower ball joints, but if my ball joints aren't moving, then it could be my wheel bearings?)?
Click to expand...

Feeling for play in the ball joints can be pretty darn similar to feeling for play in the wheel (unit) bearings. If a wheel bearing is bad (or going bad) it will usually how when you turn, and when the vehicle is up and jack stands, there will be some slight play in the wheel back-and-forth.

If in doubt (meaning if you have 100k plus miles on the stock unit bearings), I wouldn't hesitate to replace them just for preventative maintenance. They're actually pretty easy to do, especially if you're doing the ball joints at the same time.

Hell, you'd almost be dumb not to do them at the same time as the ball joints.

Timken makes the best ones: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BZAF36/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
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Kyle_W said:
Getting closer to replacing all of the said steering components. The only component that I do not have much knowledge on, are the wheel bearings. I understand how to replace them and the process look's decently easy. However, I am not sure if I even need to replace my wheel bearings? Jack the Jeep up and shake the tires up and down, and see if there's any movement (possibly just in my upper and lower ball joints, but if my ball joints aren't moving, then it could be my wheel bearings?)?
Click to expand...

I replaced mine without hesitation at around 110,000 miles while searching for an elusive squeak. I thought it just made sense to do so since I had the front end apart and they are relatively inexpensive and I had no idea of the history of the jeep prior to buying it. I purchased the same Timken unit that @Chris linked above.
 
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The bad ball joints I had in the past were not detectable by hand. I had to stick a pry bar under the tire while it was jacked off the ground and lift. It would clunk when I pulled up on the bar.

Unit bearings are usually the first to go and easiest to replace. Timken is the way to go. Note: Torquing the hub nut properly is CRITICAL.
 
Chris said:
Feeling for play in the ball joints can be pretty darn similar to feeling for play in the wheel (unit) bearings. If a wheel bearing is bad (or going bad) it will usually how when you turn, and when the vehicle is up and jack stands, there will be some slight play in the wheel back-and-forth.

If in doubt (meaning if you have 100k plus miles on the stock unit bearings), I wouldn't hesitate to replace them just for preventative maintenance. They're actually pretty easy to do, especially if you're doing the ball joints at the same time.

Hell, you'd almost be dumb not to do them at the same time as the ball joints.

Timken makes the best ones: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BZAF36/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Click to expand...

Serbonze said:
I replaced mine without hesitation at around 110,000 miles while searching for an elusive squeak. I thought it just made sense to do so since I had the front end apart and they are relatively inexpensive and I had no idea of the history of the jeep prior to buying it. I purchased the same Timken unit that @Chris linked above.
Click to expand...

Ahoragi said:
The bad ball joints I had in the past were not detectable by hand. I had to stick a pry bar under the tire while it was jacked off the ground and lift. It would clunk when I pulled up on the bar.

Unit bearings are usually the first to go and easiest to replace. Timken is the way to go. Note: Torquing the hub nut properly is CRITICAL.
Click to expand...

Well from the vibes that ya'll have about unit bearings, i'll be replacing mine too since my Jeep has over 118,000 miles.

As I understand it, the unit bearing nut (the 36mm nut), needs 240ft/lbs to be torqued correctly?
 
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