I need new driver side ball joints. Since to do that I need to take off the unit bearing and remove the axle, I'm planning to replace all three on both sides. I am fearful that this will turn into the huge project installing my lift did (dealing with that friggin axle side bushing, having to sawzall bolts off, etc). What are people's actual experiences with this? Any cases of it turning into a nightmare? Originally a California vehicle so underside isn't horrible but unlike the body there is rust on the axle and these components. I'm planning on skipping the axle nut and leaving the axle and unit bearing married (I just need to take that little spring washer off the new dorman axle not kit doesn't include it) to minimizing potential issues. It's mainly those little 10mm star bolt things. I have Spicer replacements so I can sacrifice them getting things apart. I got kinda spooked on this after watch AxlesGarage on Youtube but rust here isn't anything like there. How much more does the job lean towards that experience versus the standard 'every job goes perfect in 10 minutes' Youtube video?

 

The proper angled "adapter" for the ball joint press is essential. It's somewhat of a PITA with the proper piece and darn near impossible without...

Rather than risk breaking things trying to straight-up press the ball joints out, load them up with the press and then smack the Inner-C with a mini-sledge and they'll pop right out. If not, more load and hit it again...

Regardless of whether it has it or not, I've gotten in the habit of assuming that every important bolt on these XJs has thread locker on it. With the flange of the Unit Bearing easily accessible, the "blue wrench" is definitely in play to ease removal of those bolts. After you get them all loosened, place a socket on the head of one of the bolts and use the power steering to push the Unit Bearing out of the Knuckle.

The Axle Nut is easy enough to remove if you remove the center cap from the wheel before putting it back on and lowering the vehicle back to the ground. On one mine, I had to have someone press the brakes as I was spinning the tire on concrete...

This is the opportune time to replace the Inner Axle Seals, but that's a whole other level of PITA... Be extra careful not to cut the seals when you reinstall the axles.

IMO, this is one of those jobs that's only a PITA if you go into it thinking it's going to be easy... If you think you're going to just press the ball joints all nice and easy, it's going to seem like a PITA... If you go into it from on the start that it's going to sound like a gunshot when that it finally pops loose, go into it with the torch in hand ready to loosen up those Unit Bearing bolts, go into it with the biggest breaker bar and piece of pipe you own, it's not a bad job in my experience. MUCH easier than Leaf Springs or Control Arm Bushings.

 

Thank you. I did purchased the ball joint press adapter kit so I have that angled piece. I really don't want to get into the front axle right now so I'll try to be extra careful on those seals. Is it a 'pull the diff cover and have someone guide you' careful or a 'go slow and feel your way' careful?

All the youtube videos show the short axle side being done, is the longer side tricky?

I hear you on the heat. After fighting forever on the upper control arm bolts before finding out they were thread locked I pretty much just hit things with heat right away now if it won't damage anything.

Guess it's time to just get it done. Thanks for the tips!

 

Warning Will Robinson !

I am 99.9% sure replacing the seals requires the diff carrier to be extracted to allow a long extension with correct diameter socket to knock the seals outward.

The long side is a bear whatever, good chance of damaging the seal when you insert the axle

Your gamble whether you have a pair of oil seals on hand

As for the ball joints themselves, definitely heat at least with butane the arm around the joint as much as you can, smack it with a big hammer

I used a ball joint press, and I made the correct angle adaptor out of 2" pipe and my angle grinder, better than the included one

One of my ball joints was loose, needed a .005" OS part

 

Grrr I'm torn now. I think I'm going to risk it. Autozone and Napa have seals in stock if I need them and HF has an axle seal press in stock. I wasn't looking for this deep of a project on everything I touch. I thought I was doing right by doing the Axles/axle u-joints, ball joints, unit bearings, knuckles all at once. Heck I even got new dust shields. If I gotta get into the diff too I don't know, that's getting past a fun thing to wrench on this weekend knowing how many little things could come up.

 

As real life as ur going get. Dana 30 front end??
Axles slid right out of mine. I just held them firmly and guided them gently.
I do not use steering system to remove hub. I use bfh and some heat. Ball joints are tricky, because as stated you'll need specialized cup.
I did not have one. Broke ball joint press tool broke parts because of salt belt crusties. It was a lengthy process to get it done but mine were absolutely dead.
Heat! Lots of blue wrench 😆. Map gase or oxy.

 

Also, 13mm 12point socket for hub bolts. Swearing is a necessary tool as well! Naughty words make **** come apart better 😋.

 

So I was just doing a final check before starting and the driver side replacement axle wants to kind of lock when straight. I can feel it sit into place, and then feel it when it leaves that position. The other pivot point is butter smooth and the passenger side one doesn't do that. I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but it should be smooth through the whole range of movement like the passenger side and every other u-joint ever, correct?

I should have checked when I got it but it looks like RockAuto will still let me flag that there's an issue with it. Of course it's the one I got through RockAuto not the one from Jegs so a return should be fun. Edit: Nevermind RockAuto won't accept. Last time I use them I guess. Now I get to try to figure out Dana's warranty process.

 

I am not sure what you are describing, but if when the front wheels are off the ground, and you rotate them, there should be no uneven resistance, or excessive nose (the axles splines and diff gears have some freeplay and make a slight clunk)

I have rebuilt a couple of XJ front suspensions, and my DD, the problem part turned out the be the hub/wheel bearings

Making noise, I swapped them for spared used I had, still making noise, brand new ones all fixed.

I did not replace my axle uni joints (should have, but I had been having some issues, my lift springs were stuffed as well))

 

Take a hammer and hit the back side of the yoke ears behind where the caps set, it will center the universal and stop the bind. If it still binds pop it apart to see if a needle fell.