The driver side ball joints on xj are bad and need to be replaced. The shop I took it to quoted me $459 for the parts and labor and also comes with a lifetime warranty on the parts and labor. Is this reasonable?

 

If you have any mechanical background, do it yourself or find some people to help you. The balljoints are around $30/ea and you can rent a tool from the autoparts store. Save yourself $400 that way

 

I have been contemplating this believe me haha.
My dad usually helps me with this but does not have time anytime in the near future.

 

$80 for GOOD parts, $50 and under for OK parts

dunno what the book hours are for one side, would guess

 

what have you done before?

i did my drivers side 2yrs ago...not complex....watch several youtubes, everyone does something different, can pick stuff up by watching

 

Said 2 1/2 hours for one sides ball joints. And said ball joints are 120 and are good quality. Could be a parts mark up though

 

I've done the Ujoints on the jeep before. But never have done ball joints. From what I understand ball joints have more involved and require lots of beating lol

 

yeah, they have a right to earn a living

set of moog upper and lower one side is $80 on amazon....

ive seen ppl say its 1.8hrs book time per side, no idea if true

and labor rates are different in different areas

probably took me 5hrs to do one side....walking away and swearing alot, did it in my snowy driveway

i have the parts to do the other side, doesnt NEED it yet...im sure i can do it in 3 hrs now....no air tools

 

not much different

 

Watch -

Then got Autozone or the like and rent the press.

Getting them OUT is the PITA - Going in is relatively easy.

Synergy's will set you back about $125 a piece, but unless you are wheeling it, probably don't need to go that high end.

 

I just did all my ball joints not too long ago. It's definitely not hard at all. You're gonna want Dana/Spicer ball joints, they're about $50 a set on amazon. The press, adapter set, and axle nut socket were $220 something rented. It was my first time and it took me maybe 4 hours taking my time and doing it right.

 

It's not hard, but be prepared for the worst. I've swapped them before where you could almost knock them out with a hammer, but it usually doesn't go that easy.

When I changed them out on my XJ (they looked to be original Spicers at 150,000 miles), they would not budge and were completely seized to the axle. Even after soaking in Kroil for two weeks and using heat, they wouldn't move. I finally got pissed and used a 4 ft. pipe/breaker bar on the ball joint press, but only managed to bend the press and still not move the joint. To get them out, I ended up cutting the joints flush with the knuckle, drilling/knocking out the stud, and then used an air chisel to collapse and drive out the "sleeve" that remained. Odds are that you would have an easier time, but be prepared for "issues".

 

Yeah the mechanic I was talking to said that is exactly why he hates doing ball joints lol

 

yeah, i used a $20 ball joint press and was warned aboot bending/breaking it, so followed the tip of crank the press til tight then hammer it bunch while its under pressure, tighten some more, hammer, and so on....it worked

 

that's the ticket right there.

now go buy yourself a cheap press, maybe step up to a cheap kit from amazon or harbor freight and go at it yourself.

i like to use my 7.5a electric impact gun to tighten the press, then my bfh to hammer the end once under load and bobs your uncle.

i have had to use washers and kinda stack them under the press cup to get it to sit properly on the knuckle as i didn't have any angled cups.