Although it is much easier to do if you break the bottom BJ loose it is not necessary. Erik B (mod on T-100 BB) wheeled IFS for many years and he could change a half shaft without even jacking it up. He would pull the hub cap, take the snap ring off, take the six nuts of (he did not replace the press in bolts) and with a pry bar and wiggling it around it would be out. Then he would do the same thing to put it back in. I watched him do it in less that a half hour one day when we were wheeling. It may have been so easy because he had a 4" Pro Crap lift on his rig.

You do not need a BJ puller if you have two good size hammers. This is a trick a Toyota Tech (now the foreman) taught me. Take the cotter pin out, loosen the nut but do not take it off, hold one hammer tight against the place where the BJ shaft goes through the lower control arm, strike the opposite side of the control arm sharply and it will break loose. You may have to hit it a few times to get it to break loose and do not be afraid to hit it hard you will not hurt anything. Here is a picture of the method being used on a TRE.

If you get a puller do not use a ôpickle forkö they will break them loose but most of the time will tear the boot in the process. Then you have to change the BJ and go get it aligned.