Extreme Terrain
4x4Wire Trail Talk Forums: Jeep, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Pajero, Isuzu, Kia, 4WD, 4x4, SUV, Off-Road and OutdoorWire Forums


Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Any tricks for getting the upper ball joint back together? #824143 07/10/07 03:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,111
HCMP Offline OP
Body Damage is Cool
Getting the upper and lower ball joints apart was loads of fun. I've got the lower ball joint back together by letting the vehicles weight onto it. The upper doesn't work that way unfortunately.

So without any weight on it the ball joint bolt spins with the nut as I try to screw it back on. I would hit it with the air tools but there isn't even enough room for a wratchet and socket in there because the ABS sensor line gets in the way.

Anyone have any tricks for me?

Thanks,
--jeremy


when looking for a container to hold drained brake fluid, find a container that is different from the beverage you are currently consuming.
Re: Any tricks for getting the upper ball joint back together? [Re: HCMP] #824144 07/10/07 03:40 PM
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,702
BigSwede Offline
Roll Me Over
What worked for me is to put a C-clamp, one end on the end of the threaded shaft, but at an angle, and the other end on the knuckle. Tighten it as best you can...the goal is to sorta jam the shaft in place so you can tighten the nut. Hope that make sense...


Steve Carlson - 95 Trooper LS expo rig
Serenity now!
Re: Any tricks for getting the upper ball joint back together? [Re: BigSwede] #824145 07/10/07 05:52 PM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,111
HCMP Offline OP
Body Damage is Cool
That sounds like it could work. I was eyeing up my ratchet strap (finally figured out that there is no "W" in ratchet) last night wondering if I could wrap (there is a "W" in wrap) it around both control arms to force the top arm down.

Maybe with their clamping and ratcheting forces combined....


when looking for a container to hold drained brake fluid, find a container that is different from the beverage you are currently consuming.
Re: Any tricks for getting the upper ball joint back together? [Re: HCMP] #824146 07/11/07 12:27 AM
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 416
Gizzy42 Offline
Mudrunner
What worked for me is to put a jack under the lca and try to get as much weight on it as possible. Then use quick short jerks (kinda like trying to break a nut loose but in tightening mode). That allowed the nut to tighten a little at a time till it was tight enough to grip.


--Dave

1999 Rodeo LS 3.2 4x4 5 Speed
32x11.50-15 BFG T/A KO on US Wheel 94 series
3" Lift - Rancho 9000x
Rear No-Slip Locker
Flowmaster 50 series SUV 2.25"

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." - Dave Barry
Re: Any tricks for getting the upper ball joint back together? [Re: Gizzy42] #824147 07/11/07 06:29 AM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,783
94rodeo Offline
Body Damage is Cool
I just chopped the whole set up out <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" /> What I did with my Ifs was hit it with a hammer at the same time I would give a good jerk on the ratchet.

Troy


94 Rodeo
sas'd front dana 44(coil sprung), dual transfer cases (isuzu), tera lows, custom bumpers, winch, arb lockers[url= [url=http://community.webshots.com/user/94rodeo] [url=http://community.webshots.com/user/94rodeo[/url]http://community.webshots.com/user/94rodeo[/url]
Re: Any tricks for getting the upper ball joint back together? [Re: 94rodeo] #824148 07/16/07 01:33 AM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,111
HCMP Offline OP
Body Damage is Cool
The C-clamp method worked perfectly, Steve. Thank you

--jeremy


when looking for a container to hold drained brake fluid, find a container that is different from the beverage you are currently consuming.
Re: Any tricks for getting the upper ball joint back together? [Re: HCMP] #824149 07/16/07 01:15 PM
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,702
BigSwede Offline
Roll Me Over
No prob, I learnt that technique from Mike Walter (muskyamigo)...


Steve Carlson - 95 Trooper LS expo rig
Serenity now!







4x4Wire Social:

| 4x4Wire on FaceBook |


OutdoorWire, 4x4Wire, JeepWire, TrailTalk, MUIRNet-News, and 4x4Voice are all trademarks and publications of OutdoorWire, Inc. and MUIRNet Consulting.
Copyright (c) 1999-2019 OutdoorWire, Inc and MUIRNet Consulting - All Rights Reserved, no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without express written permission
You may link freely to this site, but no further use is allowed without the express written permission of the owner of this material.
All corporate trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3
(Release build 20190728)
PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.008s Queries: 15 (0.005s) Memory: 0.6191 MB (Peak: 0.6932 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2026-06-10 05:08:49 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS