a4runnerfreak

Got my new front drive axles in, new bearings, and Aisin hub swap done! Now I need to replace the upper ball joint on the passenger side. To those you have done this, how hard is it? Do I really need a puller, and about how long did it take? I already have the 4 nuts loose, just waiting on the del. on the ball joint now. Thanks all.....

Tubbyfatty

I didnt use any puller when i did my lower ball joints. Well no, i used a pickle fork.

Im sure it could be done with out one, it would just be a pain.

Jay351

pickle fork works. A puller works better. Buy it once and you have it forever...

My suggestion at least.

Also, wedge a peice of wood between the upper bumpstop and upper control arm. Then you can unbolt the bj and just lower everything down..

pb4ugotobed

You can buy a puller from harbour freight for 5 or 6 bucks. It'll make your life a helluva lot easier. Just turn a bolt, and it goes 'pop'. pull it out and replace it... done.

abecedarian

I think autozone will rent the BJ separator for free. But a pickle fork works as well since you're not going to be re-using the ball joint- you're replacing it so who cares about the boot....

And call me weird... I've heard it before, although I prefer "strange" to weird... but I'd replace both uppers at the same time just cause the new one will weigh less than the used one on the other side since it can't hold as much grease and I don't want to be unbalanced.

ovrrdrive

Everything he said... Especially the wood between the bumpstop and UCA. You just about won't be able to do the job if you don't do this. I usually use a 1x4 I have in the shop. I just jam it in then jack up the truck.

You're going to need to jack the truck up and put it on stands and then put your floor jack under the lower ball joint so you can control the position of the spindle under the upper ball joint. Then just take the upper bj loose, lower the jack and change it out, then jack it back up. I could literally do both sides in 30 minutes.

a4runnerfreak

Right on, thanks for your answers guys. The rig is already on stands, and the passenger side already has a jack underneath it. I just did new driveaxles, bearings, etc, so it's all set to go. Good to know 'bout the 1x4 bumpstop trick. I don't have a puller, and my friends who does, is outta town. So.....

Abe, dude, your more "electic" than strange. I'm the strange 1, remember???? LOL And I'm only doing what I can afford, and so far, this just falls under the cash I had to buy parts. I will replace the other upper and both ball joints, hopefully next month. Budgets suck!!!!

ovrrdrive

Since you're already on jack stands, you're going to have jack up from the LBJ as high as you can go to get the board in between the UCA and the bumpstop. It will fit though, you might just have to use a BFH to coerce it in. Once you've been in the front end it gets so easy. They really made the front end of these trucks easy to work on.

nv4runner

I used a long pry bar and a BFH to get my upper ball joints out. Remove the castle nut, then pry between the BJ and the steering knuckle and give the ball joint a few good smacks. When it comes out then you can undo the 4 bolts on top of the control arm and pull it out. It may also work to hit the knuckle where the BJ goes through it or a combination of them. I only used a puller to do the lower BJs.