I searched and didn't find anything relating to what i was looking for, so i'm hoping some one can help me out. I'm replacing the upper and lower balljoints on both sides of my truck, and i was wondering if there is anyway or some trick i can use so i don't have to take off the spindle/hub. Not that i can't, its just really time consuming, so it will be like a ten hour job otherwise. Thanks in advance.

 

I replaced my uppers & lowers ball joints & didn't have to remove the hub. Mine is a 4x4 so I don't know if that makes a differences. But I did the uppers first, than the lowers. It took only about 2.5 hrs.

 

Try here: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f115...nuckle-127711/
and here:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...nstall-128889/

The only thing you need to remove is the tire, not the knuckle or anything else.
Just do one at a time. rr the upper, then rr the lower. I would remove the large nut and get the compression fit to break loose (either fork, BFG, or puller). put the nut back on a bit, but not tight. Then remove the 4 bolts that hold the hold that base of the balljoint. You can lower the jack supporting the lower control arm to help pull the balljoint from it's place.
good luck.

 

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...joints-129477/

Here is another one. Jack up the lower control arm and wedge a 2x4 between the bump stops or some other convenient place. That way when you remove the jack, the upper arm will stay up and the lower one can drop. This will allow you to change them w/o removing too much stuff. I would recommend pulling the hub/flange on the end of the axle and remove the snap ring at the end of the axle/cv (do not remove the hub). That way when you pivot the steering knuckle on one ball joint, you do not have to worry about separating you cv's (I did this). If you do not remove the snap ring, just be very careful not to force the cv's apart.

This should help as well:

http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...28balljoin.pdf

Good Luck!

Jason

P.S. Where in Michigan are you?

 

Also,

Jack the lower a arm up until the truck JUST begins to lift off of the jack stands.

Put something, like a piece of steel, or wood, in between the upper control arm and upper bumpstop. Lower the lower a-arm. This will allow the lower a-arm to have some room to swing as you disassemble, and makes it much easier.

 

Just to chime in, I also did mine just like Axleike said. Worked like a charm.

 

Just to add to this...If you jack up the opposite corner as well, you can compress the corner that you are working on much more. (If you are doing front right, jack up the front right and the back left, then insert the 2x4).

 

I'm from Saginaw. But hey guys, thanks for all the advice, i'm going to be doing everything on a hoist, but, everything is pretty much the same principle.

-----edit----------
Yeah, everything worked out perfectly, just put a piece of 2x4 between the bumpstop and the upper a-arm, worked perfect, also installed the BJ spacers, did the top first and then the bottom, all is well, WOOO, except now i have to do tie-rod ends to do the alignment.