{"id":366,"date":"2009-07-16T13:57:08","date_gmt":"2009-07-16T17:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/?p=366"},"modified":"2010-11-12T11:30:23","modified_gmt":"2010-11-12T15:30:23","slug":"ball-joint-replacement-jeep-cherokee-repair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/2009\/07\/ball-joint-replacement-jeep-cherokee-repair\/","title":{"rendered":"Ball Joint Replacement – Jeep Cherokee Repair"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to replace the Ball Joints on a Jeep Cherokee<\/p>\n

While I don’t fully understand the mechanism, our off road group has found a strong correlation between worn ball joints and broken front axle shafts. I did not really believe the theory until my ARB shaft broke. See the video of it breaking. <\/a><\/p>\n

\"Shaft<\/a>
Shaft broken due to bad ball joints.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the weight off the wheel you can see the joint separating.<\/p>\n

\"Note<\/a>
Note gap in the ball joint<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I got my new ball joints from Crown Automotive. I installed the driver’s side ones last night.<\/p>\n

Before I began, I coated my hands with Market America Clear Shield.<\/a><\/p>\n

First, I lifted up the Jeep and removed the wheel.<\/p>\n

\"Removing<\/a>
Removing Jeep Cherokee wheel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then, since this is an AMC Jeep, I used my 7mm hex bit<\/a> to remove the brake calipers. Mopar Jeeps will use either a 12 or 13 mm socket.<\/p>\n

\"Jeep<\/a>
Jeep Cherokee brake rotor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"using<\/a>
using 7mm hex to remove caliper bolts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next I removed the brake pads and rotor hat.<\/p>\n

\"brake<\/a>
brake caliper removed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"storing<\/a>
storing the brake caliper<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"brakes<\/a>
brakes removed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I stored the brake caliper on top of the lower control arm and removed the pads and the rotor to expose the bearing.<\/p>\n


\n\"Free<\/a><\/p>\n

Next I used a 13mm 12 point socket<\/a> to remove the three bearing retainer bolts.<\/p>\n

\"13<\/a>
13 MM 12 point socket used to remove bearing bolts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I carefully tapped the carrier out of the knuckle. I left the axle in the bearing since it will go right back in.<\/p>\n

\"removing<\/a>
removing the bearing and axle shaft as a unit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next, I used a 3\/4 inch wrench to remove the tie rod from the knuckle. This step is not absolutely, necessary but makes it easier.<\/p>\n

\"Cherokee<\/a>
Cherokee tie rod removal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"tie<\/a>
tie rod removal tool<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next I removed the retainer bolts from both ball joints.<\/p>\n

\"ball<\/a>
ball joint nut<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I used my tie rod separator<\/a> to separate the ball joints from the knuckle. It came off rather unexpectedly and hit the floor. Glad it missed my foot.<\/p>\n

\"ball<\/a>
ball joint removal tool<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next I used a wire brush to clean up the surfaces where the press would rest.<\/p>\n

\"clean<\/a>
clean up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I collected the correct adapters to press out the upper joint.<\/p>\n

\"ball<\/a>
ball joint press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The upper joint pressed out easily<\/p>\n

\"upper<\/a>
upper ball joint removed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next I collected the correct adapters to press out the bottom joint. Note that the screw for the press had to pass through the upper ball joint hole.<\/p>\n

\"lower<\/a>
lower ball joint press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The lower joint was very worn.<\/p>\n

\"worn<\/a>
worn lower ball joint<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then I collected the correct adapters to press in the new ball joints. Note that this is a newer Dana 30 and the surface for the press is slanted requiring a tapered adapter. Some of the older axles had this surface machined flat.<\/p>\n

\"upper<\/a>
upper ball joint press in<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pressing in the lower requires a tapered receiver cup on this axle.<\/p>\n

\"lower<\/a>
lower ball joint press in<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the new joints installed I began to put it all back together. There is not enough clearance for a grease fitting on the lower joint. The kit came with a fitting that I put in temporarily and grease the joint. I then replaced the plug.<\/p>\n

\"ball<\/a>
ball joints installed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I then installed the knuckle and tightened the bolts. I then inserted cotter keys to keep the nuts from turning.<\/p>\n

\"ball<\/a>
ball joint nut and key<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I then replaced the tie rod and keyed it.<\/p>\n

\"tie<\/a>
tie rod nut<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next I greased the inside of the knuckle and reinstalled the bearing and axle shaft. I used the bolts to pull the carrier into place.<\/p>\n

\"installing<\/a>
installing bearing jeep Cherokee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next I reinstalled the brake rotor, pads and caliper.<\/p>\n

\"caliper<\/a>
caliper installed jeep Cherokee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the wheel back on I am done and ready to do the other side. Well maybe later.<\/p>\n

\"Wheel<\/a>
Wheel back on<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\n\"Free<\/a><\/p>\n

[phpbay]ball joint press, 10[\/phpbay]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to replace the Ball Joints on a Jeep Cherokee While I don’t fully understand the mechanism, our off road group has found a strong correlation between worn ball joints and broken front axle shafts. I did not really believe the theory until my ARB shaft broke. See the video of it breaking. With the … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Ball Joint Replacement – Jeep Cherokee Repair”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[109,8,14,523],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=366"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":403,"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366\/revisions\/403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mikestrawbridge.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}