Need help on a YJ ball joints

[STEVIESYJ]

I am working on finishing the front end of my YJ and I pulled the hubs, and knuckles and figured while I was there I am going to replace upper and lower ball joints so I know the age of them.  I do have a ball joint press, and I know once I have the lower off the upper will be cake, but how in the $%## do you get the lower one off!!!!! Any words of advise or even a hand would be awesome!! And yes I can pay with beer if need be.....let me know so I can get this part of the prodject done....thanks in advance Steve

[hillbilly]

check and see if there is a locking ring on the top side of the lower ball joint, look hard its just a ring clip and might be covered in grease and dirt. the bottom comes off with a little persuasion but the top is a real sob

[Rick_Bear]

I've never done this on a Jeep, but have done it on a Scout many years ago. They are a "PITA"

Here's the trick:
Put as much pressure as you can on the lower ball joint and then give the upper ball joint "stud" a solid "whack" with a mallot. Both joints should "pop-out". I discovered this in a moment of "rage & frustration". Then removing the upper ball joint stud is easy with a stud "removal" tool.

[STEVIESYJ]

the bottom on doesnt appear to have a locking pin, no real luck with removing them yet, i'm going to try and find a small bottle jack to fit between them out loosen them at the same time, any other ideas would be great and thanks for the ideas and thoughts...steve

[CJ8Ted]

Caution on YJs,XJs,TJs if you bend the inner "C" the axle is toast.
I know my CJs took a good bit of the BFH

Ted

[hillbilly]

i just did the ball joints on the two pc dana 30 going in my xj to replace the cad model. had a problem with the lowers until i put the press (i have the giant c clamp model from harbor freight ,works good though) anyway after i tighten the clamp and got some pressure on it i smacked the balljoint and it pop loose  top one i ground off and beat it through.