Symptoms
Clunks over bumps, wandering, uneven tire wear, or play when you rock a lifted wheel top to bottom. Worn joints can contribute to death wobble.
The fix, step by step
- Lift and support the axle, then remove the wheel, caliper, rotor, ABS sensor and the hub/bearing.
- Pull the axle shaft, then separate and remove the knuckle.
- Press out the upper and lower joints with a ball-joint press and the correct adapters, and press in the new ones square.
- Refit everything, torque to the factory figures (Northridge4x4 lists 75 ft-lb for the ball-joint nuts, 75 ft-lb for the hub bolts and 100 ft-lb for the axle nut), and get an alignment.
- Many owners replace the hub bearings and axle-shaft U-joints at the same time.
Tools & part numbers
- Ball-joint press and JK adapter set
- axle-nut socket
- breaker bar
- torque wrench
- pickle fork or hammer for the tapers.
Where to buy the parts
Yukon YSPBJ-001HDK2 ball joint kit, JK Dana 30/44Quadratec ↗Amazon ↗
OMIX 18036.05 genuine Dana Spicer ball joint kit, 2007–2018 JKQuadratec ↗Amazon ↗
DV8 Offroad D-JKBLJNT-01 four-piece ball joint kit, JK Dana 30/44Quadratec ↗Amazon ↗
JK tie rods, ends and ball jointsExtremeTerrain ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.