Symptoms
Vertical play at the top and bottom of the tire, wandering, uneven tire wear, and wobble after bumps. Quadratec says factory JK ball joints 'often wear surprisingly quickly', especially on heavy, lifted trucks.
The fix, step by step
- Support the truck on stands and remove the wheel, caliper, rotor and unit bearing to free the axle shaft.
- Separate the tie rod and drag link, remove the knuckle, then press the old upper and lower joints out of the axle C.
- Inspect the C for bends and cracks at the same time.
- Press in the new joints with the correct adapters, refit the knuckle and torque the castle nuts to spec (Northridge4x4 lists 75 ft-lb for the upper and lower ball-joint nuts).
- Finish with an alignment.
- Adjustable or heavy-duty kits are worth it on 35s.
Tools & part numbers
- Ball-joint press and JK adapter set
- pickle fork or tie-rod puller
- large sockets
- torque wrench
- new cotter pins.
Where to buy the parts
Dana Spicer 10073372 performance ball joint kit, 2007–18 JKQuadratec ↗Amazon ↗
Yukon ball joint set, 2007–18 JKQuadratec ↗Amazon ↗
Synergy HD adjustable ball joint kit, JKQuadratec ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Jeep Wrangler JK (2-door) 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.