89 cherokee ball joints

Hi kids, both upper and lower ball joints are toast on my drivers side. I see in the manual they use a special tool, looks like a c-clamp, to press them out. Can I just beat the snot out of them with a hammer? Has anyone done there own ball joints before?

Hi kids, both upper and lower ball joints are toast on my drivers side. I see in the manual they use a special tool, looks like a c-clamp, to press them out. Can I just beat the snot out of them with a hammer? Has anyone done there own ball joints before?

If these are the factory originals then i would use the c claamp tool you can borrow it from autozone or partsamerica so that you dont have to buy one, you figure if these are the originals then beating them with a hammer might take some time and lots of cussing to get them off:screwy:

You can but a good press is better. Getting them back in can be done with some large c-clamps and large sockets. As Thinmints says, you can probably "borrow" the tools from a local autoparts supply.

This article deals with adjustable ball joints but the procedure works the same for "regular" ones.

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/ARadjustableBallJoints/adjustableballjoints.htm

thanks for the info, I think I will look around and buy tool, we don't have half the stuff you guys have available in Canada. I sill have to get the 36mm socket for the axle and the 7mm allen for the brake caliper.