Ball Joint Press and U-Joint Removal Kit with 4x4 Adapters

If your Jeep, Ford, Chevy or Dodge 4x4 clunks over bumps, wanders on the highway or shakes the wheel after a pothole, worn ball joints are near the top of the list, and a driveshaft that squeaks or clunks on takeoff usually points at a U-joint. Both jobs come down to pushing a press-fit part out of a bore and a new one back in without a hydraulic shop press. This C-frame ball joint press, part number N401-BR, does both, and the included 4x4 adapter lets it reach the ball joints on 1967-up half-ton and three-quarter-ton trucks with a Dana 30 or Dana 44 front axle.

What a ball joint press does on a Dana 30 or 44 front axle

A solid front axle such as the Dana 30 or 44 has an upper and a lower ball joint pressed into the steering knuckle. They are the pivots the knuckle steers on and they carry part of the vehicle's weight, so they wear even on a truck that never leaves pavement. The press is a forged steel C-frame with a forcing screw through one end. You put a receiving tube on one side of the joint and an adapter or cup on the other, then turn the screw. The frame holds the force inside itself, so all of the load goes into the joint instead of into the axle or knuckle with a hammer. Dana knuckles need the dedicated 4x4 adapter rather than the generic flat cups, which is why it comes in this kit. The same frame wraps around a driveshaft yoke to push out U-joint caps, and around a drum brake backing plate to push out anchor pins.

Symptoms that send you looking for this press

• Clunk from the front end over bumps or when the suspension unloads
• Steering that wanders or needs constant correction, or a shake in the wheel after a bump on a solid-axle truck
• Uneven or cupped wear on the front tires and an alignment that will not hold
• A chirp or squeak from the driveshaft at low speed, typical of a dry U-joint
• A clunk on takeoff and vibration that rises with road speed, from a U-joint with worn needle bearings

How to confirm before you tear in

Ball joints should be checked the way the joint is loaded. On a Dana 30 or 44, raise the front axle and support it on stands so the tires are off the ground. Grab the tire at the top and bottom and rock it; movement at the knuckle, not the wheel bearing, is ball joint play. A pry bar under the tire shows vertical play, and a dial indicator on the knuckle gives you a real number to compare with the service manual limit. For a U-joint, put the vehicle in neutral with the wheels chocked and twist the driveshaft back and forth; any play inside the cross, rust dust around the caps, or a notchy feel when you flex the joint by hand means it is done. While the shaft is out, look at the yoke ears too. A wallowed-out bore will not hold a new joint, and a replacement such as the Dana 30/44 1330 strap yoke or the 24-spline JK front pinion yoke is the fix.

Fitment

The base C-frame and cups cover most American and import 2WD and 4WD cars and light trucks that use press-fit ball joints. The 4x4 adapter is listed for 1967 to current half-ton and three-quarter-ton four-wheel-drive Ford, GM, Dodge, IHC and Jeep trucks running a Dana 30 or Dana 44 front axle. It is not a tool for bolt-in or riveted ball joints, and heavier one-ton axles such as the Dana 60 are not on the adapter list, so check your axle tag before ordering. The kit weighs about 16 lb and stores in a 15 x 11 x 3 inch case. Browse the rest of our driveline and shop tools if you need pullers or installers for the rest of the job.

Install notes

• On a Dana 30 or 44, pull the hub and axle shaft first, then follow the service manual for knuckle removal; most people press the joints out with the knuckle on the bench where they can keep the tooling square.
• Set up the cup and receiving tube so the screw pushes straight through the joint. Check alignment before you load it, then tighten slowly with a hand wrench or breaker bar, not an impact gun.
• Grease the forcing screw threads before each job. Dry threads gall under load and that is what kills presses.
• Clean the bore and coat it lightly with lubricant before pressing the new joint in, and press until it is fully seated against its shoulder.
• For U-joints, remove the snap rings first, push one cap out, flip the frame for the other side, and reinstall new rings after pressing the new caps in. Mark the driveshaft phasing before removal.
• If the knuckle is apart anyway, the wheel bearing and spindle are worth a look; we carry a Dana 30 front spindle for 1979-1986 Jeep.
• Wear eye protection and block the wheels. A part that lets go under load can come out fast.

Will this press do the ball joints on my Jeep TJ, XJ or CJ with a Dana 30?

The 4x4 adapter is listed for 1967 to current half-ton and three-quarter-ton 4WD trucks with a Dana 30 or Dana 44 front axle, which covers those Jeeps. Pull the axle shaft and knuckle first so you can set the tooling square on the joint.

Does it work on Dana 60 or one-ton axles?

The adapter coverage is listed only for Dana 30 and Dana 44 front axles. Dana 60 joints are larger and are not on the list, so do not plan on this kit for a one-ton axle.

Can I use an impact wrench on the forcing screw?

No. Turn the screw with a hand wrench or breaker bar and keep the threads greased. An impact hammers the threads and can crack a cup or cock the joint in its bore.

Can I change driveshaft U-joints with it?

Yes. The C-frame fits around a typical driveshaft yoke. Remove the snap rings, press one cap out, flip the frame to push out the other, then press the new caps in and refit the rings.

What else should I replace while the knuckle is apart?

Check the wheel bearings, axle shaft U-joints, seals and spindle while you are in there. Replacing worn parts now saves pulling the knuckle a second time.