Used ball joints and nitro tubes?

[Demonoid369]

So some know I amazingly got d30 nitro tubes at nwfest from a fellow jeep guy(he had a wj) for $20. Well I want to finally install them before the thanksgiving run, the confusion I'm having is can I take the knuckles off and reinstall them after without replacing the ball joints? The ball joints I'm pretty sure are either the factory or 1st replacements but they have no play in them. My mind says yes I can but just need a confirmation as they are older ball joints.

Side note: I know I should change ball joints but because I do plan to weld braces to the knuckles I don't want to install new ones and then burn the grease or explode them. Which is why I want to reuse the ones I have now till I do plate the axle C's

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

So some know I amazingly got d30 nitro tubes at nwfest from a fellow jeep guy(he had a wj) for $20. Well I want to finally install them before the thanksgiving run, the confusion I'm having is can I take the knuckles off and reinstall them after without replacing the ball joints? The ball joints I'm pretty sure are either the factory or 1st replacements but they have no play in them. My mind says yes I can but just need a confirmation as they are older ball joints.

Side note: I know I should change ball joints but because I do plan to weld braces to the knuckles I don't want to install new ones and then burn the grease or explode them. Which is why I want to reuse the ones I have now till I do plate the axle C's

Yep just take the knuckles off..

Freeze those tubes for 24hours before installing, and it helps if you go get a toilet brush from dollar tree and tape it to a broom handle to clean out the axle tubes


Reinstall the knuckles

 

[BoringDave]

Yes you can reuse ball joints. But you shouldn't have to take the knuckles off. Just remove the unit bearings with the axle shafts attached. That should give you enough room to drive the sleeves in through the center of the knuckle. You will want to get the inside of your housing super clean.

 

[BoringDave]

Yep just take the knuckles off..



Freeze those tubes for 24hours before installing, and it helps if you go get a toilet brush from dollar tree and tape it to a broom handle to clean out the axle tubes





Reinstall the knuckles

Good idea freezing them. I ended up making a driver to get mine to seat all the way in.

 

[Mnkyboy]

The tubes will need to be welded in so why not make some C gussets and burn everything in at the same time?

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

The tubes will need to be welded in so why not make some C gussets and burn everything in at the same time?

The nitro tubes are a press in fit

No welding

 

[Mnkyboy]

I see, I've only seen the weld in ones.

 

[Demonoid369]

I don't have room in a freezer for these nitro tubes. So rough guessing, how long would it take if I sat them on dry ice?

 

[ruger81]

I don't have room in a freezer for these nitro tubes. So rough guessing, how long would it take if I sat them on dry ice?

lay them in a regular cooler with ice overnight. That's what my brother did.