-
Step 1
Secure the front end of the truck using a floor jack and a set of jack stands. Place the jack stands toward the middle of the truck in a secure area. Remove the wheel by loosening and removing the lug nuts, then lifting the tire off the hub studs. Put the wheel and lug nuts in a place where they will not be lost or damaged.
-
Step 2
Access the snap ring by removing the brake caliper. This will require removing the upper and lower mounting bolts and rolling the caliper up and off. Never hang the caliper from its own cables; instead, use a metal coat hanger to create a hook and hang it from the a/c lines.
-
Step 3
Use a pair of needle-nose pliers and place the ends through the holes on the snap ring. Open the pliers, causing the snap ring to come off.
-
Step 4
Set up the ball joint press based on the side of the ball joint where the snap ring is located. If the snap ring was on the top, you need the press to drive downwards. Place the appropriate driving cup on top of the ball joint and hold an appropriately sized receiver cup on the bottom of the ball joint.
-
Step 5
Place the press with the driving screw on the driving cup and hand tighten the screw down to hold it in place. All of these parts will come with the ball joint press, which can be rented from most tool stores.
