Upper Ball Joint circlip Fun

[flintknapper]

I went out to shop and pulled a upper 555 out of the box. You're correct, it not like the lower snap ring. I now recall I used a snap ring tool from NAPA. I simply expanded snap ring and guide up over ball joint.
View attachment 2302457

Exactly right. A couple of pics for the 'visual types':

 

[lesgarten]

Good to go.

Those are the ones I ordered last week. Some years ago I had invested in a few sets of snap ring pliers sets. Thought I was set for life! Every clip I have encountered has given me some problems! I had just bought a set of those duck bills, just too short apparantly.

 

[lesgarten]

I guess you guys just fill up the boot with Mobil1 grease before putting the boots on? They didn't seem to have much in them.

 

[Beto Cruiser]

For what it's worth, I got the top ball joint snap rings off by c-clamping the side of the ring opposite the opening to the UCA and then used a hammer/chisel to pop each end of the ring up. Worked okay. Did pretty much the same thing to get the new one on. Getting the boot retaining ring on was a major pain though...