Can the regular guy do it? I was looking it the Helm's Manual and it looks like the hardest part is the ball joint. Correct? The rest looks like bolts and that's about it. Correct? Having never had to deal with ball joints, how do you get the ball joint back together?

 

You don't actually take apart the ball joint. It pops out of the A-arm. When putting back, you fit the ball joint back into the A-arm and the nut gets torqued to the proper spec and this pulls the ball joint back in.
See the FAQs for my thread on doing the ring and pinion gear swap.

 

The ball joints are not the hardest part. The hardest part is how little room you have and how the diff is sort of wedged in there. Oh, and it also weighs a ton. Having done it, I can tell you I woudln't want to do it again, but it is defenitely doable. Just be prepared for a lot of swearing...

 

Also, don't strip the damn prop shaft bolts off or you will have to cut them off. A new set is also $26.

 

i've done it 2x, its not that bad at all.

 

So I would need to buy the ball joint tool, not that bad I guess.

 

air hammer with the balljoint popper tool. oh, sporay with with liquid wrench and let sit for a few minutes, then hit it with the air hammer with the ball joint popper tool and presto, comes right off. have had to pop many a baljoints pullin the h22 from the hatch three got damned times

 

If this is like an air powered "pickle fork", then I would advise against it. The average home mechanic using a pickle fork device will generally damage the rubber grease boot.

 

The picture in the Helm's looks like a screw is used to 'pop' the ball joint, correct?

 

Yes, it's a kind of spreader that incorporates a threaded bolt. I use this type: