Me and a couple buddies replaced the upper and lower ball joints on my 03 F250. We noticed the spindles were quite stiff after installation, but didn't think anything about it.

Test drove a block. Felt fine

Then I took it on a 30 minute ride back home and WELCOME TO THE OCTAGON!

Absolutely zero return to center, no tracking, there wasn't even a center. It was going right or left. It whooped my butt.

I got up this morning and greased them and it is WAY better. The truck is actually driveable now. It may need an alignment, but there's a center and for the most part it returns.

I posted this to say if you replace them and the spindles are stiff, grease immediately and save yourself some headache.

If you have a tire shop do this work, and have this issue, before taking it back for castor shims, a new steering gearbox, or anything else.....climb under there and grease your ball joints!

 

Thanks for the info. The last time I did ball joints it was a pain to get the nuts tight because the tapered shaft kept spinning.

 

Sounds like too much grease. Clean those tapers clean with brake clean.

 

There is a specific procedure for torquing the ball joint nuts so they don't bind. I don't remember it off the top of my head, but I followed it when I replaced mine and they were perfect from the get-go.

 

Short of cutting myself so blood is squirting everywhere, I can't imagine lowing the truck after replacing any of the joints without greasing them first.

 

+1 .

 

Tom A is correct. Torque the bottom to 35 ft-lbs, torque the upper to 70 ft-lbs and then torque the bottom to 150 ft-lbs.

Before attaching the tie rod turn the knuckle a left and right completely to avoid memory steer.

 

http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/_pdf_en2/DYK12_101_En.pdf

 

That doesn't sound right. You may want to lift the truck and see if your upper ball joint is now loose. I've seen when people don't torque the bottom first and tighten the upper ball joint into the alignment sleeve, causing it to expand and lock itself in place, until the lower is torqued and causes the upper to unseat the alignment sleeve.

 

You use Moog joints? If so you are not the first to have memory steer with Moogs.

 

Something's still not right. It tracks better and stays centered if you keep it there, but bump the steering and it's going that direction....the truck does not help you stay straight at all.

After changing lanes or going around a curve you must manually center the steering to straighten the truck. The truck doesn't dart or wobble. It simply will not return to center


- Previously with worn ball joints, there were zero issues. Truck drove great
- After installing ball joints, spindles were extremely tight
- The truck had no center at all after installation, it was either going right or left..period
- After greasing ball joints, there is a center and you can drive the truck straight, but there is no return to center
- Used Oreilly masterpro ball joints....other option was Moog for twice the cost...both offer lifetime warranty


May have tightened top ball joints first, but this issue doesn't seem like anything at all is too loose....too tight still if anything....what happens if alignment sleeve is unseated? no caster?

 

When you torque them in the proper sequence, tightening the top one takes a little bit of load off the bottom one (or something like that, but it works).

 

I used greaseable Motorcraft uppers and greaseable Raybestos Pros on the lowers. Turning the knuckle back and forth by hand was easy.)before the tie rod was put on obviously)

 

I'm willing to bet that the joints were installed with too much pressure, causing the body of the ball joint to distort and causing this. I have seen it too many times. People thinking the joint isn't seated and pressing them with tons of pressure.

I ALWAYS freeze the ball joints, heat the knuckle and always always always use some bearing grease on the body of the joint during installation. They just about fall into place and are operationally perfect every single time.

 

Has the truck had an alignment yet?