Hah.. for some reason my browser isn't showing links, and niether is IE. No matter, I found them by clicking like a mad scientist all over your post until I found the pictures. Thanks! Excellent howto!

 

Add me to the chorus of people who have thanked Racerguy for his instructions. They were great - thanks for taking the time to help all of us get this done. Can't say the local mechanics would be too pleased, though. Finished my lowers this morning. It took me way too long yesterday because, like an idiot, I was trying to use the directions that came with the ball joint press rather than the instructions here. I did it wrong to begin with and stripped the ballstud bolt, and then got it set up correctly but wasn't using the correct receiver cup, so the ball joint wouldn't push out (the cup, I later figured out, was resting on an outer ring of the balljoint and holding it in. I pushed so hard I dented the top of the balljoint before realizing my mistake). Anyway, you're the man Racerguy. Because of your help and the other outstanding features of this site, I'm planning to join the FTE club. This site has saved me well over the $19 one-year fee.

 

I just replaced the upper and lower ball joints and the front pads and front and rear rotors while at it.

This is a good no great step by step guide. I compared it to the Haynes and this guide requires the removal of less parts. The Haynes manual have you removing things you don't need to.

Note: If you replace the upper ball joint and arm remove the shock as this makes removing the bolt and installing the adjustable camber bolt and plate much easier (2001 Expy). With the jack under control arm, I hammered my ball joints out of the lower arm with about 4-5 whacks. To install the ball joints, I placed the jack under control arm and hammered the new ball joints back in place.

As usual the rotors were seized. It took me about 30 minutes to remove the first one. But the second one was off in less than five minutes. I soaked the second one with PB blaster while working of the first one. I don't know why Ford don't install the 2 threaded holes in the rotors like the foreign car makers do so you can use a screw to break the rotors free. By the way, I used plenty of antiseize on, which has been in my tool stash for many years now.

I've placed this step by step guide in the Haynes manual for ball joint replacement.

Thanks for the step by step and most importantly the pictures, which as we know is worth a thousand words.

 

Thanks for the great step by step instructions and pictures, this is the first time I've done balljoints and it went very well on my 97 FWD vehicle. I made sure I went out and rented a presser, but I couldn't find a picklefork. Saved us a bunch of $$$!
Thanks again!

 

Welcome to the forum Kreger

Good to hear another success story.

 

Racerguy,
New to this forum and I know this thread has been going forever but I have one quick question. Do you recomend greasing the axle shaft when putting it back into the knuckle? If so, just regular grease like you use on balljoints, tierods, etc.? Going to tackle this project this weekend, great write up and pics! Should save me lots of $ also! Thanks alot.

 

Welcome to the forum GMMatt87

There is a dust seal on the back of the wheel bearing where it goes into the knuckle. You could give that a light coat of grease if you want. I would usually use silicone dielectric grease on a seal like that but regular grease will work too.
Other than that there is nothing to grease on the axle.

 

One more very happy guy. Completed this job with little to no problems this morning. The procedure and tool list were perfect.

Thanks a bunch!

-Greg

 

I know I'm bringing this back from the dead, but I have a quick question:

What type of grease do you use for these parts?
With a 2WD, do you need to compress the springs?

Also, I'm looking to replace the upper arms, lower ball joints, pitman arm, idler arm, tierod ends, swaybar endlinks, rotors, and pads (whew, that's a lot of stuff). Anything else I should replace while I'm in there (swaybar bushings etc?) truck is a stock 97 expy with 185,000mi.

Thanks all!

Russell

 

so why does haynes say i "have to" replace the A arm because the ball joints aren't replaceable

 

Yup.

Unless you have aftermarket upper control arms, you have to replace the entire unit. Ford makes them as 1 piece. However, the Moog upper control arms do have replaceable ball joints in case you ever need to replace them later.

I'm still not sure what grease to use on these. I'm assuming I'm safe to use the same grease that I use for the wheel bearings? The disc brake grease that has some moly in it?

 

Most parts suppliers sell the entire A-frame and not just the ball joints. Additionally, the A-frames are not designed /setup to have the ball joints pressed in and out.

 

Racerguy, add my name to those giving thanks for the info here.

My truck is a '97 4x4 with 110k on it. The lower ball joints are shot, but I can't detect any unusual play in the uppers or tie rods. Since I'm gonna be there anyway, should I just go ahead and replace the upper arm assemblies also? The extra work doesn't seem that much, but I'd rather not spend the $$ for unneeded parts. Then again, I don't want to have to take it apart in the near future just to do the uppers.

What do you guys think?

Also, any brand preferences as far as replacement parts? Any to definitely avoid?

 

when i do my own work, i prefer Moog. Advance Auto Parts carries it, so do others, but AAP in my area is the best source.

 

"Most parts suppliers sell the entire A-frame and not just the ball joints. Additionally, the A-frames are not designed/setup to have the ball joints pressed in and out."

Look at your replacement A-frames. In my case they use the same ball joints as are supplied for the lower arms, so I'll take advantage of it next time!