tips on ball joints
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 63
From: Eastern, Idaho
tips on ball joints
Does anybody have any tips on doing ball joints on a 79 f150 4x4. I have all new ball joints, bearing seals and u joints and the wheel bearings are a year old. Is there anything else I should replace.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 0
tips on ball joints
I just ordered a ball joint press from Harbor Freights website. P/N 42236-3VGA is specifically for Dana 44 axles. $59.99 plus shipping and maybe tax depending on where you live. I have not had a chance to use it yet however I am watching this thread to learn anything you might find out in the process. Keep us posted!
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 380
Likes: 1
From: Meriden USA
tips on ball joints
Take a look at your brakes if you havent done them, this may be a good time to do so. Also if you have any bad wheel studs up front this is also a good time to replace those. Before you put the top ball joint in grease it then take the grease fitting out and put the plug in it. If you leave the grease fitting in the grease fitting will hit the axle.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 165
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From: Lisbon, Ohio
tips on ball joints
Oh boy are you going to have fun. Make sure you have a torch, the right tools, and a hammer. Make sure you don't hammer the threads on your ball joints when you put them in. And while your going to have your <a href="http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=37919709&siteid=39251846">tires </a>and axles apart, it might be a good time to check your tie-rods, steering stabalizer, and all your steering arms. It is a good idea to replace your bushings that are in your steering too. Because it is a WHOLE lot easier to do it with your truck torn down, then to do it later. Ok have fun and buy lots of GOJO.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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tips on ball joints
O.K. after fighting with my own ball joints today here are a few things I learned. Study the diagrams or your new ball joints to understand how they are best removed. Remove the nuts on the ball joints, then the threaded insert on the top ball joint, then remove the whole steering knuckle before trying to press out the ball joint from the knuckle. The top ball joint has a threaded insert which requires a special socket to remove. I had borrowed a Snap-on socket from a friend but I broke the socket on the passenger side. The insert is still in the axle - rusted solid after sitting in a field for who knows how long. I've soaked it with WD-40 (only thing I had at work), heated it with a propane torch, vibrated it with a rivet gun, and finally worked it over with an impact wrench when I broke the socket. I soaked it some more and told it tomorrow was only going to be worse - then I left it to think about that for a while.
I couldn't find the socket at the local auto parts stores - I will have to look around more tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out.
I couldn't find the socket at the local auto parts stores - I will have to look around more tomorrow. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
tips on ball joints
Use the "candle trick" posted in the garage forum to free rusted and seized parts... It works MUCH better than PB or WD etc.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
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tips on ball joints
Day two...
The Snap-on guy replaced the socket for free.
The threaded insert on the top ball joint is used to apply tension to the steering knuckles so that the truck will track straight and not easily wander. Yesterday I thought the insert was threaded on the outside to the axle housing and on the inside to the ball joint. It is only threaded on outside - the ball joint is a slip fit on the inside of this nut. I beat the steering knuckle off of the axle. After that was removed the insert easily unscrewed and the ball joints came out of the steering knuckle. It will be some time before I have enough money to get all the parts required to put this thing back together.
The Snap-on guy replaced the socket for free.
The threaded insert on the top ball joint is used to apply tension to the steering knuckles so that the truck will track straight and not easily wander. Yesterday I thought the insert was threaded on the outside to the axle housing and on the inside to the ball joint. It is only threaded on outside - the ball joint is a slip fit on the inside of this nut. I beat the steering knuckle off of the axle. After that was removed the insert easily unscrewed and the ball joints came out of the steering knuckle. It will be some time before I have enough money to get all the parts required to put this thing back together.
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