Ball Joint Troubles
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2009
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Ball Joint Troubles
Hello, I have a 2000 F350 7.3L and I recently replaced the ball joints. The new Ball Joints are soooo tight that when I turn my wheel it just stays there. Its not very safe once you get on a highway. I have heard that some of them can take some time to loosen up. Is there anything I can do? What do you guys think? Thanks!
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,450
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From: Forest lake minnesota
What kind of ball joints did you use ? I put Moogs in mine last year and they were a little snug but not bad , I would pop the tie rod ends off and you should be able to swing the knuckle back and forth fairly easy , if not you either got bad joints or they where not pressed in correctly.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,450
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From: Forest lake minnesota
To start I would pop off the tie rod ends and check both side for bind, Maybe it's just one side you have to be concerned with and from there you can go about pinpointing the problem 
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,234
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From: Upstate NY
did you properly torque the nuts? or did you torque them with 4' of leverage and call it a day?
I had a wierd experience when I did my ball joints on my 2000 7.3 back in sept. I was lazy and just torqued the **** out of the nuts and then the knuckle was pretty stiff to move, I didnt like it so I back the nuts off and seperated it with the sledge and then properly torqued em and it was fine
I had a wierd experience when I did my ball joints on my 2000 7.3 back in sept. I was lazy and just torqued the **** out of the nuts and then the knuckle was pretty stiff to move, I didnt like it so I back the nuts off and seperated it with the sledge and then properly torqued em and it was fine
Freshman User
Joined: May 2011
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Mine were pretty tight when I first installed them. Not as tight as yours but they were tight. Over the summer they loosened up to a normal feeling now.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2011
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I have seen people over toark the balljoints and tierods and pull the ball out of the socket be careful and make sure that didn't happen with yours
Is there any squeaking or just no movement?
Is there any squeaking or just no movement?
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No there is no squeaking or grinding, it just is hard to move . I wonder if i can loosen the bottom nut without taking the whole thing apart again. I did notice that if i loosen the bottom nut it would free up and turn easier still without turning the nut and spindle, so now the only thing i can think is that when I tighten the bottom ball joint is it is pulling too hard on the ball and spindle piece. I know that they are seated all the way into the knuckle.
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