Ok, last weekend finally had time to test my ball joints, but the wheel hubs well not for the reason you, guys and gals maybe thinking. Well I jacked my sweet lady up in the air (yes I used jack stands). Put my hands on the wheel like I was driving here and the wheel wiggled a little, so then I put my hands on 12 and 6. What I found out was I got a broken lower ball joint. She is snapped in half. Not sure if it snapped in half when I was turning her around in to pull her in the driver way or if she was already snapped before, but she is most definitely in need of repair. Will check the passenger side when it stops raining in my area. Will keep you guys posted on what is going on with my main love.

 

Glad you lived to talk about it.

 

take some pics

 

I took a few pics and will load them later. Also will take pics as I do the work. I have a question has anyone purchased any of the kits on ebay before? Such as the ones below.

STEERING SUSPENSION PARTS TIE RODS BALL JOINT FORD EXPEDITION 1997 - 2002 | eBay

eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

Not sure, but I know my tie rods are OG, so thinking about just attacking this head on and getting it done while I am down there. Been thinking of purchasing the latter linked site, but not sure. Company suggestions are welcomed

 

I would avoid cheap when purchasing medical care, parachutes, and ball joints / tie rod ends.

 

Well I attacked the ball joint job with vengeance, but lady luck was not on my side what so ever. Brake assembly didn't want to budge from around rotor, so I should have known I will be in for it. Finally got it off. The next step is to remove the rotor, well that is what I thought. Sprayed all kinds of PBlaster and going to let it do what it does. Would have taken pictures but camera is down for the count right now as well. Not having any luck right now.

 

You may to use that nut and bolt method to get your rotor off, and when you put them back on don't forget to put some anti seize around the hub where the rotor sets

 

How long does anti-seize work? I recalled using some years ago when I did my brakes and checked my rotors. A few of my bolts had some red junk around it when I removed them and that stuff had the bolts stuck pretty darn good. Took a ratchet and a wrench to get those off. But will make a note for adding a good amount more than likely I didn't use enough.

 

I can't say. The diy I followed made a note of it to prevent future sticking. Maybe someone who has done this a while ago will chime in.

 

The red junk on the bolts is a thread locking compound. It sounds like the bolts holding the caliper bracket in place. I usually put loctite blue on those when they go back in.

 

Yup, those are the bolts that I took off. This is the first time I ever took them off. I will have to look for loctite blue the next time I am in the part store.

The link below give me more insight to the difference of blue vs. red

Loctite Blue VS Red

Thanks for pointing that out c_hohensee

 

Back when I was younger and stupid(er), i made the mistake of putting anti-seize on the caliper bolts on the front discs. A few months later, i heard a loud scraping noise when braking. After a 30 mile tow back home, I found that I had lost a caliper bolt and the entire caliper and bracket was pivoting up against and scoring the inside of the aluminum rim when braking. Lucky it didn't cause an accident.

 

It is a good thing it didn't case an accident. I am sorry but I most tell you I started bagging up (lmao) when I read the "anti-seize", I can't even lie to you on that one. Glad it allowed you to get older and wiser.

 

If it isn't one thing it is another. Been working hard to get this rotor off of driver side. I have very limited time so not really making much head way. Moving at the end of this month. Anyway, I've tried almost everything under the sun; bolt & nut method, different size mallets and hammers, bathing it in PBlaster & using a puller. Using the puller method I thought for sure it was going to at least move a millimeter or something but nope. All it did was brake pieces off the rotor. One piece 1.5" that broke off was flung across my yard (22ft) [yes, I measured it I was curious] and stuck in the wood fence. Just to think I was standing in path of the projectile just a few minutes before it broke off. Well to Sears last night to get a socket to fit the hub nut, but I guess 36mm isn't large enough? Not sure what else I'll use it for but I'm going to keep it just in case. Going to purchase another jack as well and a small puller for the ball joints. A heavy duty 3 ton jack with 3 tons jack stand combo. To make this easier. My 2 ton is ok, but it isn't heavy duty, plus she has seen better days. Time for newer and safer.

If comes down to it, I'll just get new wheel hubs and rotors. She has around about 185k and not sure when if any of these things has been changed, so I see this as a good time to dig in.

<a href="http://s1066.photobucket.com/albums/u401/Man_tlac83/?action=view&amp;current=DSC02285.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u401/Man_tlac83/DSC02285.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1066.photobucket.com/albums/u401/Man_tlac83/?action=view&amp;current=DSC02283.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u401/Man_tlac83/DSC02283.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1066.photobucket.com/albums/u401/Man_tlac83/?action=view&amp;current=DSC02284.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u401/Man_tlac83/DSC02284.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

On a 4wd the easiest way I have found to remove the rotor is to take a sawsall and cut down through the rotor, careful not to cut into the hub. One small whack with a hammer usually breaks it and then it almost falls off.