I'm posting this info for those doing Web searches for a ball stud or better name Damper Ball Stud that anchors the liftgate support struts for the rear liftgate on Aerostars 1990 - 97. It may work on older Aeros.

The Ford part number is: N805696-S439

These can eventually break and the door comes crashing down. Loading or unloading after this event requires a decent level of weight lifting the door up or a long sturdy support stick. Finding replacements on the Web can be a bitch and eat hours. In some forum posts they have driven hours to wrecking yards.

Here are a couple of sources as of the date of this post. You need to set the quantity to 4 at Ford Parts Giant because they come in a box of 4. Since we have 2 Aerostars this is reasonable for us.


Damper ball stud N805696-S439 -N805696-S439 - Ford STUD - DAMPER BALL
Also: -N805696-S439-FORD-STUD - DAMPER BALL

On a couple of other posts in this forum I read that the broken ball stud will unthread easily with a chisel and hammer. You don't need an Easyout - in theory. My studs are in transit and I haven't tried this yet. I'll amend this post if something terrible happens or I learn a new trick.

Hope this helps!

- Jim

 

great info and affordable. Thanks.

 

R&R went very well, easy, and the parts ordered from FordPartsGiant.com were correct.

 

I've found an alternate source for the ball studs they're 50% less than the dealer so you can buy all four without breaking the bank. These are the ones I used.

BF Ball Stud 10mm=(3/8") Hi Rise M8 x 1.25 Thread

The only thing you have to reuse from the old studs is the captive washer (which allows the stud to protrude through the trim panel far enough). These also have a thicker tapered collar than stock where the ball meets the stud so they're stronger.

Removing the captive washer is easy place the washer in the jaws of an open vice with the stud facing up and drive the threaded stud through with a hammer grab the ball end inside the vice with a pair of vice grips to prevent it from jumping all over the place while you're driving it through. This process will destroy the threads on the old stud but that doesn't matter.

You now have to enlarge the hole in the washer (since it was captive) to allow the new ball stud to fit into it. Mount the washer in a vice and drill it out to 5/16.

This took me awhile and was the most tedious part of the job. Start with a smaller diameter bit and work your way up to 5/16.

After that they just thread right in.

My stock lift supports just went recently and while I had them out I decided to replace the ball studs when I read about the damage caused by them when they decide to let go in another thread.

I figured after 19 years with all that stress placed on them (each strut has a lifting force of 230 pounds) replacing them wasn't a bad idea .

 

Thanks for posting.