I bought new tires a couple of weeks ago and the Mechanic there told me my ball joints were shot. I chuckled and said I just tested them a couple of days ago and they feel solid. He had the front end jacked up placed a pry bar under the front tires and lifted up very hard and I heard a clunk. When I got home I jacked the truck up put jack stands under the front axle and grabbed the top and bottom of the wheels. I couldn't get them to budge.
Next I jacked the truck up by the frame and still couldn't get the tires to budge. They are rock solid. I don't feel or hear any clunking from the front end while driving. I have 207,000 miles on the original ball joints and the truck doesn't ever go off road. I had a 1995 F250 7.3L so i know bad ball joints... lol. Just seems weird that I can't get them to move at home. Is the guy's method at the tire shop the correct way to test ball joints?

 

You have to check it under load, that's why you use the pry bar underneath picking it up. I also pry off the knuckle side to side when the truck is on the ground.

 

So they probably are in need of replacement? I was thinking they lasted a heck of a long time.. lol. Thank you!

 

Yeah, if that prybar is making them clunk they need to be replaced. He's not putting anywhere near the load they see with bumps on the street with that prybar, so if it moves with that they are definitely moving while driving around.

 

I did similar tests. Everything felt rock solid. I posted my alignment problems on this forum in both the diesel and the van specific forum. Everyone said to replace the ball joints since my alignment was already out.

Removing the steering knuckle is easy. I am no mechanic. I watched my buddy do ball joints on his E350 van 2 years ago.

He walked me through the procedure on my E350 van and I am sure it's similar to your truck. I texted him photos and he told me how and what to remove. Easy!

The first side took me about an 75 minutes to remove everything. The second side took 15 minutes. Buy yourself a heavy ball hammer at harbor freight. Remove the wheels, brake calipers, hubs, and the steering knuckle.

I bought the 48 ounce hammer and it knocked the steering knuckle loose in a few pops.

I brought each steering knuckle one at a time to my mechanic and he had the ball joints removed and installed in about 15 minutes. If you have your own impact wrench or hydraulic press you can do it yourself.

I had the van aligned and was told my camber was out. I took the readings from the alignment shop and called one of the companies that sells the camber kits my numbers and bought the correct camber bushings. It was spot on and saved me $200.

 

Hey Jonathon, maybe you need to go to the gym. lol

 

Now that's funny! You got me...hahaha

 

Here you go Jonathan maybe this will help.

Ed

 

Thanks for the reply, I had an alignment done at a different shop a couple of weeks ago and the truck runs straight. I had a terrible pull to the right before that but it turned out to be the tires (the steering also felt like the pump was going south). The new tires fixed it all.
The ball joints give me a reason to get another tool!! Harbor Freight is right down the street.. lol. Thanks for the tips!

 

Thank you that did help, youtube videos are great! Replaced the Hpop last Fall watching videos!

 

Going to be more than just one tool.



Sean <BR>

6.0L Tech Folder

 

Even better!! hahaha.. I watched a video where a guy used a c-clamp looking tool that didn't seem to bad plus I have a couple of buddies that like to help... lol I'll just fire up the BBQ!

 

Be ready the ball joints don't seem to mind coming out it the going in that
can be FUN. Also if you have 4WD you need the seal driver or someone that will
install the seals for you. The driver is also used for seating the seal into the knuckle.
So it's handy to own one. Also don't forget the nasty snap-ring pliers. Most get the
Harbor Freight set and go through a set or two doing both sides. Or you can spend
the BIG bucks and go with a tool truck set.

Let people know and they should be able to find the part number for the tool truck
Snap-Ring pliers.



Sean <BR>

6.0L Tech Folder

 

When I tested the ball joints with a pry bar under load both were solid. The ball joints were old and brand unknown. I bought a complete set from Amazon for about $125. Both upper ball joints were toast upon removal. I spent $400 total including wheel works life time alignment and camber bushings. It took 3 trips to the alignment shop to get it spot on. The techs were thrilled to help. Management was not because I knew more about alignment (thanks FTE!) than the manager.

 

I still haven't found a shop that will do an alignment around here except for the dealer.........long bed crew cabs are too long for the rack.