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1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

Ball joint-what am I doing wrong

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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 12:32 PM
  #16  
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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 01:12 PM
  #17  
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I want to say, take the upper ball joint completely out and feed it through the knuckle from the inside upwards. Flip the adjust over and slide it over the stud, then possibly a spacer if needed and then the castle nut. My only question is...are TIB ball joints set up different than TTB's ? Everyone that I have ever seen had the stud coming through the top of the upper "finger" of the knuckle.
 
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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 06:14 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by reamer
it is upside down!
Threads Up on the top one.......casted adjuster need to be installed from the top.....
I double checked this the other day, but double check me again. I looked up a 2wd front suspension and they go in the opposite way, like he has them. The 4wd axles do go in from the top, the 2wd from the bottom though.
 
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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 06:31 PM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Franklin2
I double checked this the other day, but double check me again. I looked up a 2wd front suspension and they go in the opposite way, like he has them. The 4wd axles do go in from the top, the 2wd from the bottom though.
Hence My response about TIB being possibly different in ball joint configuration.
Mind sharing where you found that info?
But I still think it's possible that the OP has the adjuster inverted.
 
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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 06:45 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by WhatsAChevy?
So take the adjuster off and re-install it, inverted, so the adjuster shoulder is closest to the castle nut vs. seated in the arm which causes the supposed 1/4 inch gap. Is the adjuster shoulder a 1/4" ? Hmmm
 
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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 06:50 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by WhatsAChevy?
So take the adjuster off and re-install it, inverted, so the adjuster shoulder is closest to the castle nut vs. seated in the arm which causes the supposed 1/4 inch gap. Is the adjuster shoulder a 1/4" ? Hmmm
This pic was referring to the adjuster, not the complete ball joint, although i did have questions about TIB vs. TTB.
 
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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 10:04 PM
  #22  
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Old Aug 16, 2016 | 10:21 PM
  #23  
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Personally, I think they are the wrong ball joints ... I see nothing trapping that upper ball joint from being pushed up and out of the beam just from the weight of the vehicle.

The ball joint itself should only be able to go in from the center of the beam up.

Look at post#3 pic#1 ... On the old Ball Joint there is a shoulder (looks like a c clip) to prevent the BJ from being forced up out of the beam ...

-Enjoy
fh : )_~
 
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 05:25 AM
  #24  
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This is what I was looking at.

 
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 06:43 AM
  #25  
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This is a pic of how they were installed before-same on both sides
 
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 06:50 AM
  #26  
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Other side
 
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 10:13 AM
  #27  
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The top bj has snap rings that keep them from backing out
 
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 12:51 PM
  #28  
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It looks to me you have the correct parts. The upper bjs for the RWD have longer studs than the 4WD. The only difference I see is the space between the camber adapter. Use the previous pics to align the camber adapters exactly how they were. Also I cant tell from the pics but did you buy new camber adapters? If so put the originals back in and ditch the new.
 
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 01:19 PM
  #29  
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From my FSM.


 
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Old Aug 17, 2016 | 02:02 PM
  #30  
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I'm using the original cam adjusters and when I remove the spindle and tried to put the cam adjuster on the ball joint by itself it lacks that quarter of an inch making it to the rubber boot on the upper ball joint I'm beginning to think it's the ball joints too big but measuring it against the old one shows their exactly the same length and width-The cam adjuster on the driver side simply will not go all the way on the ball joint shaft and seat against the rubber boot
 
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