Ball joints again
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Ball joints again
Quite a while ago I posted about hearing a cracking sound from the left front wheel when driving on a bad road or when stopping/making right turns. A hint from this forum was to change the upper ball joint, the lower ones last very long and usually don't go bad.
Anyway, I changed today the upper control arm which included of course the upper ball joint. Drove on a bad road, the sound is still there.
Now the prime suspect is the lower ball joint. I don't know how quickly I will get the parts and have the repair done. My question is: can the lower ball joint come apart which would mean that the spindle with the wheel would separate itself from the lower control arm
? - I've had this happen with my other car and it was very scary. Please let me know whether whether it's dangerous to continue driving around.......
Anyway, I changed today the upper control arm which included of course the upper ball joint. Drove on a bad road, the sound is still there.
Now the prime suspect is the lower ball joint. I don't know how quickly I will get the parts and have the repair done. My question is: can the lower ball joint come apart which would mean that the spindle with the wheel would separate itself from the lower control arm
? - I've had this happen with my other car and it was very scary. Please let me know whether whether it's dangerous to continue driving around.......
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Bloomfield, MO.
Ball joints again
If the lower Ball Joint came apart, it could cause a big mess.
I think you would know it though before they got that far gone, unless, I guess, if you hit a big pot-hole.
The lower Ball Joints are easier to replace than the top ones.
Just rent the tools at Auto-Zone, and get a big "cheater-pipe" to put on the end of your wrench for leverage when your cranking the old ones out and pressing the new ones in.
Also, don't put too much grease in them so that you don't burst the rubber boot.
I think you would know it though before they got that far gone, unless, I guess, if you hit a big pot-hole.
The lower Ball Joints are easier to replace than the top ones.
Just rent the tools at Auto-Zone, and get a big "cheater-pipe" to put on the end of your wrench for leverage when your cranking the old ones out and pressing the new ones in.
Also, don't put too much grease in them so that you don't burst the rubber boot.
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Ball joints again
Tom,
Before tearing the suspension apart, look at your sway bar links - both at the upper bar connection and the lower connection to the control arm. These get chewed up without being outwardly visible and you have metal to metal contact under certain conditions.
Aftermarket replacement link kits are cheap (~$9.00). They look rather cheezy, being just a long bolt, spacer, 4 washers and isolator bushings, but they do work.
Before tearing the suspension apart, look at your sway bar links - both at the upper bar connection and the lower connection to the control arm. These get chewed up without being outwardly visible and you have metal to metal contact under certain conditions.
Aftermarket replacement link kits are cheap (~$9.00). They look rather cheezy, being just a long bolt, spacer, 4 washers and isolator bushings, but they do work.
Last edited by aerocolorado; Sep 8, 2003 at 03:41 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Bloomfield, MO.
Ball joints again
Originally posted by aerocolorado
.... look at your sway bar links .... Aftermarket replacement link kits are cheap (~$9.00).
.... look at your sway bar links .... Aftermarket replacement link kits are cheap (~$9.00).
Thanks
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Ball joints again
Aerocolorado,
thanks for the hint. I will go for the sway bar links first. The sound I hear and the conditions would match your description.
The van is now 10 years old (6 years on straight German roads, 4 years in New England) and has 100K mls on the clock. I wonder whether the lower ball joints can be bad because I will order the sway bar link replacement kit in the US and and to save shipping costs, I would take the ball joints as well......
thanks for the hint. I will go for the sway bar links first. The sound I hear and the conditions would match your description.
The van is now 10 years old (6 years on straight German roads, 4 years in New England) and has 100K mls on the clock. I wonder whether the lower ball joints can be bad because I will order the sway bar link replacement kit in the US and and to save shipping costs, I would take the ball joints as well......
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Ball joints again
Pagemaker and Tomucen;
Page: I just picked them up at Kragen/Advance/Checker/et.al., through PartsAmerica online. You seem them occasionally on other Aerostars - can't miss those bright red isolator bushings.
Tom: I have only a single case for reference, my own van, but it had well over 200,000 miles when I rebuilt the entire front suspension and the lower ball joint was rock solid. Not a bit of wobble or wear was evident which was a real surprise as the upper joints had been replaced twice. This was on the E4WD but I believe the same joint is used on both models. Yes, they are fairly inexpensive when shipping costs to Germany are added in. That lower ball joint was used for many years on lots of different makes and models. With Ford's vast German connection you may find the same joint over there.
The lower rear control arm bushings also showed very little evidence of wear but since I had previously ordered the parts I replaced them. I was having problems with the outer edges of the front tires wearing prematurely. After the entire rebuild, I believe the worn out sway bar links were the biggest culprit. There was a noticeable crispness to the suspension and much less body lean after replacement.
Page: I just picked them up at Kragen/Advance/Checker/et.al., through PartsAmerica online. You seem them occasionally on other Aerostars - can't miss those bright red isolator bushings.
Tom: I have only a single case for reference, my own van, but it had well over 200,000 miles when I rebuilt the entire front suspension and the lower ball joint was rock solid. Not a bit of wobble or wear was evident which was a real surprise as the upper joints had been replaced twice. This was on the E4WD but I believe the same joint is used on both models. Yes, they are fairly inexpensive when shipping costs to Germany are added in. That lower ball joint was used for many years on lots of different makes and models. With Ford's vast German connection you may find the same joint over there.
The lower rear control arm bushings also showed very little evidence of wear but since I had previously ordered the parts I replaced them. I was having problems with the outer edges of the front tires wearing prematurely. After the entire rebuild, I believe the worn out sway bar links were the biggest culprit. There was a noticeable crispness to the suspension and much less body lean after replacement.
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Bay Point, Ca
Ball joints again
And don't forget the frame mounted bushigs that hold the sway bar too. I've changed both and I could'nt beleve how well it handled after that!!
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Ball joints again
yes the wheel can break off at the spindal while driving it.but you should check the rubber bushings on the sway bar at the front of the van they make the same sound when the are going or worn down i replaced mine they are 12 dollars and easy to install .i do all the work on my van:
Postmaster
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Ball joints again
Tom,
If that price is for both joints it may not be too far off - when shipping is figured in, but if it is for a single joint, that would be obscene. Here in the States they sell for around $32-35 apiece for TRW,Federal,or Perfect Circle brands.
If that price is for both joints it may not be too far off - when shipping is figured in, but if it is for a single joint, that would be obscene. Here in the States they sell for around $32-35 apiece for TRW,Federal,or Perfect Circle brands.
