Do I need ball joints ?
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 236
Likes: 11
Do I need ball joints ?
1988 F250 5L 4wd 216,xxx miles
Past weekend I had the tires rotated. There is not uneven wear showing on the tires, I just had put 8000 mi on these tires from new and thought it should be done. They said I had play in the left side front ball joints and needed new ones.
Looking at the shop manual I don't see any ball joints on the front end of 4wd, just see them on the 2wd.
Am I missing something?
The local shop said about $500 to replace them - seems high but what do I know ?
Can't I do them ? What tools does it take ?
Past weekend I had the tires rotated. There is not uneven wear showing on the tires, I just had put 8000 mi on these tires from new and thought it should be done. They said I had play in the left side front ball joints and needed new ones.
Looking at the shop manual I don't see any ball joints on the front end of 4wd, just see them on the 2wd.
Am I missing something?
The local shop said about $500 to replace them - seems high but what do I know ?
Can't I do them ? What tools does it take ?
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 12,836
Likes: 2,437
Yes, a 4wd truck also has an upper and a lower ball joint. I don’t know about the price because I replace them myself. Can you do it yourself? I don’t know the answer to that question. They can be a bear to get out. You need to remove the front rotor(s), press out the joints or take the knuckle to a shop and have them replaced and then reassemble. If I remember correctly I used a 3/4” drive breaker bar and a long pipe to break the upper joint retaining nut loose.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
It sounds high because it is high, but they have to keep the lights on and pay taxes and provide sex change op surgery on death row inmates and the rest of it, so it's probably competitive. Ask yourself what your time is worth when doing the task. Sometimes the "special checkbook tool" is very useful! Make sure it's been calibrated recently.
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