I’m going to have to change my ball joints soon and have been hearing about the castor/camber sleeve needing to be aligned... it looks like on my truck that sleeve is fixed in one position and unable to be rotated/moved... any input is appreciated. Also been looking but unable to find greasable moog joints uppers and lowers..

2001 f250

 

Yes you need it aligned. Check you steering components as well. That way you get everything replaced that needs it, before the alignment.

 

IIRC it can be knocked out of position when the ball joints are out (or maybe even just loose). I used NAPA ball joints and they had zerks on them but I had to grind one of them down so the U-joint wouldn't break it off. Which reminds me that I need to check and verify that it didn't get knocked off.

 

I would mark the sleeve to get you back to close to where you started before loosening/removal of the upper ball joint nut.
I've rebuilt one D50 and two D60s. Marking the sleeves got me back to where I didn’t need to realign two of the three trucks.. granted this is assuming you didn’t need a alignment. There is a mark once the sleeve is removed that tells you the range of adjustment it’s able to complete, there are a lot of different adjustment combos. What I would do is find a specialty shop that deals with these big trucks.

as for the ball joints I’ve used Dana Spicer factory stuff on one truck. No greasable zerks. It had 160,000 miles on the original ones when I replaced them. I doubt I’ll be doing them anytime soon.

On the other truck I used Napa Gold greasable. On the uppers I used the little block off cap. I only went with Those because I couldn’t get the Dana Spicer ones in time. I was selling the truck and I had a guy who supposedly was hot to buy it. Of course he flakes out never to be heard from. But that’s ok they are fine. Whoever is gonna buy tha5 truck has a fully rebuilt axle outer sections.

The last truck was a buddy who was getting stationed in Virginia and had to drive cross country and his front end was a mess. I rebuilt it for him. I wasn’t gonna let him drive 3000 miles like that with his family. Same Napa gold parts.

 

1. only use spicer ball joints, they are what your truck was made with and are better quality then moog snd others
Ventures had great service and spicer genuine ( ebay and internet are full of counterfeits )
https://venturestruckparts.com/produ...le-parts-kits/

2. mark your inner bushing to the outer snd reassemble the same to get your current alignment when reassembled. clean all matting surfaces to spotless snd torque to factory specs

3. my preferred alignment spec
+.03* toe
+4.5* caster with *.05* split
0* camber
0.0* steer ahead

 

The alignment is where it should be so I don’t think it needs it. After I put the new joints in myself can it still be aligned by a shop?

 

I dont see why not.

 

I was was just curious the procedure of alignment

 

Just index mark the alignment bushing to the knuckle so it goes back in the same spot and that should put you close enough to the starting point.

 

$78/side for the genuine parts seems very inexpensive. Thanks for the link!

 

That was where I bought my kits. They have a Ebay account. The Timken hubs were actually cheaper at RockAuto. Sadly I’m actually selling that truck because I don’t use it much anymore.