Bad Ball Joints
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Greece New York
Bad Ball Joints
I replaced the upper and lower ball joints on the right side of my 4x4 Ranger this weekend and had it aligned. WOW what a difference. My question is what would make the ball joints go bad? Prior to them creeking I was in some deep puddles from the rain. Could that cause them to go?
Thanks,
-Phil
Thanks,
-Phil
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 943
Likes: 2
From: Randolph, NJ
Driving through water could have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Ball joints need grease. Stock ball joints are "Greased for life", which basically means that you can't put a grease gun on and shoot them full of grease. This means that over time, grease gets out and water/dirt gets in. This will lead to squeaking and eventually breakdown/failure of the ball joint. If you replaced them with some of the aftermarket ones that have grease fittings (zerk fittings), you should keep them lubed every 6k miles or so (every other oil change). If you used stockers, you have another 100k or so.
Any reason you didn't change the left side at the same time? If they are the same age, they are probably ready to go and you will have to get the alignment done again when they do start creaking.
-Jim
Any reason you didn't change the left side at the same time? If they are the same age, they are probably ready to go and you will have to get the alignment done again when they do start creaking.
-Jim
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Greece New York
Pretty easy
The uppers are not seperable from the control arm so the whole upper control arm must be replaced. That is really easy. The hardest part was getting the ball joint out to the steering knuckle. (When you put the new one in use anti-sieze.) The lowers however can just be pressed out and replaced. I bought the whole arm thinking I could just drop my torsion bars and install a new lower arm but I couldn't find a tool to release the tension for the torsion bars so I ended up bringing the truck to Ford to have a lower ball joint pressed in and an alignment. If you need a lower arm with new bushings and ball joint for a 4x4 ranger I have one for sale for 78.50$ on EBay.
Just watch how the alignment cams come out when you take out the upper arm. Other than that pretty simple. Any other questions E-Mail me at BigBlock428@cs.com.
-Phil
Just watch how the alignment cams come out when you take out the upper arm. Other than that pretty simple. Any other questions E-Mail me at BigBlock428@cs.com.
-Phil
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Greece New York
The arms should be the same between the Explorer and Rangers but mine is a 1998 and the suspension is different between 1996 and 1998. Your truck has the twin beam suspension. The ball joints should be able to be done at home using a ball joint press. They are available for rent at autozone.
-Phil
P.S. If you go back to the menu for the Ranger and B series forums... Click on my screen name for this thread and My E-Mail address will be available if your interrested but I will continue to watch the thread.
-Phil
P.S. If you go back to the menu for the Ranger and B series forums... Click on my screen name for this thread and My E-Mail address will be available if your interrested but I will continue to watch the thread.
Trending Topics
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 10,562
Likes: 4
From: South Jersey
FordMan190,
He won't be able to use that feature until he has 25 posts, could you drop him an email.
He won't be able to use that feature until he has 25 posts, could you drop him an email.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 6 Best Deals Available on New Fords & Lincolns Right Now
Brett Foote
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 943
Likes: 2
From: Randolph, NJ
Originally posted by stRanger706
hmmm...what happens when the ball joints "fail" or completely "go out"? will anything bad happen like a wheel come off?
hmmm...what happens when the ball joints "fail" or completely "go out"? will anything bad happen like a wheel come off?
-Jim
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
GocartMozart
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
6
Mar 5, 2015 10:18 PM
tssngs75
1999 - 2016 Super Duty
5
Nov 18, 2014 04:24 PM
