Bad Ball Joints
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2002
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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: 940
Likes: 2
From: Morris Plains, 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
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 95
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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
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Junior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 95
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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.
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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.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Morris Plains, 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
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