finally got the tool and ive started to do the job, everything is off driveshaft the lot, but ive come to a bit of a stop. i have removed the nut off the upper ball joint and i have done the same on the lower, (i need to get the assembly off so i can press a new joint in). the trouble is i cant seem to shift it. according to the manual it comes off with a good hit from a hammer. there is just 1 thing under the ball joint nut there is some kind off big heavy duty thick washer, a angled 1 that has got notches either side. has this got a internal thread? dose this need to be removed for the knuckle to come off? it seems to be sitting on top of the camber adjuster (ive never seen anything like it before) any advice is welcome

thanks

 

That is the camber adjuster. Mark it so you know exactly the way it is in there otherwise you will have more probs after re-assembling everything. It is not threaded or anything but, the only way a good whack with a hammer will help is if it has been removed recently. I had to use a pickle fork to seperate mine. You place it between the knuckle and the balljoint so you are wedging the knuckle down. I tried with a regular hammer on one side and it took about 2 hrs. On the other side I use a 12 lb sledge and it took 5 hits. Dont remove the nuts off of the ball joints all the way or you could wind up with a smashed foot when it breaks loose. Just run the nut off till about half is still on...that will catch it when it breaks loose. For more details on how to do the ball joints...here is a link. Using a manual press is a bitch...I spent $40 at a machine shop and they pressed out the old and pressed in the new. Saved alot of headaches. anyway...here is that link....
http://www.off-road.com/ford/bigbron...balljoint.html
When you put it all back together, use some anti sieze on the adjuster. Your alighment guy will love ya for it and it will save alot of time. DO NOT use anti sieze on the ball joints themselves...or they will just spin when you put the nuts on. I had to use a pair of vice grips with a rag below the threads and ran the nut down and back off before installing the knuckle. It will set the threads so that when you put it all back on the truck, they wont just sit there and spin. You will be able to actually tighten down. Those are lock nuts that are on there and the news ones grip real tight. So thats what causes the spin...so thats why I ran em on and off first.
GOOD LUCK!

 

so i dont need to remove any of that camber adjuster thing?????, once the nut is of the upper ball joint it should be free to fall ( with the help of a sledge and a splitter of course)

 

You can remove it but if you do...mark it. It is just a sleeve that the ball joint threads slide through to the nut on the top. Once you have the knuckle off...mark the adjuster, then from underneath..knock it upwards til you can pull it out. Then clean it up with a bit of emery cloth, then a little anti seize...and just drop it back in.

 

thanks for the info. didnt have a splitter fork or a 12lb sledge. all i used was a crowbar with a 15 stone guy standing on it, and a 2lb hammer shocking the assembly. i pressed it in in work tonight so im putting it back together tomorrow. i'll see how it goes.

cheers