Expensive Front End
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 90
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From: Newton, Kansas (3 syllabl
Expensive Front End
My 81 F250, my first 4wd, has TTB ball joints that are shot, lots of play. One of the tie rod ends is toast, too.
The mechanic said the ball joints are a pain, lottsa pounding and cussing, and I should figure on at least $600 to replace them
I'm still in shock.
Is this a reasonable price? How long can I expect them to last? How hard would it be to convert to 2wd? (Another farmer down the road has a burned-out 81 f250 rusting in peace)
The mechanic said the ball joints are a pain, lottsa pounding and cussing, and I should figure on at least $600 to replace them
I'm still in shock.Is this a reasonable price? How long can I expect them to last? How hard would it be to convert to 2wd? (Another farmer down the road has a burned-out 81 f250 rusting in peace)
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 525
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the ball joints should be around $30 each it took me 3 hours to do both sides on my superduty, Your truck is a little different but not much. autozone will lend you the press to remove the old ones and install the new ones if you want to do it your self. I think you might want to find a different mechanic it sound like he is planning on beating them in and out with a hammer, And $600 seems high to me.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 297
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the ball joints on that rusted out 81 are probably just as bad. i second doing the ball joints yourself, i had a shop do my ball joints cause they "looked" bad. and some how i had to pay for it. and that was about 500 bucks.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 18,423
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From: iowa
Ball joints bieng bad is easy to diagnos, but on a 23 your old truck I wouldn't be suprised at all, to check them lift the truck by the axle then place a pry bar between the axle, and the knuckle right next to the ball joints (top or bottom or both) and pry if you have any movement in the ball joint it is bad.
$600 is a little high but not as bad as I sounds, but I would call around, and ask other shops what they would charge to do it. one thing does the $600 include realigning the front end?
if you are even a little mechanically inclined you can do this yours self but I would have it realigned once you are done, and I think you could get the whole thing done for around $200-225
$600 is a little high but not as bad as I sounds, but I would call around, and ask other shops what they would charge to do it. one thing does the $600 include realigning the front end?
if you are even a little mechanically inclined you can do this yours self but I would have it realigned once you are done, and I think you could get the whole thing done for around $200-225
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 90
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From: Newton, Kansas (3 syllabl
The ball joints are bad, I've seen the play in them and there's a lot of it. The truck does tend to wander slightly and I suspect the swingarm pivot bushes may be loose as well. I'm sure an alignment is included in the estimate ("at least" $600), which also includes the left tie-rod end.
I will call around. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined but short on tools, time and confidence for this, though I haven't ruled it out. Another website has a tech article on doing it, complete with pictures.
I will call around. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined but short on tools, time and confidence for this, though I haven't ruled it out. Another website has a tech article on doing it, complete with pictures.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,739
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From: GANS
My suggestion is... buy a new truck. I'm not trying to be mean, if you can't work on your own old truck, then you might as well put that $600 down on a newer truck.. Because once you spend $600, there will be another $500 and another. (old trucks can be pretty needy)
If you do them yourself, you'll save probably $450 dollars. I did the ones on my f150, and it isn't that hard.. it would have been 10x easier if I would have rented a ball joint press.
it is very doable.. You just need an 1-1/8" socket and a 1-5/16" wrench, a pickle fork ($20 at sears, don't get once from an autoparts store, they suck), a wheel bearing nut retainer nut socket ($10), a 9/16 socket and a few misc allen wrenches and screwdrivers, and most important, a BFH....
If you do them yourself, you'll save probably $450 dollars. I did the ones on my f150, and it isn't that hard.. it would have been 10x easier if I would have rented a ball joint press.
it is very doable.. You just need an 1-1/8" socket and a 1-5/16" wrench, a pickle fork ($20 at sears, don't get once from an autoparts store, they suck), a wheel bearing nut retainer nut socket ($10), a 9/16 socket and a few misc allen wrenches and screwdrivers, and most important, a BFH....
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Atlanta GA
I have done ball joints on various vehicles, including Aerostars, and the TTB is fairly easy if you have the correct tools including the ball joint press. At least on teh TTB you do not have to burn off factory rivets.
The Autozone one does not have the correct adapter for a Dana 44, neither does the OTC one I bought. I have used big impact sockets to make my own adapter. It will take about six hours to do both sides with the proper tools taking your time. I wonder what the flat rate time is for the repair?
The Autozone one does not have the correct adapter for a Dana 44, neither does the OTC one I bought. I have used big impact sockets to make my own adapter. It will take about six hours to do both sides with the proper tools taking your time. I wonder what the flat rate time is for the repair?
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Logistics Pro
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From: GANS
Originally Posted by rebocardo
I have done ball joints on various vehicles, including Aerostars, and the TTB is fairly easy if you have the correct tools including the ball joint press. At least on teh TTB you do not have to burn off factory rivets.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,711
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From: Pittsburgh
If you have a vice and a couple of big sockets (1 1/4 and a 7/8 IIRC) you can do the balljoints without the "proper" press. It also makes it easier since while you're cranking down with a BJ press you need a second preson to help keep it steady. If you have a vice, the table is the second person. Using this method I replaced all 4 balljoints on an '80 TTB in about an hour. Mind you the front end was already stripped down, but 15 minutes a joint isn't bad at all.
To do the 4WD BJ's there's alot of disassembly and reassembly that needs to be done like pulling the hubs, spindles and axles. If they haven't been off, it can be quite the chore to get the spindles off.
Justin
To do the 4WD BJ's there's alot of disassembly and reassembly that needs to be done like pulling the hubs, spindles and axles. If they haven't been off, it can be quite the chore to get the spindles off.
Justin