WOW great guide...However I should have listened about the wood block and not beating on the axle with a 3lb sledge...My bad...after trying to get the truck to a machine shop to fix my mistake the CV joint blew out...I decided to continue on instead of getting a tow...Then the hub bearing blew... then the bill from the shop...andn then the mad wife came in and now I am on the couch sleeping for a while...Anyhow I changed all the ball joints, all the tie rods, myself... got the shop to replace the CV and the Hub and I still came out 200 positive from the original quote without the CV and the Hub... Anyhow if it were not for me being a doo doo head I would have had as much success as everyone else...On the plus side I dont have that squeek anymore.

 

Kid of a random question but what size reciever tube is used when using the press. I have a buddy that has a press but before i have him send it to me I want to make sure he has the right tube. 2-3/4" I.D. x 3" O.D., 2-1/4" I.D. x 2-1/2" O.D., and 1-3/4" I.D. x 2" O.D these are the options that he said he had in the kit.

 

What about where the axle splines go into the hub receiver? Don't you grease both those before you insert the axle?

 

Thanks Racerguy! I cranked out my lower ball joints today. Awesome instructions - everything went smooth. Both were shot but driver's side was wasted. It popped when I moved it back and forth. Drove the truck afterwards and noticed a huge difference. You're the man. Thanks again.

 

I'll be tackling mine this week or weekend. I was going to replace the entire control arms (upper and lower), but can't find the drivers' side lower. I already did the uppers the other day, they were a snap. The lowers look like they would have been a lot more of a PITA, so I'm just going to go with the ball joints on those. Tie rod ends were replaced last year.
I do have a question/concern: I was trying to remove the brake caliper, and for the life of me I can't get the bolts off. I was using an impact wrench and that thing isn't budging. I just had it at Firestone doing my rear brakes (lifetime brakes) and had them check the fronts as well, so they must have seriously torqued those bolts on. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get them off now? I have a 1/2" ratchet/breaker bar, but not sure it's going to do the job. I already broke one u-joint socket trying to get those bolts off. If I can't get them off, can the job still be done with the rotor/caliper in place? I saw some of you had to leave the rotor on, but no one has mentioned the caliper as well. Just a concern before I dig into this and then can't get the caliper off.

 

You can leave the caliper on and unbolt the 2 caliper bracket bolts. This will allow you to take off the entire brake system as a whole. You have to do that anyway if you are going to take your rotor off so might as well save a the step of taking off your caliper and pads. I would recommend using some penetrating lube as the caliper bracket bolts are installed with at least 2-3 times the torque as the calipers bolts. You should probably spray it on the caliper bolts as well since you'll prob have to do a brake job at some point in the future. Good luck.

 

when we did the balljoints on the 97 recently the rotors were frozen to the bearing hubs so badly that the driver side one the 20 ton press could not separate it. the rotors were junk worn out and needed replaced so we had to get them off. it took heat and beating and a steel wood splitting wedge to finally get it spearated, and it took two days BTW. this is one retarded design.

if you live in the salt belt and want to replace rotors on a ford truck be prepared for trouble.


howcome these trucks cant survive 150k miles with original balljoints and rotors when every old 60s and 70s and 80s gm truck i have owned(billions) all still have had their original rotors and balljoints and steering parts etc.

even actually the old fords as well.

whats the deal ?


why do these trucks have crap parts on them?

best selling doesnt mean best quality/longevity.

for sure,.

weve replaced many balljoints for ppl with ford trucks over the years and recently.


good luck

 

It's kind of hard to compare the longevity of suspension parts from trucks of the 60's 70's and 80's to today. Modern truck's independent front suspension are radically different from the simple yet robust solid front axle or I beams of the past. The debate of IFS vs solid front axle can go on forever depending on what your purpose of the truck is. Regardless of which is better for towing, off roading, daily driver, etc comparing durability of these two vastly different styles is like comparing apples to oranges.

On the subject of parts being rusted on - BMW's are notorious for their wheels rusting onto the hubs. BMW uses hub centric wheels so the wheel actually rests on a small lip on the hub and then the lug bolts are installed through the wheels and into the hub. I see this happen in non salt road states so I can't even imagine how difficult it is to change a tire in a snow state. Too bad factories don't apply some anti-seize when they install these rust prone parts.

 

I thought I already posted this, but guess it didn't go through. I was referring to the caliper bolts that hold it to the hub, not the slider bolts. I have lifetime brakes at Firestone, so I'm not worrying about messing with that, but I need to get the freakin caliper off.

 

If there the same as my 2000 model bolts, then they shoulded be to hard to get off.
Roughly there no longer than a inch long with like a 9/16 socket head.

Just make sure your turning the rachet in the right direction (you should be pushing down on your rachet on the right side of the wheel opening).
(just making note-the harm intended)

 

I understand, and I know it's going the right way, plus the impact wrench reverse is always reverse. I'm gonna have to break out my 4' breaker bar and stand on this thing. I just can't believe Firestone torqued them on so freakin hard, surprised the bolt didn't break. Of course, this is assuming they actually took them off and looked at them as I requested, doesn't mean they did it.

 

Suggestion: spray some PB Blaster or whatever you use on it, then get a propane canister (like for plumbing) and put some heat on the bolt and it will come loose. Stubborn bolts always use heat. Without heat you risk breaking things.

Just One Man's Opinion

 

Well, you can add another person to the list of people that these instructions have helped do their own ball joints. It took a 4' long breaker bar to get those caliper bolts lose, just FYI in case anyone cared.
As most others, the 1st one took me a while to figure out the ball joint press. The instructions sucked. It kept saying to use this one part, but all that was doing was pressing the ball joint into itself. I finally figured out which one to use (either someone put it back in the wrong place (doubtful since they all fit in their own spots in the case) or the instructions just suck. I ended up using a different piece than they say to use, and man, "POP" it went, right out, no problem. Getting it back in was the same, crappy instructions, told me to use this and that, and I ended up using something different in the kit. All in all I'd say I spent a total of 4-5 hours on it for both sides, lower joints only. I did the uppers last weekend, they were easy. So, it's off to Firestone tomorrow to have them do an alignment, which I have a lifetime one with them, so hopefully it'll be free or a small fee for the alignment bolts I saw mentioned several times in this thread.
So, overall, here's what it cost me and how much I saved. I had been quoted $1046 by Firestone to do uppers and lowers. The uppers cost me $123 and the lower ball joints cost me $87, and 1 36mm socket was $18. Overall cost I'd say was right around $250 if you count the misc. shop supplies I also picked up, i.e. more grease to be 100% sure the new joints were full, and also to top off the tie rod ends (which were replaced just over a year ago). So, saved me $800. It would have been a lot quicker had the instructions in the press been better, but I guess that's what you get when it's a generic install/removal instructions. To other out there, keep that in mind. Just because the press' instruction say to use a certain part, use your head and use the one that best fits the purpose.
Oh, and hopefully that aweful squeak will be gone next time I drive it. Not sure the bal joints were the problem, but guess we'll find out tomorrow. They were definitely shot though, Firestone would not do an alignment 2 weeks ago due to how bad they were.
So, from yet another person on here, thank you RacerGuy!

 

what press did you buy and where? I just might do mine in August.

 

I just got the one from my local auto parts store. It's free to use if you buy the ball joints there, they just charge a deposit for the tool, in case you don't bring it back. The deposit was $150, and I just got it back this morning when I took the kit back to them.