Ball Joints
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
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Ball Joints
Planning on changing out the upper and lower ball joints in my truck tomorrow. Any advice or suggestions before I start? I'm going by the instructions on:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ll-joints.html
Any other sites or experiences that will help me? As always thanks in advance. This site is awesome.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ll-joints.html
Any other sites or experiences that will help me? As always thanks in advance. This site is awesome.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 224
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From: stillwater, oklahoma
those instructions are great!! i used them myself; 1 thing i learned the hard way is that the seal in the end of the axle tube just pushs in about 1/16 of an inch they do not sit flush..
also you can use the 90* zerk fittings if you grind alittle bit off of them.
also you can use the 90* zerk fittings if you grind alittle bit off of them.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by totin_tools
I needed to get an 1 5/16 inch wrench dor the lower joint. Dont do a dummy like me 
and accidently push the axles in instead of pulling them out.
and accidently push the axles in instead of pulling them out.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,767
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Also, I used the "borrow a tool" program at Advanced Autoparts to borrow about $300 worth of front end kits.
1)Ball Joint remover/installer kit
2)Tie-rod puller (not the fork!)
3) 3&4 jaw reverseable puller
4) Fork kit (only use for the ball joints)
1)Ball Joint remover/installer kit
2)Tie-rod puller (not the fork!)
3) 3&4 jaw reverseable puller
4) Fork kit (only use for the ball joints)
Last edited by Orezona; Jan 2, 2007 at 10:25 AM.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 141
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From: La Porte, TX
What tool are yall using to put the knuckle seal on the axle and to put the axle back in the knuckle? Also how far do you know to go with the axle? Do you push it in till it stops or is there a certain depth.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
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Originally Posted by cdiddy
What tool are yall using to put the knuckle seal on the axle and to put the axle back in the knuckle? Also how far do you know to go with the axle? Do you push it in till it stops or is there a certain depth.
When you put the axles back in, the directions say to lightly knock them into the knuckle with a wood block. If you knock them in too far(or in my case, too hard), you may not be able to get the retaining clip on after the hub. Opps.
Good luck.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 899
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From: Irmo, SC
When I finally got the axles out I had to get new seals. The ones against the axle just push on, and the other I had pressed on. Try to find anyplace but FORD to buy the part. They wanted about $170 for the 4 seals. Instead I went to this place that makes driveshafts and they pressed on the seals and gave me four new ones for about $100.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 141
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From: La Porte, TX
Originally Posted by totin_tools
When I finally got the axles out I had to get new seals. The ones against the axle just push on, and the other I had pressed on. Try to find anyplace but FORD to buy the part. They wanted about $170 for the 4 seals. Instead I went to this place that makes driveshafts and they pressed on the seals and gave me four new ones for about $100.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 383
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Originally Posted by cdiddy
What tool are yall using to put the knuckle seal on the axle and to put the axle back in the knuckle? Also how far do you know to go with the axle? Do you push it in till it stops or is there a certain depth.
After you reassemble the knuckle, you insert the axle. Use a 2x4 over the end of the axle and hit it lightly till the seal starts to seat. Then instal the hub and as you tighten that down like a rim, the seal will seat.
I accidently knocked the seals in to far, when I tried to put the snap ring on the axle end outside the hub, I could not because the snap ring seat was too far into the hub. Good Luck.
Originally Posted by cdiddy
What seals did you have pressed on? Was it the seal that goes in the axle? I thought there was only two seals.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 899
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From: Irmo, SC
Originally Posted by shenders99
There are only four seals, 2 on each side. The inner one is easy (it is pretty much just a dust cover for the housing end) and can pretty much be done by hand, the outer one is a pain, it needs the special tool or Ford.