Upper and Lower Ball Joints
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 819
Likes: 2
From: Northern Maine
Just heated the control arm around the old joint. That expanded the hole that the joint presses into. The old joints actually broke in two pieces but that was caused by the big hammer more than anything else. You have to use the press to put the new ones in too. Don't use the big hammer trick on the new ones or you could easily damage them. As I understand it, some Rangers (4x4?) require that the entire control arm be replaced but mine had replaceable ball joints. (On the Tempo and older Taurus the ball joints are part of the control arm. The entire thing has to be replaced)
5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Dan,
Thanks very much - zactly what I needed to know - I am still surprised there is no consensus on the reason Ford says the ball joints are not replaceable and so many people replace them with seemingly good results... anyway, willing to give it a shot - especially since it is a second vehicle and I can always get a half day into it and then "consider" what to do :-)
BTW, I have not actually done the shake test on the wheel while elevated - but, the rubber boots are completely torn apart and it does the rattling thing .... since am gonne be into it so far, I was considering replacing shocks and doing bearings - would you do anything else?
Thanks - I really appreciate your help and responsiveness!
Thanks very much - zactly what I needed to know - I am still surprised there is no consensus on the reason Ford says the ball joints are not replaceable and so many people replace them with seemingly good results... anyway, willing to give it a shot - especially since it is a second vehicle and I can always get a half day into it and then "consider" what to do :-)
BTW, I have not actually done the shake test on the wheel while elevated - but, the rubber boots are completely torn apart and it does the rattling thing .... since am gonne be into it so far, I was considering replacing shocks and doing bearings - would you do anything else?
Thanks - I really appreciate your help and responsiveness!
New User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Ball joints...
I recently replaced the upper and lower ball joints on my 99 2WD. I bought them form AutoZone, they were about $22 for the upper and $32 for the lower. I removed the upper control arm and used a hydraulic press to remove the ball joints. For the lowers I used the C clamp type press with the control arms in place. The ball joints came out and went in without any problems. Just be sure they go in straight. I also replaced the brake pads and turned the rotors and repacked the wheel bearings while I had everything apart. Good luck.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 819
Likes: 2
From: Northern Maine
The boots on the ball joints are only to keep the dust out, which, over time, will cause them to wear prematurely. As wes555 says, check the brakes and wheel bearings while your right there (you don't have to remove the wheel bearings to replace the ball joints) You can replace your shocks if they need it, like if they are leaking and / or are weak. The last post helped jog my 50 year old memory. It was the uppers that we had to take the press apart and put it together upside down but it did work without taking the upper control arms off.
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
parts are a lot
If i remember right (I had same truck) Upper arms were $100+ each (had to replace upper arm and joint as a unit) and lowers were mere reasonable- like 15 or 20 ea.
With roughly $250 in parts you are left with 200 in labor. Figure 3 hours at $70 and you're right at his quote.
If you can DIY you can save some dough...
good luck- jim
With roughly $250 in parts you are left with 200 in labor. Figure 3 hours at $70 and you're right at his quote.
If you can DIY you can save some dough...
good luck- jim
