Test for bad ball joints?
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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Test for bad ball joints?
Hello all,
Any Excursion or truck specific way to check for bad ball joints? I have been having this knock at stop and start for a few weeks, that feels like it's coming from the driver front. Jacked up the truck and try to move the front tire it doesn't move, OK not the ball joints. I figured it was the front sway bar bushing or maybe the Driveshft/Slip Yolk needing grease as mentioned on this GREAT site. Bushing looks OK, so its the grease that's needed, feeling better already.
Brought the Excursion into a new to me independant station(he did come highly recommended by a neighbor) to check the knock. I mention that I don't think it's the ball joints or the sway bar bushing but might be the Drive shaft/Slip Yolk needing to be greased. He calls and he memtions that I need upper/lower ball joints on the passenger side, that they are about to fall off and he will show me how to test for bad ball joints, my way wasn't correct.
Truck does have close to 80000 miles so it might be due but how does one tell on this truck?
Thanks.
Tony
Any Excursion or truck specific way to check for bad ball joints? I have been having this knock at stop and start for a few weeks, that feels like it's coming from the driver front. Jacked up the truck and try to move the front tire it doesn't move, OK not the ball joints. I figured it was the front sway bar bushing or maybe the Driveshft/Slip Yolk needing grease as mentioned on this GREAT site. Bushing looks OK, so its the grease that's needed, feeling better already.
Brought the Excursion into a new to me independant station(he did come highly recommended by a neighbor) to check the knock. I mention that I don't think it's the ball joints or the sway bar bushing but might be the Drive shaft/Slip Yolk needing to be greased. He calls and he memtions that I need upper/lower ball joints on the passenger side, that they are about to fall off and he will show me how to test for bad ball joints, my way wasn't correct.
Truck does have close to 80000 miles so it might be due but how does one tell on this truck?
Thanks.
Tony
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Junior User
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I did go to the shop and yep, the passenger side ball joints are bad, he used he same test(just jack up the tire and try to rock the tire up/down 
). Just found it strange that I felt the knock on the drivers side and never even thought of checking the passenger side.
). Just found it strange that I felt the knock on the drivers side and never even thought of checking the passenger side.
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Junior User
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It is a 2003 4x4 V10 Limited. I hope to have it back sometime today and boy these things are pricey!
Getting it ready for the camping/dog show season and making sure that everything is in tip-top shape.
New shocks/front steering stablizer/tires/SilverStars within the last 5000 miles, had a transmission flush just done. Installed a Hellwig rear sway bar, and RAS this past weekend and now ball joints. Hope that's it for a long while.
Tony
Getting it ready for the camping/dog show season and making sure that everything is in tip-top shape.
New shocks/front steering stablizer/tires/SilverStars within the last 5000 miles, had a transmission flush just done. Installed a Hellwig rear sway bar, and RAS this past weekend and now ball joints. Hope that's it for a long while.
Tony
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 284
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From: Simi Valley, CA
I was just quotes 5.9 hours acording to the book for a 4x4. I got the MOOG ones from Rock Auto.
I took advantage of having my gears changed and had them press in new ball joints since they had the axels out anyway.
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Junior User
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Parts and labor came to alittle over $900.00 for both sides upper/lower and the Moog greaseables were used. The labor charge was pretty steep, but the truck really rides great (could be the Hellwig and RAS which was done over the weekend), no clunk and I feel real good going into towing season.
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It is a 2003 4x4 V10 Limited. I hope to have it back sometime today and boy these things are pricey!
Getting it ready for the camping/dog show season and making sure that everything is in tip-top shape.
New shocks/front steering stablizer/tires/SilverStars within the last 5000 miles, had a transmission flush just done. Installed a Hellwig rear sway bar, and RAS this past weekend and now ball joints. Hope that's it for a long while.
Tony
Getting it ready for the camping/dog show season and making sure that everything is in tip-top shape.
New shocks/front steering stablizer/tires/SilverStars within the last 5000 miles, had a transmission flush just done. Installed a Hellwig rear sway bar, and RAS this past weekend and now ball joints. Hope that's it for a long while.
Tony
Beth
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,070
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From: Central Texas
5.9 hours?! WOW! I did my own in about 3 hrs and had never seen the front end of a super duty before.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Damascus
hey I keep hearing about the drive yoke needing grease but I can't find it or a zerk on the drive line anywhere. 2001 psd ex ??? HELP!
Never mind found the answer in another forum, good stuff but hey Ford why no zerk?
Never mind found the answer in another forum, good stuff but hey Ford why no zerk?
Last edited by betontheturtle; Apr 10, 2008 at 12:37 PM. Reason: found the answer
