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Ball joint replacement

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Old Jun 7, 2008 | 12:26 PM
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nissen4
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Ball joint replacement

I am in the process of replacing upper and lower ball joints on my 94 F150 2WD. I have everything loosened up, brakes removed, etc, and am to the point of removing the spindle, but it seems to be stuck. What is the best way to get this thing off? Am I correct in assuming that the spindle, with the ball joints attached, seperates from the axle and then the ball joints ore removed from the spindle? Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Ray
 
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Old Jun 7, 2008 | 06:50 PM
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ball joints stay with the spindle. one castleated nut on top and a hard to get off nut under the ujoint. mine ball joints were VERY VERY hard to get out of the hub. i ended up using a seletion of bars and big sockets and a sledge hammer and some help. i couldn't press them cause of the angle they're at. if i remember right i had to hold my mouth the right way to get it off once i had loosend the nuts off...maybe had to turn the ujoint a certain way. but they did come off.
 
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Old Jun 7, 2008 | 09:45 PM
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Big o hammer. And I used a tie rod fork to wedging and put pressure on it before using sledge.
 
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Old Jun 8, 2008 | 07:57 AM
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The big hammer worked, I have them apart now. Now, getting the ball joints out of the spindles is another challenge.
 
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Old Jun 8, 2008 | 08:55 AM
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I take a ball pien hammer and your large one and pound out if you don't have a press . Some Parts houses will rent the small press at little cost . and the press will help going back in. Good luck
 
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Old Jun 8, 2008 | 04:48 PM
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the ball joint press works well-sometimes if you don't have the right cups in the press you have to make your own
 
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Old Jun 8, 2008 | 09:21 PM
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So far no luck getting the ball joints out of the spindles. I used one of those ball joint removal tools that looks like a big c clamp with some sleeve like fittings. Could not get them to budge, even using a LOT of leverage. Unless someone here has a good idea how to get these things out, I'm off to the machine shop in the morning to let them press the rascals out.
 
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Old Jun 8, 2008 | 09:33 PM
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Talking

If you use the ball joint press. Use a impact to tighten it and tap the outside were the ball joint is pressed in. I've done tons of these. don't be gentle. I just did all four in mine last night. I could have taken pictures for you.. Good luck

Wayne
 
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Old Jun 9, 2008 | 01:01 AM
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the ones in my diesel were aweful to get out. (lots and lots of hard miles on it) i used a nice piece of round stock and i held the round stock with my hands and wedged my feet against the spindle and had my old man swing with the sledge.. i tried with a 2 lb as hard as i could swing and barely move it but the 6 lb with the awkward setup worked great. just make sure you have someone you trust on the end of the sledge. lol. i used the same setup with a big socket over threads on the ball joint to get them back in.. it was pretty redneck but worked real good. once i got the first one out (kinda awkard angle i put the stock through the hole of the ball joint i removed already and got at the second one. it came out easy after i got it all figured out.
 
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Old Jun 9, 2008 | 10:44 AM
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Pretty much the same process for an '89 F250?
 
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