draglink/ balljoint q's
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 174
Likes: 2
From: Anchorage, Alaska
It can be done yourself. It involves pressing out the old bushings and pressing in new ones. I recommend the brass bushings (instead of plastic) which also involve reaming to fit the king pin after they are installed. So it does take some good tools to DIY.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 784
From: Simi Valley, CA
24 to be exact. If you don't have the proper tools, getting the old king pins out, can be a real b!tch.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 674
Likes: 0
Converting my 67 to front disc brakes. got all the stuff off a 77 so I took the I beams and spindles to the local machine shop to get the bushings pressed in and reamed for the new king pins. The kid there honed them, he was an idiot and didn't know what he was doing. I should have know he was an idiot because he couldn't figure out how to put his baseball cap on his head straight. Had to find a new shop that still had an "Old Guy" like me that knew how to ream them. I can't see how anyone without a properly equiped machine shop could ream them correctly. You can buy the plastic ones and there is no reaming required but I've heard those only last 20 to 30 thousand miles. Also, don't replace only one side, just like brakes or shocks, you need to do both sides at a time.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,338
Likes: 6
From: UPSTATE NY
yeah drag link, rag joint, and shocks are no problem for me but the kingpins i am nervous about doing myself. but like you said theres tons of shops out there that want to suck your wallet dry and/or they have no clue what they are doing with a wrench in their hand.
