Ball Joint question
PMS: an obsession
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 804
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From: Kamloops
If you can take the weight off of your front end, you can usually pry around to check for movement. When it gets real bad, you apparently can hear them banging around.
I am going to need to do this soon myself, and am wondering who sells the best parts for a good price? Suggestions anyone?
I am going to need to do this soon myself, and am wondering who sells the best parts for a good price? Suggestions anyone?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
Get the front end up with the tires off the ground and get a breaker bar and put under the tire and lift up, any up and down motion or loose play you ball joints are bad, this is what I did. FTEpartsguy Ed just hooked Dieselcamper(Jay) with some greasable Motorcrafts at a great price, check him out..
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
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i just replaced mine, make sure you have a FULL day to work on them if your going to do them, replacing them can be quite a PIA... i have the write up that i used in my book marks at home.(at work right now) when i get home ill post up the link if someone doesnt beat me to it...
to check for bad ball joints lift up the front grab the tire at the bottom and lift up if there is movment try watching the ball joints them selfs and look for movement.
as for a good ball joint checker has the Moog joints($72ish) then the cheaper brand is $22 and has a lifetime warranty +they have grease zerks on them i got the cheaper of the 2... both have lifetime waranty couldnt see spending more for a name band with the same warranty
to check for bad ball joints lift up the front grab the tire at the bottom and lift up if there is movment try watching the ball joints them selfs and look for movement.
as for a good ball joint checker has the Moog joints($72ish) then the cheaper brand is $22 and has a lifetime warranty +they have grease zerks on them i got the cheaper of the 2... both have lifetime waranty couldnt see spending more for a name band with the same warranty
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
There is, but I would PM Ed or Jay(Dieselcamper) to find out for sure how long a warranty, I just learned from those guys that Motorcraft has the greasables now, or if they did I didn't know about it.
Good Information
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,288
Likes: 269
From: North of Greenville
I don't want to steal anything away from Ed, but I just placed an order yesterday for the joints and adjustable camber bushing from XRF Auto Parts for precision machined units that are also serviceable. I did a good bit of reading yesterday before deciding to not go back with Moog ball joints (which was installed on my passenger side last year).
The XRF units were very price competitive (something like $23-$24-ish each IIRC) and the adjustable camber bushing was $26-ish. Everything I read about them was good with no negative reports at all. While reading about their manufacturing process, I can say that I'm impressed because they use a harder cast steel unit than their competitors and then CNC precision-machine the joints to exact tolerances... all tolerance variances due to variations in the casting process are completely eliminated with this approach.
Here's the great thing about these units... they come with a 1,000,000 mile warranty... yes, that is 1 million miles!
Here's a link...Ball Joints, Tie Rod Ends, Idler/Pitman Arms | XRF Steering and Chassis Parts
The XRF units were very price competitive (something like $23-$24-ish each IIRC) and the adjustable camber bushing was $26-ish. Everything I read about them was good with no negative reports at all. While reading about their manufacturing process, I can say that I'm impressed because they use a harder cast steel unit than their competitors and then CNC precision-machine the joints to exact tolerances... all tolerance variances due to variations in the casting process are completely eliminated with this approach.
Here's the great thing about these units... they come with a 1,000,000 mile warranty... yes, that is 1 million miles!
Here's a link...Ball Joints, Tie Rod Ends, Idler/Pitman Arms | XRF Steering and Chassis Parts
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster, Pa.
I don't want to steal anything away from Ed, but I just placed an order yesterday for the joints and adjustable camber bushing from XRF Auto Parts for precision machined units that are also serviceable. I did a good bit of reading yesterday before deciding to not go back with Moog ball joints (which was installed on my passenger side last year).
The XRF units were very price competitive (something like $23-$24-ish each IIRC) and the adjustable camber bushing was $26-ish. Everything I read about them was good with no negative reports at all. While reading about their manufacturing process, I can say that I'm impressed because they use a harder cast steel unit than their competitors and then CNC precision-machine the joints to exact tolerances... all tolerance variances due to variations in the casting process are completely eliminated with this approach.
Here's the great thing about these units... they come with a 1,000,000 mile warranty... yes, that is 1 million miles!
Here's a link...Ball Joints, Tie Rod Ends, Idler/Pitman Arms | XRF Steering and Chassis Parts
The XRF units were very price competitive (something like $23-$24-ish each IIRC) and the adjustable camber bushing was $26-ish. Everything I read about them was good with no negative reports at all. While reading about their manufacturing process, I can say that I'm impressed because they use a harder cast steel unit than their competitors and then CNC precision-machine the joints to exact tolerances... all tolerance variances due to variations in the casting process are completely eliminated with this approach.
Here's the great thing about these units... they come with a 1,000,000 mile warranty... yes, that is 1 million miles!
Here's a link...Ball Joints, Tie Rod Ends, Idler/Pitman Arms | XRF Steering and Chassis Parts
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,288
Likes: 269
From: North of Greenville
I also forgot to mention that I put 4 Moog's into the front end of my Excursion earlier this spring, so I should be able to make a decent comparison from memory once the new XRF's arrive - hopefully they'll get here on Friday, because I'd really like to handle them and see how they look in real life.