I've already done the ball joints on the '03 Excursion I sold last month, and am getting ready to do them on both my truck's driver side (passenger side done about a year ago) AND the '03 Excursion I bought to replace the other one.

I've read all the procedures, and got an idea I thought to run by you guys which is apparently not really new, but I've not seen it mentioned in any of the other ball joint threads I've read on here (makes me wonder just a tad if it's a bad idea on our PSD's for some reason, even though I think not).

Have any of you placed the new ball joints in the freezer the night before doing the kob to help with the re-installation part of the process? I've seen a lot of other vehicle forums talk about this being very helpful, but I have NOT seen it discussed in here. I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't be just as good of a technique on our trucks, but would appreciate your thoughts.

I've also seen, though, where some guys use a torch to heat up the knuckle before inserting the frozen joints, but I'm really leary about putting heat on my suspension components because I know what heat can do to change the metal's crystalline structure and strength characteristics, and would rather leave heat out of my ball joint replacement process (and that goes for the part where I sweat while working in Southern summer sunshine, but I'm not willing to wait 4 months to avoid THAT heat).

So... whatcha think?

 

It can't hurt anything I don't think Pete, but do you have a press at home to press them in? If not, by the time you get to a shop and get them pressed in the "coolness" will have worn off, if you know what I mean

 

I'll be "borrowing" the ball joint press from either O-Reilly's or Autozone, same as last time. My small compressor is not on a dedicated circuit, and last time we spent more time resetting breakers and getting the thing back up to pressure than we did in running the impact wrench and press clamp, which is what I want to minimize on this effort because I'll be doing a front leveling kit and 6 joints at the same time (instead of only 4 joints).

 

After wrestling with mine, I wish I'd have tried it at the very least. They won't be so cold that they'll be dangerous to handle (like if you had liquid nitrogen!! haha) and the small amount the shrink may make the difference in how hard your compressor works. Given that the ball joints would get colder during a Canadian winter, and they survive that just fine, your freezer will pose no issue.

 

Thanks, guys. I think I'll wipe them down with a little light oil first, though, so I can minimize any potential rust that could be associated with condensation once the come out of the freezer.

 

I think the freezer idea is a good one. No reason it would hurt anything. The torch idea works fine minus the handling of a HOT assembly. And as far as i remember any time you heat and cool hard steel it only strengthens it.

 

Bury them in dry ice for an hour?
Might want to be careful doing that, the rubber boots would become rather hardened and brittle from being that cold.

 

When I use to replace bearing on motors and pumps we would heat the inner race of the bearing to 250*. This would allow it to expand just enough to slip onto the shaft. I have a melt stick that smears at the 250* mark. My point with all this babbleing is that it dosen't take much heat to expand it.

 

The freezer really isn't cold enough to help out much, if any at all. You need something much colder than that to get it to shrink significantly. If that were the case then anyone living where it gets in the sub-zero temps would have constant ball joint issues. You'll benefit most from heating up the knuckle really good, or use a chemical to really freeze the ball joint.

 

Does this mean the new and improved leveling kit is almost ready Pete?

 

I'm getting really close, Joe. I got my shocks on last weekend, and am doing a couple of HPX crossovers and AutoEnginuity work this weekend, and hope to dig into the ball joints and leveling kit a week from Friday. My goal is to have some cut away samples ready for viewing at Riffraff East in several weeks.

On the heating issue, yes, heating CAN increase hardness, but along with increased hardness comes increases brittleness, especially when combined with rapid cooling which is what causes the granular structure to fracture into smaller grain particles within the metals structure, and that smaller grain size is what provides both higher hardness and brittleness.

Jim, you're the second person who has mentioned limiting the heat load to about 250F... any higher and you're risking breaking down the grease and rubber boots.

In terms of the freezer causing "constant ball joint troubles" for people in extremely cold climates, I'm not sure I agree with that completely even though I understand the thought process behind that statement. While installed, I expect the weight of the vehicle, combined with the snap ring and threaded nut will keep the ball joint in position and a small difference of say 0.001" should not cause enough play for that contraction to be problematic.

Besides, all I'm really looking for is probably less than 0.001" total combined relief in the knuckle opening and joint base diameter to reduce the installation friction. Given my small compressor and electrical circuit load limits, any benefit at all will be a great help, and perhaps the heating will provide the majority of that help. I just don't want to degrade the knuckle's granular structure, and if I can keep the heat limited to about 250F and I don't quench the knuckle afterwards, I should see some benefit.

I appreciate all your inputs, guys.

 

Ive done quite a few sets on the front Dana 50/60 ford front axle (6 IIRC), and many others. If you have a ball joint press tool, and air tools I dont really see any benefit. If you dont, I feel bad for anyone trying it. I wouldnt know what to do without air tools, and a ball joint press.

 

I always put mine in the deep freeze. It does help. I usually heat the knuckle up some to aid in pushing them out. It is usually still warm when putting them back in. I also slather them up with anti-sieze. It all helps a little and has made installs a lot more smooth.

 

If I ever get by your place Pete I am going to make it a point to fix that for you.

 

I have the ball joint press, along with companion kit that has the tubes and spacers for most trucks. I makes 'short work' out of a ball joint install.
My family always used to make fun of me when I "broke out" the air tools. I think they were just jealous.