Ball Joints
Ball Joints
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,781
Likes: 1
From: Central NY
You'll need a BJ press, if you rent one, make sure it has the directions or you'll waste a bit of time trying to figure the thing out. Some waste quite a bit of timie and others can't figure it out at all. LOL
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 1
From: Toledo, Ohio
Thanks Tim. Im assuming by the lack of responses its pretty straight forward. I guess the hardest part will be in pressing the old ones out. Im not even sure if theyre the original ones or not. I had to get some from Auto Zone but theyre greaseable and lifetime warranty.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 796
Likes: 1
From: Minnesota
I recently did my 92 F150 ball joints and u-joints. The worst part was getting everything apart. Mine was pretty rusty. I had to get the fire wrench out and a pickel fork with lots of pounding to get it apart. To press the joints out and put in the ball joints and the u-joints a ball joint tool kit is the best. Northern tool.com has them for $119 for the kit. Might be able to rent them also. I can give advice on how to use it. Just ask. Good luck.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
It's a lot of work and it will mushroom into more work because you'll end up striping the front axle down to the bare bones, a hub bearing socket is required and the spindle will need a BFH and chizzel to pry it off the yoke. Then you have to get both ball joint shafts out of the TTB arm at the same time so a pickle fork comes in handy. And then finally you can press the joints out of the yoke.. so might as well to do both considering how much work it takes to get this far. And if the axle shaft U-joints have never been change then it's also a good idea to replace those. You'll also need some big sockets and a hefty breaker bar or 3/4 drive ratchet and lenght of pipe, I exploded a 1/2 Craftman ratchet into a dozen pieces trying the get the nuts off the ball joints on my truck.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 8
From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
Lets see if this works, I went thru the steps once before here:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ml#post6580752
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ml#post6580752
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 1
From: Toledo, Ohio
Holy crap! The Haynes book doesnt say so much.. It basically says "pull out manual locking up stuff with 2 snap rings. Remove locking nut, remove hub, remove spindle retaining nuts, then remove spindle." Then it says to remove the ball joints and everything falls. I will definitely see about getting all the tools today.. before I take everything apart. I shouldnt have a problem not having big enough/strong enough tools cause I work on semi's... The thing is they have straight axles in front. One day ill get a solid axle.... 
Thanks for the in depth Conanski, and quaddriver the other thread link helps too. I looked for something before I posted but I couldnt find it. They need an easier way to refine a search.
Thanks for the in depth Conanski, and quaddriver the other thread link helps too. I looked for something before I posted but I couldnt find it. They need an easier way to refine a search.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 8
From: Cook Forest and Irwin PA
the last 'bad one' I did twisted off 2 NAPA 3/4->1/2 adaoptors! and my 3/4 ratchet took an issue. what got it off was a Stanley tools 1/2 breaker bar from walmart of all places, and a bit of praying that I was not about to go flying across the garage floor.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Yeah the Haynes manual leaves out all the juicy details.
It basically says..
"pull out manual locking up stuff with 2 snap rings. Remove locking nut" - Need special hub socket for this.
"Remove hub" - yes once both nuts and the lock ring between them are removed the hub/rotor assembly all but falls off.
"Remove spindle retaining nuts" - socket and wrench needed.
"Then remove spindle." - BFH and a chissel needed to pry that free of the yoke.
"Then it says to remove the ball joints and everything falls" - Wow they skipped all the really hard work here. First you got to get the ball joint nuts off.. which are castle nuts with cotter pins that are rusted so bad they have to be drilled out. Then you remove the nuts which will take a big breaker bar and something like a 1-1/8 socket and a 4' length of pipe just to budge. Then you need the BFH and pickle fork to unseat the ball joints shafts. Then the spindle will come off and you can remove the ball joint clips and use the press to remove and install new joints.
It basically says..
"pull out manual locking up stuff with 2 snap rings. Remove locking nut" - Need special hub socket for this.
"Remove hub" - yes once both nuts and the lock ring between them are removed the hub/rotor assembly all but falls off.
"Remove spindle retaining nuts" - socket and wrench needed.
"Then remove spindle." - BFH and a chissel needed to pry that free of the yoke.
"Then it says to remove the ball joints and everything falls" - Wow they skipped all the really hard work here. First you got to get the ball joint nuts off.. which are castle nuts with cotter pins that are rusted so bad they have to be drilled out. Then you remove the nuts which will take a big breaker bar and something like a 1-1/8 socket and a 4' length of pipe just to budge. Then you need the BFH and pickle fork to unseat the ball joints shafts. Then the spindle will come off and you can remove the ball joint clips and use the press to remove and install new joints.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 796
Likes: 1
From: Minnesota
I had to use an air hammer and chisle to get my spindles off. One side I destroyed the brake shroud. I ended up repairing it with new metal but what a pita. The ball joint nuts I cut almost all the way through with a high speed grinding wheel then I could break them loose. Still was a long weekend.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 1
From: Toledo, Ohio
Well luckily I dont have rust.. so the parts will probably just be pressed together from all the movement and heating/cooling. I went out and got a ball joint press thing but its cool because I can also use it on U-joints and truck brake anchor pins (which I dont usually replace anyhow).
But.. Where would I get a special hub socket? Would NAPA have one? Im gonna be doing this tomorrow and Ford dealerships are the laziest places around and arent open Saturdays... But every other one is! Or, do they sell this socket somewhere? Or is it just something I can find a socket for? I think that is the last of it. I have the screwdrivers, snap rings pliers, pickle fork, press, hammer, chisels, breaker bar, impact, and sockets
But.. Where would I get a special hub socket? Would NAPA have one? Im gonna be doing this tomorrow and Ford dealerships are the laziest places around and arent open Saturdays... But every other one is! Or, do they sell this socket somewhere? Or is it just something I can find a socket for? I think that is the last of it. I have the screwdrivers, snap rings pliers, pickle fork, press, hammer, chisels, breaker bar, impact, and sockets
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
Oh, what a fun job it is! The spindle tubes are a real picnic if they are rusted on to the hub. And you have to be gentle getting them off as they have the thread on the end for the 4x4 hub. But, a light coat of anti-sieze will make them come off real easily the next time. Figure on the brake shields being rusted out too.
To get the ball joint studs out, I heated, hammered and ground them out. I elected to take both spindles and both front axles down to an auto parts/machine shop and have everything pressed in. I think that for like 20-30 dollars, it was done in an afternoon. The guy told me he puts like 5 tons on the ball joints to get them out/in. At home, just trying to hold the spindle then use the portable ball joint press is a real pain, unless you have a huge vise to hold everything.
While its apart, do both joints, both sides, and both outer front axle joints too. The inner right side joint should be ok. If not, its a big job getting that one out. Mine's still original.
My steering linkage, factory equipped with grease fittings, is still original at 180,000 miles. Every factory lubed for life fitting was replaced on my truck by 70,000. Junk.
To get the ball joint studs out, I heated, hammered and ground them out. I elected to take both spindles and both front axles down to an auto parts/machine shop and have everything pressed in. I think that for like 20-30 dollars, it was done in an afternoon. The guy told me he puts like 5 tons on the ball joints to get them out/in. At home, just trying to hold the spindle then use the portable ball joint press is a real pain, unless you have a huge vise to hold everything.
While its apart, do both joints, both sides, and both outer front axle joints too. The inner right side joint should be ok. If not, its a big job getting that one out. Mine's still original.
My steering linkage, factory equipped with grease fittings, is still original at 180,000 miles. Every factory lubed for life fitting was replaced on my truck by 70,000. Junk.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 1
From: Toledo, Ohio
Basically everything that moves on my front suspension is bad. The problem is, I made this awesome decision to move so I can go to school and now I cant find work. So, all I can do now is afford ball joints, and possibly front U-joints just cause theyre so in depth. When I do the steering stuff im definitely getting greaseables. I need to wait on those because doing that means alignment.