Powerstroke ball joints
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Nov 2003
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Powerstroke ball joints
Here are a couple of very good "how to" videos on replacing our ball joints.
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 323pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=431 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 323pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 15232" width=431><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 18.35pt" height=24><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff99cc; WIDTH: 323pt; HEIGHT: 18.35pt; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8" class=xl24 height=24 width=431 align=left>Ball Joint Replacement Videos (2):</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 18.35pt" height=24><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff99cc; HEIGHT: 18.35pt; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8" class=xl25 height=24 align=left>http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=WnI5mLLhJ2U&feature=channel</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 18.35pt" height=24><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff99cc; HEIGHT: 18.35pt; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8" class=xl25 height=24 align=left>http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=AiYR-K-_g1Y&feature=channel</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
I am getting ready to do mine. I sure would like to give the dynatracs a try, but the XRF may be more practical.
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 323pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=431 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 323pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 15232" width=431><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 18.35pt" height=24><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff99cc; WIDTH: 323pt; HEIGHT: 18.35pt; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8" class=xl24 height=24 width=431 align=left>Ball Joint Replacement Videos (2):</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 18.35pt" height=24><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff99cc; HEIGHT: 18.35pt; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8" class=xl25 height=24 align=left>http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=WnI5mLLhJ2U&feature=channel</TD></TR><TR style="HEIGHT: 18.35pt" height=24><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff99cc; HEIGHT: 18.35pt; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8" class=xl25 height=24 align=left>http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=AiYR-K-_g1Y&feature=channel</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
I am getting ready to do mine. I sure would like to give the dynatracs a try, but the XRF may be more practical.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: MA
I did mine recently as well. There's a huge thread in the super duty section with lots of info, those videos are there along with some others. The tool you can rent from Advanced that has the larger super duty cups and stuff worked like a champ, just make sure you have as many threads engaged as possible before you put the gun to it or bad things happen. 
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,319
Likes: 10
From: Mid Atlantic
Let me aks a stupid question...
How do you know if your ball joints need replacing? i.e what kind of symptoms do you notice? I have about 83K on my 6.0 and alot of people seem to be having problems near that mileage.
Also, after watching the video it's probably beyond my mechanical ability (although my son is studying to be an open wheel mechanic in the Army) what would a job like this cost at a shop?
How do you know if your ball joints need replacing? i.e what kind of symptoms do you notice? I have about 83K on my 6.0 and alot of people seem to be having problems near that mileage.
Also, after watching the video it's probably beyond my mechanical ability (although my son is studying to be an open wheel mechanic in the Army) what would a job like this cost at a shop?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,123
Likes: 35
From: N. Fort Worth, tx
Let me aks a stupid question...
How do you know if your ball joints need replacing? i.e what kind of symptoms do you notice? I have about 83K on my 6.0 and alot of people seem to be having problems near that mileage.
Also, after watching the video it's probably beyond my mechanical ability (although my son is studying to be an open wheel mechanic in the Army) what would a job like this cost at a shop?
How do you know if your ball joints need replacing? i.e what kind of symptoms do you notice? I have about 83K on my 6.0 and alot of people seem to be having problems near that mileage.
Also, after watching the video it's probably beyond my mechanical ability (although my son is studying to be an open wheel mechanic in the Army) what would a job like this cost at a shop?
to check ball joints requires that you lift the truck from the frame so the wheel is off the ground, then while prying up on the tire (with a pry bar) you would look for and measure for excessive play up and down.
symptoms could be poor returnabaility, excessive play. poping sounds from front end, abnormal tire wear. to name a few.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,319
Likes: 10
From: Mid Atlantic
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: MA
The best thing to do is to jack up the truck and pry up on the wheel. I saw no signs of worn ball joints, until I failed my state inspection. They were pretty worn when I got in there to replace them. The first video shows how to do this test, just like Cheezit said. It's pretty easy.
The dealer wanted just under 1000 dollars per side. The parts were 150-250 depending on whether or not you do the seals, and the tool can be rented for free (~170 dollars, which gets refunded, at Advance Auto). It is a fair bit of work though. Most people report taking a good 8-10 hr day the first time. I had about 5 hrs into one side thanks to breaking the tool, and some other issues. I could probably do it again in ~3 hrs. I'm fairly well equiped for an amatuer mechanic though. If you can cut, grind, and torch your way through the inevitible obstacles you'll encounter, you'll have less trouble. I hate this kind of work personally, but I'm glad I went through it and learned some of the tricks, it will pay off as time goes on.
The dealer wanted just under 1000 dollars per side. The parts were 150-250 depending on whether or not you do the seals, and the tool can be rented for free (~170 dollars, which gets refunded, at Advance Auto). It is a fair bit of work though. Most people report taking a good 8-10 hr day the first time. I had about 5 hrs into one side thanks to breaking the tool, and some other issues. I could probably do it again in ~3 hrs. I'm fairly well equiped for an amatuer mechanic though. If you can cut, grind, and torch your way through the inevitible obstacles you'll encounter, you'll have less trouble. I hate this kind of work personally, but I'm glad I went through it and learned some of the tricks, it will pay off as time goes on.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,123
Likes: 35
From: N. Fort Worth, tx
The best thing to do is to jack up the truck and pry up on the wheel. I saw no signs of worn ball joints, until I failed my state inspection. They were pretty worn when I got in there to replace them. The first video shows how to do this test, just like Cheezit said. It's pretty easy.
The dealer wanted just under 1000 dollars per side. The parts were 150-250 depending on whether or not you do the seals, and the tool can be rented for free (~170 dollars, which gets refunded, at Advance Auto). It is a fair bit of work though. Most people report taking a good 8-10 hr day the first time. I had about 5 hrs into one side thanks to breaking the tool, and some other issues. I could probably do it again in ~3 hrs. I'm fairly well equiped for an amatuer mechanic though. If you can cut, grind, and torch your way through the inevitible obstacles you'll encounter, you'll have less trouble. I hate this kind of work personally, but I'm glad I went through it and learned some of the tricks, it will pay off as time goes on.
The dealer wanted just under 1000 dollars per side. The parts were 150-250 depending on whether or not you do the seals, and the tool can be rented for free (~170 dollars, which gets refunded, at Advance Auto). It is a fair bit of work though. Most people report taking a good 8-10 hr day the first time. I had about 5 hrs into one side thanks to breaking the tool, and some other issues. I could probably do it again in ~3 hrs. I'm fairly well equiped for an amatuer mechanic though. If you can cut, grind, and torch your way through the inevitible obstacles you'll encounter, you'll have less trouble. I hate this kind of work personally, but I'm glad I went through it and learned some of the tricks, it will pay off as time goes on.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: MA
LMAO, that's funny. But ****, if they're doing it in 2 hrs my 3 hr estimate might be a little too optimistic. I respect the guys that do this work day in and day out, but they can have it. Same with fabricators. I spent months doing all of the piping and stuff for my compound turbo setup, when a fab/welder guy could have done it in 40 shop hours or less. For me, it's just too much like work.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: Mechanicsburg PA
My left side ball joints have gone out and I'm going to attempt to do them, I've done ball joints on a humvee while i was deployed to iraq so I got some experiance I guess haha.. I know I will need to get a new inner hub seal, thrush washer, and the yellow hub o ring, and axle dust ring, is there anything else?
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
From: Castalian Springs tn
My left side ball joints have gone out and I'm going to attempt to do them, I've done ball joints on a humvee while i was deployed to iraq so I got some experiance I guess haha.. I know I will need to get a new inner hub seal, thrush washer, and the yellow hub o ring, and axle dust ring, is there anything else?
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: central valley, CA
Never mind: http://www.dynatrac.com/products_dfgm_pro80hdfraa.html
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: Mechanicsburg PA
Haha thats when we bring in the steel rain and rounds start goin down range 
. Thanks for the support its much appreciated
. Thanks for the support its much appreciated
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