Upper Ball Joint Help
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Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2010
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Upper Ball Joint Help
1988 F150 5.0 EFI 4X4 Lariat TTB Suspension Left side Ball joints.
I Need some direction here...
I'm Having a real Hard time getting this Upper Ball Joint to Pop out,
I removed the Castle Nut, Marked my Camber sleeve, Been diggin around underneath the Knuckle, and between the Axle housing area for a C clip,
- Nothing)
Ive been Banging on the reveresed castle Nut with a 2 pounder, and its not movin'
Everything else came off like Butter after soaking it all in the "PB Blaster" for a day,-
Anyone been here B4?
Anyone have any Pic's on this job?
I Need some direction here...
I'm Having a real Hard time getting this Upper Ball Joint to Pop out,
I removed the Castle Nut, Marked my Camber sleeve, Been diggin around underneath the Knuckle, and between the Axle housing area for a C clip,
- Nothing)
Ive been Banging on the reveresed castle Nut with a 2 pounder, and its not movin'
Everything else came off like Butter after soaking it all in the "PB Blaster" for a day,-
Anyone been here B4?
Anyone have any Pic's on this job?
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 37
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No I havent removed the lower yet,- Its actually the lower that is Bad,
I figured since they were both coming out id start with the closest one......that being the top)
Ok- So with the lower removed, will I be able to see if there is a c clip somewhere? whats the benefit from taking out the lower first??
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 645
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From: Richlands, NC
The benefit from taking out the lower first is that all of the weight is coming down on that lower ball joint, if you remove that, the top one will be able to come out easier.
Honestly, i'm in the same boat you are. I've got to get the ball joints out of the left side...
So, we'll see how each other does it and see which one works better!
Honestly, i'm in the same boat you are. I've got to get the ball joints out of the left side...
So, we'll see how each other does it and see which one works better!
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 242
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Do you have the knuckle off the pickup, or are you trying to get the knuckle off? You will need it off to change them. Only the lower ball joint has a clip holding it in. If you are pounding on the threaded end of the ball joint to try get it out of the knuckle, you are pounding the wrong way. Both joints need to be pressed out from the grease zerk side.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 182
Likes: 1
From: Thornton CO
i just did mine this past two weekends. if your ball joints are on the knuckle the lower joint needs to come off first and be that last one on i think it's only on late model trucks I have a 96 so that's how I did it. earlier models have the joints in the axle (according to my haynes book) and the top ball joint needs to come off first and be the last one on when they are pressed in the axle housing.
When i was trying to take the knuckle off i was alson using a two pund hammer and nothing, so I grabbed a 10 pound hammer, it worked then. if you have an autozone close by i highly recomend going and using their loan a tool, i got their ball joint press and it was a breeze pressing them out with an impact. good luck
When i was trying to take the knuckle off i was alson using a two pund hammer and nothing, so I grabbed a 10 pound hammer, it worked then. if you have an autozone close by i highly recomend going and using their loan a tool, i got their ball joint press and it was a breeze pressing them out with an impact. good luck
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
1988 F150 5.0 EFI 4X4 Lariat TTB Suspension Left side Ball joints.
I Need some direction here...
I'm Having a real Hard time getting this Upper Ball Joint to Pop out,
I removed the Castle Nut, Marked my Camber sleeve, Been diggin around underneath the Knuckle, and between the Axle housing area for a C clip,
- Nothing)
Ive been Banging on the reveresed castle Nut with a 2 pounder, and its not movin'
Everything else came off like Butter after soaking it all in the "PB Blaster" for a day,-
Anyone been here B4?
Anyone have any Pic's on this job?
I Need some direction here...
I'm Having a real Hard time getting this Upper Ball Joint to Pop out,
I removed the Castle Nut, Marked my Camber sleeve, Been diggin around underneath the Knuckle, and between the Axle housing area for a C clip,
- Nothing)
Ive been Banging on the reveresed castle Nut with a 2 pounder, and its not movin'
Everything else came off like Butter after soaking it all in the "PB Blaster" for a day,-
Anyone been here B4?
Anyone have any Pic's on this job?
You're going about it right, hit that top nut/stud harder, better yet get a larger hammer. The top joint will "pop" free first then the bottom with a one or two more cracks of the hammer.
A larger hammer is a better option, get the job done with "solid" blows, fewer of them and is preferable in fact to repeated strikes with a hammer just to light for the job at hand.
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
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Looks my post won't help a thing if the 88's aren't the same as my 94. Looks like you have some good information now tho.
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I just did this last night on my '89.
There is no c-clip on the top joint and you don't have to worry about the clip on the lower until the knuckle is off of the truck anyway.
That whole knuckle has to come off and you use a press tool to remove/reinstall the ball joints. To get the knuckle off a "pickle fork" tool comes in handy. I hit the top joint until the camber sleeve came loose then used the fork where the bottom joint attaches. The ball joint tool works great when used correctly and does u-joints too.
There is no c-clip on the top joint and you don't have to worry about the clip on the lower until the knuckle is off of the truck anyway.
That whole knuckle has to come off and you use a press tool to remove/reinstall the ball joints. To get the knuckle off a "pickle fork" tool comes in handy. I hit the top joint until the camber sleeve came loose then used the fork where the bottom joint attaches. The ball joint tool works great when used correctly and does u-joints too.
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