Who here changed their upper ball joints?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,385
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From: Mercer County, OH
Who here changed their upper ball joints?
I have a `96 Explorer that needs to have the upper ball joints changed. (After 228,000 miles I guess it's time.) The garage that I've been using quoted me a price of $650 to do both. I understand that the upper control arms need to be replaced when doing this so I know it's not going to be inexpensive. I can get the new upper control arms for about $90-100 a piece but I'm not sure what's all involved with changing them. Anyone here ever done this job and how did it turn out?
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2004
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Upper control arms (and ball joints) are relatively easy to replace. The difficult part was getting the pivot bolts and cams out on the driver side due to break lines in the way. But with a little fiddling they come out. An experianced mechanic could probably do both sides in less that 2 hours. Should cost $300 to $400 including parts. You'll probably need an alignment afterwards-$75(?). $650 seems high.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,859
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From: USA
I agree with rblais.
I even scribed a line around the cams to preserve the alignment.But had it chkd any way and it was dead on.
Its not that hard,just soak all the bolts with pb-blaster a day before doing and don't use heat on any steering components.
Rich
I even scribed a line around the cams to preserve the alignment.But had it chkd any way and it was dead on.
Its not that hard,just soak all the bolts with pb-blaster a day before doing and don't use heat on any steering components.
Rich
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
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If you look in the labor guides under "ball joint" it quotes almost 6 hours to do the job
If you look under "upper control arms" it's about 3 hours.
(The old 6 hour listing is for the old twin i-beam type suspension), but a lot of shops use it anyway to wring some extra money out of you. You might bring that up to them might save you a ton of dough!
(Oh by the way I can do ALL 4 ball joints in about 30-40 minutes)
Good luck!
If you look under "upper control arms" it's about 3 hours.
(The old 6 hour listing is for the old twin i-beam type suspension), but a lot of shops use it anyway to wring some extra money out of you. You might bring that up to them might save you a ton of dough!
(Oh by the way I can do ALL 4 ball joints in about 30-40 minutes)
Good luck!
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 222
Likes: 5
From: NE PA
Just worked for 2hrs to get cam bolt out. I couldn't get the right side one out, it was hitting the shock tower. Any tips from anyone on how to get it out? It is on a 2000 explorer 4x4, drivers side.
Thanks
Thanks
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 520
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It comes out you just have to get creative.. try rotating it around... if you have lines in the way take them loose from the plastic guides and sometimes you have to bend them a little bit... doesn't take much though...
just have to be persistant with it.. it is doable.. just a pain in the butt...
just have to be persistant with it.. it is doable.. just a pain in the butt...
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Mercer County, OH
It took me about two hours total to remove and replace both upper arms. Yea the pivot bolts on the drivers side are a PITA but take your time and get the brake and fuel lines out of the way first and then try and pivot the bolts as you work them out.
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
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Probably the first time, but i've done dozens.. i can get those suckers out in about 10 minutes hehe..
like i said it's an art.. I've had some come right out and others i fight and fight with. It's not so bad without those lines in the way though.
Just out of curiousity, how much labor time did firestone charge you? There are two listings in the book "R&R upper ball joint" and "R&R upper control arm"
Ball joint pays like 2.2 hours (guesstimate based on memory)
Keep in mind those labor times don't include the alignment.
Control arm pays 0.8?
If they charged you 2.2 they used the wrong labor charge... as that labor is for the twin i-beam suspension which your vehicle does not have.
like i said it's an art.. I've had some come right out and others i fight and fight with. It's not so bad without those lines in the way though.
Just out of curiousity, how much labor time did firestone charge you? There are two listings in the book "R&R upper ball joint" and "R&R upper control arm"
Ball joint pays like 2.2 hours (guesstimate based on memory)
Keep in mind those labor times don't include the alignment.
Control arm pays 0.8?
If they charged you 2.2 they used the wrong labor charge... as that labor is for the twin i-beam suspension which your vehicle does not have.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 222
Likes: 5
From: NE PA
I'm not sure, it was my brothers truck and they changed the lowers too (under warr.) and lumped the labor together. I do know the autozone price for the part was $92 and they charged $180 for the part! Not too bad! As for getting them out, the right cam bolt would not come out. I had the head of the bolt behind all the lines and it was hitting the shock tower. The left one wiggled out, but not the right.
Like you said, if you get those bolts out it is a quick job. I did both sides on my F-250 in 26 minutes, so I thought this would be just as easy. Guess not!
Thanks for the info!
Like you said, if you get those bolts out it is a quick job. I did both sides on my F-250 in 26 minutes, so I thought this would be just as easy. Guess not!
Thanks for the info!