I have a 1997 F150 4x4 4.6 liter 140,000 miles. I want to replace just the lower ball joints but my service manual says you can't, that you have to replace the lower control arms. Is there any way around this?
View 5 RepliesI have recently replaced both tie rod ends and found out when I took my truck for an alignment the mechanic stated that I had bad driver side ball joints (upper & lower) I confirmed this with SEARS and they stated that it was all the ball joints upper & lowers! the Haynes repair manual (1999-2010) states "ball joints on 1999 through 2013 2WD models were not replaceable".
View 4 RepliesI'm halfway through replacing the ball joints on my '03 F-150 4WD. When I pressed the new lower ball joint in, it's snap ring groove is ~1/8" above the top of the lower control arm surface. These are Moog 8695T joints. I've taken them in and compared with another new joint at the parts store and they seem to be correct. This implies that the control arms are not correct- they're too thin where the joint presses in. The old joints sat the way they should, with the snap ring flat against the arm. The old joints are definitely different than the 8695T's- they are shorter from the shoulder of the joint to the snap ring groove. I'm guessing that now I'll have to replace the lower control arms, as well.
View 11 RepliesI need to do both lower ball joints. is there a write up or process to do it? do I have to remove the whole hub assembly/knuckle thing or can I do it with all that stuff in place?
View 4 RepliesI have an 06 F150 2wd that needs both lower ball joints. I've done searches and everyone keeps talking about a big freaking hammer. Can't you just use a ball joint press kit to remove and reinstall these? If no I'm gonna find someone to put them in for me because Im scared of breaking the aluminum control arm. There was also some talk of using some sorta glue on the joints as well.
View 8 RepliesI have replaced my ball joints and now putting everything back together. I am having trouble tightening the nut on the lower ball joint, the joint turns with the nut as soon as it starts to get tight.
View 2 Replies1999 Lumina / I need to replace the lower ball joint. The original one is installed by 4 rivets.
According to the factory service manual, you need to use 1/8 drill bit to open a pilot hole, then use a 1/2 bit to finish it.
On a level-of-difficulty-scale from 1 to 10. 10 being the most difficult. How difficult is it to change the upper control arm and the lower ball joint?
View 3 RepliesI am looking for info on how to replace the lower ball joint on my 2013 Sonata. I am not getting the common telltales of a failed ball joint that I would expect.
View 7 RepliesI have a right front lower ball joint very loose and wonder if that ball joint press fits into the lower "A frame". And how is it removed ? What size fork tool needed?
View 8 RepliesMy daughter has a 1999 Passat 4cyl.... In the last year I've had 2 lower control arms at the front ball joints just break away. Lucky it has been when she was either stopping or at very slow speed.
On inspection this looks like a very unsafe design flaw. The aluminum control arm is strong except for the light metal around the ball joint it's self. If one of these let go at speed it could be fatal!!
What causes the break other than normal wear and is there any signs before one lets go?
I'm looking to add a ball joint press/remover to my toolbox. Which one? Do I need adapters?
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Although I usually make my own tools, it is getting cold here quickly and LOTS to do before winter. I have the front drivers side parts ready to go on, but a tool like this could be very useful ..
Would this work on our Excursions/Superduty? Do I need any other adapters? Is it heavy enough for a couple of vehicles? Not running a shop, but have E350, my Excursion, and now F550 to do. Hence the tool "need" ...
At about 160k I noticed that the driver side upper ball joint was worn out and had a lot of play on it , so i replaced the upper control arm including ball joint(can't just replace the stock ball joint). I bought an aftermarket one with grease nipple...
Now about 2 years and 50k later, whenever I drive through a bumpy field, it sounds like something is lose and rattling right by that front wheel ,so i took off the wheel and checked the ball joint but it still seems tight..
Although I put in too much grease and that cracked the rubber boot, just leave it or should i replace the ball joint because of that rubber boot that is ripped open?
2009 f150, XLT 4x4, 6.5 ft box ....
Would bad lower front ball joints freeze and creak when turning. I have noticed that my car(2010GLS) with 108k miles has a creaking sound when turning the wheels left to right. I poked a hole in the rubber boot covering the joint and sprayed WD 40 in there and now it seem to creak even more. Guess I am going to replace the l and r lower ball joints.
View 9 RepliesDid ball joints this weekend and now have little axle fluid leaking out passenger side. was going to change axle fluid when i saw this so continued and when pulled the fill plug i would say 8oz or more came draining out. Did I mess up the seal inside the tube?
View 5 RepliesI had the ball joints and u joints swapped out in my Ex a week ago and something's been bothering me. I get a vibration when cresting 65mph that I can't pinpoint. It's not violent and it doesn't appear to be in the steering wheels as it's straight and not jerking at all. It doesn't really affect anything that I can tell either... it's not the vibration from out of balance tires or cupped tires, it's just enough to be annoying... and a concern.
I can't tell if it's coming from the front or the rear either... just seems to be a hum that I can feel that wasn't there before the repairs where done. Where to start?
OK, I've done a lot of things over the years on cars and trucks but never messed with ball joints on a F250SD 4x4 with 160k miles. Found out today when getting new tires that the ball joints are shot. I trust the shop but know I can do this my self. So if I'm going to do this what should I replace? Since I'll be doing this I want to know from those with more time under the truck than me what else should I be replacing at the same time. I have done the front wheel bearings and of course shocks. Just what am I in for and what other parts and brands should I be using? Bushing kits for stabilizer bar? Replace stabilizer bar with heavier after market?
View 12 RepliesI have a 2001 Ford Excursion. I had all 4 ball joints replaced and now I am experiencing poor steering and drivability. While driving in town and on the freeway I am constantly having to correct the steering. The car wants to dart to the right and then dart to the left. It will not drive straight for very long. Constant steering correction is very tiring, especially on long trips. Need to understand what is happening to my vehicle. What can I do to remedy the problem? The steering was not near as bad before the ball joint replacement.
View 14 RepliesI can't afford to replace it now and want to quiet the squealing that occurs only when I turn right. A mechanic sprayed something on there about a month ago that caused the squealing to stop for about a week, but don't remember what it was. It's a 2002 S.D....
View 14 RepliesI just noticed that the upper ball joint boots for both uppers are dry rotted and torn! Only 40k miles and the boot falls apart when I touch any portion of it. Is this normal, so much for quality?
Anyway my question is how hard is it to R&R them and do I have time? IOW will the ball joint wear out really fast?
Rust bubbles front of hood both corners, the tranny thing, now the ball joints all within 40k miles. rear glass trim breaks and falls off.
My 2004 f250 ball and u joint replacement job is at a bit of a stand still. Tore it down, brought the knuckle and axle shafts to an ex mechanic I know, because he has a 20 ton Harbor freight shop press. He mostly used a hammer, bashed out the old ball joints (I already had removed the u joints). U joint turned out fine.
I did notice the upper ball joint protruded a very slight bit on one side in the knuckle, meaning you could feel with your finger on the underside of the joint and on the one side it is not exactly flush with the interior of the knuckle. I would say it protrudes no more than a thirty second or so.
I brought it home, installed the boots on the moog joints, (the bottom was unusually difficult to put on), greased the joints and hung the knuckle on the axle tube, by a few turns on the lower joints nut. I then inserted the camber sleeve on the top stud, torqued the bottom to 49 fp then the top to 67 and finally the bottom to 150. End result, very stiff movement on the knuckle. No tie rod attached, and it takes to hands to move it from the "stopped" position,(turned all the way). I am sure it is stiffer than when I did the other side.
I tried loosening the nuts completely, same stiffness. I redid the torque sequence, no change. Tried hammering the ears around where the joints seat no improvement. The fellow who installed into the knuckle came and took a look. He agreed the knuckle was stiffer than you would hope, but, he suggested Putting it all together, as he believed they would loosen up before too long. I am not sure whether to try that, or remove the knuckle now, and redo with new joints. Pros and cons to either approach.
My question is : Does a knuckle become more sketchy by the time it is dealing with the pressing of a third set of ball joints? If I finish the install now, will a stiff knuckle action lead to other mechanical wear within a thousand miles or so, while I wait to see if they loosen up?