Ford Super Duty (1999-2016) :: F250 - Ball Joint Replacement?
Apr 30, 2014
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?
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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?
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I 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?
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I 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....
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I 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.
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Took my truck in to get the wheel bearings replaced (driver's side was singing pretty loud). Decided to have the ball joints replaced at the same time since they were still original at 133,000. Got the truck back and the steering is just not right. At high speeds it acts like an old F100 wandering back and forth and the steering is pretty tight when you try to correct the wandering. I have taken it back to Ford and had the alignment checked twice.
They adjusted it slightly and "loosened" the stearing gear box. Truck is better at low speeds but still not right at highway speeds. Ford is telling me there is a "break-in" period for the ball-joints. I don't remember my friends F350 having a break-in period when he replaced his ball joints. Truck tracked fine before the work was done. Tie-rod ends also checked out. Truck is a 99 350 CC SRW 8ft bed.
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I just replaced the ball joints on my 99 F250 SD 4x4. Driver side was a bit stiff to turn the knuckle. Passenger side is very hard to turn. The upper stud wanted to turn in the sleeve after torquing to spec. I had to lean on it to lock it into place. I have to check today to see if parts store is open to get a new set. The brand name is "Drive Works". I have installed ball joints in this vehicle previously, and in another Ford truck with the same style. I have the proper tools to do the job. I have to determine if both joints are tight or just the upper. I won't buy the same brand again.
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Is there a more recent write up with pictures, special tool list and/or part numbers?
Early 1999 needs ball joints on drivers side. Should I just do both sides?
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After 240,000 miles I had to get the ball joints on my 02 f250 2 wheel drive replaced and the alignment set. I notice that the steering is really tight. In fact that it will not attempt to return to center on the highway. The guy that did the work has 30 years experience doing this sort of thing and he says I just need to drive it and it will loosen up. Interested in hearing from others that have replaced ball joints; Is this normal? How long do they take to loosen up?
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I have a 2003 F250 Ext Cab 158" wheel base, 5.4, auto. 2wd
Last week I noticed a squeak squeak squeak while driving through town, sounded like the u-joint. I got home, jacked it up and pulled the rear shaft. Unfortunately I, bone-headedly, did not mark it when I pulled it. I took it into town and had a shop put in two new U-joints from autozone.
I got home and, forgetting to mark it, put the driveshaft in 180 degrees out. This caused the whole assembly to get out of balance and tear up the carrier bearing.
I replaced everything, pulled the complete shaft and disassembled it to put the new carrier on it...again, for some reason I didn't mark it. I knew I was supposed to.
It destroyed the carrier bearing again. So I limped it to my mechanic the next morning. He went through and replaced the front u-joint and carrier and called it good. I picked it up that afternoon and it was vibrating again.
I took it back and they kept it overnight and fixed it again. The problem they had was the driveshaft was coming back on the 'flex' and rubbing into the carrier instead of sliding back and forth, it was sticking.
They got that all fixed up and the wife picked up the truck while I was at work Friday. I called her at lunch and she said it was still squeaking like before I took it to the shop. I get home that evening and drive it and, sure enough, it's squeaking like it has a bad u-joint.
But the squeak didn't start right away, I had to drive it about 5 miles for it to start, and then I didn't hear it until I slowed down enough to get rid of the wind noise.
I took it back to the mechanic this morning. He called me around 4 and said they drove it about 25 miles around town and on the highway and couldn't duplicate the noise.
He said they went ahead and hit the grease zirks on all 3 u joints(even the ones they didn't install on the rear shaft) and they couldn't hear any squeaks. So I pick it up, drive through town a bit and start heading home. No squeaks.
I get about 20 miles out of town and slow down going over a bridge with the windows down, and there is the squeak again. Still sounds like a bad u-joint. But I didn't hear it until I drove it about 25 or 30 miles. What this noise is or what I need to be looking for?
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I have a '01 F250 with a frozen u-joint in the driver side front axle. My question is can I put it together without the axle and drive it?
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I 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".
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Replacing the evaporator? I am just curious how big of a job it is. I have the a/c equipment to service the system. Its on my 01 f-250 with a 7.3.
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Did 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?
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I 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.
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I 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?
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I have a friend with an 01 f250 super duty who needs to replace sway bar bushings.
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I recently replaced my heater core on 2001 F250. Would be a simple job if it weren't for the quick connects on the hoses. Any tool to take these apart on the truck where space is limited?
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I'm having trouble disconnecting the transmission lines to replace them. I can't get them off. I have the tool. Can I replace the fittings in the radiator?.
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How to change my map light bulbs over the front seat of my new (to me) 2010 F250 King Ranch with a sunroof. I have tried to remove the whole assembly with a plastic trim tool with no success. I have pulled as hard as I dare and figure there must be a procedure I am missing. It appears to me that the whole assembly has to be pulled down.
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I am replacing the head gaskets on a 2006 Ford F250 6.0 .... I have heard that I should replace the head bolts with studs. Do I torque the studs just like the bolts?
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