Ball joints

[tjs4x4]

I had taken in my Ex the other day to have the scrunching noise inspected, for the THIRD time. YES, my coil spring isolators need replacing.....like they told me LAST year. Anyways, the right side of my ex needs both upper and lower ball joints. How much of a job is it to DIY this? The shop wants 500 for just the one side.

 

[Shran]

It is an easy job, you just need a $50 ball joint press from Harbor Freight. Buy the best ball joints you can (Moog or equivalent) and figure about a half day if you have never had the front end apart that far before.

 

[4.0B2]

some autozones rent the ball joint tool! pay for it, use it.. take it back get the money back.

now if you want the tool, buy it. don't rent it. if money is tight, rent it.

 

[tjs4x4]

So what's the procedure to install?

 

[adsm08]

You will want to at least get the alignment checked, and will probably need to spend some money to get it adjusted afterwards. The camber/caster of your front end is set by and eccentric bushing around the ball joints. Replacing them can change those angles.

 

[adsm08]

So what's the procedure to install?

Rip it down to the knuckle, pop the BJ nuts off, press out, lube up with PB Blaster, press in.

Sometimes it's not always that cut and dry, but that's the gist of it.

Also, it's nice (but not necessarily required) to have a good impact gun on hand. I just broke my old one today fighting with a set of rusty old Dodge ball joints and a crappy, worn press.

 

[tjs4x4]

Impact gun? How much r those? Sounds like maybe a job that I should have done by the shop.

 

[adsm08]

Well, the one I just bought today was $200. You can probably get one cheaper at Harbor Freight.

 

[whocares]

Impact gun? How much r those? Sounds like maybe a job that I should have done by the shop.

A good air impact isnt cheap....however, you can get cheap ones at harbor freight. Like he said though, it isnt a necessity and the job can be done without one. Do you have an air compressor to run the impact if you bought one?

My point of view is this: Before I paid the shop 500 to change one side, I would instead spend that 500 on an impact, air compressor, ball joints, alignment, and anything else I needed to do the job. You will still come out under 500 and you get to keep the tools you bought. You will need them for the other side when you decide to change those ball joints.

 

[adsm08]

A good air impact isnt cheap....however, you can get cheap ones at harbor freight. Like he said though, it isnt a necessity and the job can be done without one. Do you have an air compressor to run the impact if you bought one?

My point of view is this: Before I paid the shop 500 to change one side, I would instead spend that 500 on an impact, air compressor, ball joints, alignment, and anything else I needed to do the job. You will still come out under 500 and you get to keep the tools you bought. You will need them for the other side when you decide to change those ball joints.

^^ What he said.


I own a LOT of tools. There are a LOT more I need. I, unlike you, am a professional mechanic. It's all about cost benefit. If you can do the job yourself for the same or less than the shop will, then it's worth it to buy the tools, because then you have a fixed car AND tools.

 

[larrybjr]

ball joints just did them. its not that bad at all. I bought my ball joint press from harbor freight and i dont know how i survived without this tool. Anyways the tech library has a really good step by step instructions on how to do this if you get lost. Ive done them before but the guy who did the write up did a good job. $500 is really not all that bad, but if you do it yourself you will have about $100 in parts. Its a good learning experience if you havent done them before.

 

[4.0B2]

the part about having the tools is true.. its so awesome to have the air compressor and air tools.. i'm so spoiled, my dad spoiled me on air tools a long long long time ago and that's saying alot since i'm only 20 lol. but yeah, $500 is about normal i'm sure. shops are high.. i do my own work b/c i know how and it saves me money, and learning some mechanic stuff will save you a fortune over a lifetime..

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Time is money. If you can make more than $500.00 in the time it takes the shop to do the job, why would you do it yourself? Or, by the tools, do it yourself, and pay yourself $25.00 an hour. Very seldom do I make $500.00 or more in a day.

Richard

And consider the tools a bonus for a job well done!

 

[K-Slice]

Honestly.. I've looked at the writeup in the tech section, and its even worse than the one in my Haynes manual. I think any novice would be totaly lost trying to do it by that thing. It says nothing about how to take apart the hub correctly and seems to jump over steps.
The TTB axle isn't the easiest thing to work with by a long shot, while it is a great axle..

This is a good write-up, while it is for a full size Bronco with TTB.
http://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/tech/bronco-ball-joint-replacement-18945.html

 

[ufgators68]

You don't have to use an impact wrench. A good 1/2" drive pull bar will work good too.

Mine were in extra tight, the impact wrench wouldn't move them. That pull bar and a little muscle moved them right on out.

I have an el cheapo Campbell Hausfeld impact wrench, from WalMart, and I don't think it was quite up for the job. Works fine for most everything else I do with it.

 

[Shran]

Word of warning - you WILL break the HF ball joint press if you use a big enough impact. Mine isn't broken but it's ultra bent and I have only used hand tools with it.

If you get to the point where the press is very tight and the joints aren't coming out, smacking the sides of the knuckle around where the joint goes in always makes them pop.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Word of warning - you WILL break the HF ball joint press if you use a big enough impact. Mine isn't broken but it's ultra bent and I have only used hand tools with it.

If you get to the point where the press is very tight and the joints aren't coming out, smacking the sides of the knuckle around where the joint goes in always makes them pop.

Take heed, good info! Spend the extra and get GOOD tools, you'll never regret it,

Richard

 

[tjs4x4]

Wow. Thanks for the info guys. We have a small, very small air compressor. Still sounds like a big job to me though lol.

 

[tjs4x4]

Is there any way that I can see for myself if the ball joints are bad? I want to make sure they need replaced before I do anything.

 

[K-Slice]

Lift the wheel off the ground, shake it from side to sid, then up and down. If there is any movement or if you can feel/hear any poping then something is broken. Could be a ball joint, tie rod end, or wheel bearing.
If you do feel that loosness then go behind the wheel while someone else shakes it and look for the source of the movment.