Ball joints.....Paul?

[SuperHO]

Well, I'm slowly working on piecing together the suspension on my 98. I figure since they're the most important, I'm going to replace the wheel bearing on the passenger side and both ball joints first, then I'll do the struts/springs/strut mounts, then the sway bar end link.


Anyway, I got the wheel bearing from Rock Auto, started taking stuff apart and realized that to get to the top bolt on the bearing, the axle's gotta come out...which means I gotta bust the ball joint loose, which means it would make sense that since I'm pulling it loose, I may as well replace it. So going by that, I started calling around for prices on ball joint R&R. After finding out there's only two shops here in the St. Joe/Benton Harbor area that weren't looking to bend me over the trunk and not even give me the friggin common courtosy of a reach around, I found that one shop would replace just the ball joints for a gnat's ass hair shy of $600. Yeah, no. So I call the other one....R&R of the ball joints, replacing the bearing while they've got it apart, and alignment for over $700!!!!! What the ****??


Soooooooooooooooo....having a fair bit of mechanical aptitude, but a lack of awesome tools, what's my options here? With a wedding coming up in a couple of months, $500-700 is not in the budget. So I come to you, oh forum faithful, in seek of tools, knowledge and a helping hand to get this car back so I don't worry every time the tranny moves out of park. So can anyone help? Anyone got any good advice? Anyone wanna lend a hand and help me butcher a front suspension?

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Well, I'm slowly working on piecing together the suspension on my 98. I figure since they're the most important, I'm going to replace the wheel bearing on the passenger side and both ball joints first, then I'll do the struts/springs/strut mounts, then the sway bar end link.


Anyway, I got the wheel bearing from Rock Auto, started taking stuff apart and realized that to get to the top bolt on the bearing, the axle's gotta come out...which means I gotta bust the ball joint loose, which means it would make sense that since I'm pulling it loose, I may as well replace it. So going by that, I started calling around for prices on ball joint R&R. After finding out there's only two shops here in the St. Joe/Benton Harbor area that weren't looking to bend me over the trunk and not even give me the friggin common courtosy of a reach around, I found that one shop would replace just the ball joints for a gnat's ass hair shy of $600. Yeah, no. So I call the other one....R&R of the ball joints, replacing the bearing while they've got it apart, and alignment for over $700!!!!! What the ****??


Soooooooooooooooo....having a fair bit of mechanical aptitude, but a lack of awesome tools, what's my options here? With a wedding coming up in a couple of months, $500-700 is not in the budget. So I come to you, oh forum faithful, in seek of tools, knowledge and a helping hand to get this car back so I don't worry every time the tranny moves out of park. So can anyone help? Anyone got any good advice? Anyone wanna lend a hand and help me butcher a front suspension?

Doesn't AutoZone have a ball joint press kit in their loan-a-tool program?

FWIW, buy Ford ball joints. Not Moog, Falcon, Motorcraft, or any other brand, but OE Ford. They should be about $55/each list price, less with a discount. The part number is XF1Z-3050-AA.

Pull the knuckles, R&R the hubs/bearing(s) as needed, and do the ball joints with a press. It's really not hard, and worse case you can buy your own ball joint press kit on eBay for about $85 shipped: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280145087161 and still get the whole job done for under $200.

 

[SuperHO]

so the knuckles DO have to come out....I thought one of the guys was just yankin my chain. this actually doesn't sound that hard....assuming the Auto Zone near me has the tool I need.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

so the knuckles DO have to come out....I thought one of the guys was just yankin my chain. this actually doesn't sound that hard....assuming the Auto Zone near me has the tool I need.

No, they don't. But, I have the luxury of a lift and air tools, and the average person trying to do it for the first time on their own doing it on the ground presents a few challenges, starting with getting the car jacked up high enough to get the ball joint press in place and having the torque to press the ball joints in and out with the whole shebang turning and moving around.

You have to remove the axle anyway, so the extra work to remove the rotors and calipers, pinch bolt, and abs sensor to get the knuckles off is really not hard.

 

[ruWelded]

Ball Joint Adapter

Auto Zone will have the ball joint press, but not the proper adapter. I did my first ball joint with out the adapter, but it was a real pain.

OTC makes an adapter for the Gen 3 taurus, it is # 8032. I have used mine to do the ball joints on three of my cars. It makes the job real easy.

There is one on flea-bay right now for $64.99.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=140154815388&rd=1

 

[SuperHO]

Sheeeeeit....wanna do mine? This is starting to sound confusing and possibly downright dangerous. Not really a job I wanna screw up, ya know?

 

[SHOZ123]

As I understand AutoZone does now have the proper adapter.

http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=59617

 

[Mr Anonymous]

The Taurus-specific adapters aren't really necessary, but I guess if AutoZone does have them it can't hurt. I've done countless ball joints before any adapter was available without a problem, and have done countless since without one.

 

[SuperHO]

This is all so confusing!!!


See, as I've told you many times before, Chris, suspension is some foreign voodoo to me, much like transmissions. I usually don't try to tackle it myself, but as stated, with a wedding coming up, I don't have the $500-$700 to get it done.

As of this exact moment in time, I'm gonna tackle the wheel bearing on my next day off and just pray for the ball joints to last. Niether one of em's showing too much play, but the wheel bearing's scaring the **** outta me. it HAS to be done, and soon. Now my question is, can the wheel bearing be replaced without knocking the ball joint loose? I know I had a problem fitting my 15mm socket up in there to get that top bolt out...should i just lift the whole front of the car instead of just the passenger side and turn the wheel one way or the other?

 

[venom]

Don't have to press in the ball joint

Auto Zone will have the ball joint press, but not the proper adapter. I did my first ball joint with out the adapter, but it was a real pain.

OTC makes an adapter for the Gen 3 taurus, it is # 8032. I have used mine to do the ball joints on three of my cars. It makes the job real easy.

There is one on flea-bay right now for $64.99.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=140154815388&rd=1

The presses are a pain.

Gentle heat from a torch and a cold ball joint will drive home simply with a few heavy taps. Obviously the big thing to not damage the rubber boot. If you are doing the bearings as well I would do it this way.

Place new ball joint in the freezer.
Pull the knuckle.
Remove ABS sensor, cuss when retaining bolt twists off (rust belt states).
remove wheel bearing bolts, attempt to remove wheel bearing.
Remove snap ring on bottom side of ball joint.
Put knuckle in a warm oven (225 or 250 should be good).
let it sit there for 20 or 30 minutes.
(use oven mitts of course) remove knuckle and the ball joint should tap out with reasonable effort.
If you are quick enough you can tap in the new ball joint (from the freezer) home.
Wheel bearing should be easier to remove while still warm as well if it oxidized to the knuckle like they usually do.
Clean oxidation from the wheel bearing hole.
Install new wheel bearing (don't forget thread locker on the three retaining bolts).
Deal with the twisted off abs sensor bolt (if necessary).
Install snap ring around ball joint

Reinstall knuckle.

I have done this with the oven, or with a torch while on the car for ball joints just need to gently heat the ball joint tab and keep the torch moving. This works better than the oven as it doesn't heat the ball joint much allowing it to expand some. When heating in the oven the old ball joint may be a bit tougher to get out as it is expanding some as well Whenever steel and Al are used in an assembly, the rate of material expansion is often the best tool in the box.

 

[SHOZ123]

On my old knuckles I had to be the blow torch out to get the ball joint out by pounding. I would for sure get the AutoZone press kit with the specially designed Taurus adapter.

Be sure to look to see if there is a locking ring on the top. Some have them some don't.