couple ball joint questions

[atxxtm]

OK, I've searched through some of the old topics and haven't quite found exactly what I'm looking for. I need to do a right front ball joint so that the car will pass inspection, it's a 94 with 80k on it, and am not sure if it's going to come off easily enough so that it can be done while the car is up on jackstands. Also, I've found an ACDelco one for $65 on rockauto, and one for $80 on shonut, and was wondering if there were better ones out there (moog?) or if I should look somewhere else too. Also, I noticed that most people were doing both ball joints, and some with inner tie rods, would that be a good idea? Thanks for any help

 

[rangerj]

atxxtm,

The lower control arm, which includes the ball joint and new bushings, is significantly heavier (or beefier) for the SHO than it is for the "normal" Taurus/Sable.

The SHONUT item is the real thing. I doubt that the $60 item is for a SHO. You can get the SHO lower control arn, with ball joint and bushings, at NAPA or other parts stores, also for about $80. The part is made by Moog, Dana, and TRW.

Make sure that the guy behind the parts counter understands that it is for a SHO, and not a common Taurus/Sable. Compare what you get to what you have. I know for sure that the Dana part has a greasable ball joint. To me that is a plus.

It can be done on jackstands, and really is not that difficult. If you decide to DIY let us know and we'll walk you through it. The step by step instructions have been posted many times, but it has been awhile. There are a few tricks that make it easier.

IMHO, it is like an algebraic equasion, what you do to one side, you do to the other! rangerj

 

[LaTechSHO]

heed rangerj's advice.... you will thank yourself later...


Louis

 

[atxxtm]

thanks, i found a moog part - K8577 and K8579 (these numbers were according too moog, and SHO specific), which i found at autopartsgiant.com for 59.73, with free shipping. This definately sounds like a do at home project, and since I have the Haynes manual for the taurus, I have a general idea of how it's going to go, but any extra pointers would be great. what about the inner tie rods? should those go too?

 

[atxxtm]

oh yeah, and would this be a good time to do aluminum subrframe bushings?

 

[rangerj]

atxxtm,

Are the bearings original? This is one of those jobs that is full of the "you might as wells".

The pinch bolt, and nut, that "pinches" the ball joint stud in the steering knuckle should be replaced. The nut is a lock nut and good for one use only.

The nut that holds the stablizer bar to the lower control arm is also a lock nut and should be replaced.

If you remove the axel nut it is also a lock nut and, you guessed it, should be replaced.

Once you have the pinch bolt out you can use a pry bar to pry down on the lower control arm and release the steering knuckle from the ball joint stud.

Or, you can use a small bottle jack set on top of the junction of the lower control arm and the stablizer bar. Set the top of the jack against the lower lip of the inner fender well.

Use a small piece of wood to protect the surfaces from the jack.

Remove the nut and bolt at the inner fender well and lift up on the inner end of the lower control arm. Then it should slide off of the stablizer end.

Reassemble with the new lower control arm and new nuts and bolts where required. Torque ALL fasteners to specification. That's all there is to it! thumb rangerj

 

[rangerj]

atxxtm,

PS, you did very well on the purchase of the Moog lower control arms at $60. I think the Moog parts also have a greasable ball joint. Please let us know if this is correct.

As an additional thought you should replace your cotter pins (or cotter keys) at the tie rod ends. They are 10 years old, if they are original.

I see it as a safety issue, and replacing the cotter keys is cheap insurance.

thanks for the web site for parts, I'll check them out. The more competition the better for the consumer.
rangerj

 

[rfiltz]

The Moog LCA's do indeed have a grease fitting. I just put some on over the weekend. The Moog's metal looks stock, almost like they either supplied the OEM's, or used the same casting. The bushings, etc., look better than OEM, but it's pretty hard to compare the old rusted part to the new.

 

[atxxtm]

Thanks for the response, I had been unable to get online for a few days. I seem to have found another problem though, the sway bar is not connected to the plastic rod that connects to the strut on the passenger side. what exactly do I need to fix this?

 

[rangerj]

atxxtm,

Not connected as in the nut is missing, or as in the link assembly is broken? Or is it the "missing link"??? shrug

One end of the link is bolted to the strut, and the other end is bolted to the stabilizer bar.
rangerj

 

[atxxtm]

the part that bolts to the stabilizer bar is not connected - the top of the white bar is attached to the strut, but the bottom end is not connected to anything, and what I guessed to be the sway bar was not attached to anything, and had some plastic parts on it as well that looked like they should have attached the the white plastic link. I'm just trying to figure out if i need anything else before i go to work on the ball joints, because it's right there.

 

[rangerj]

atxxtm,

From your description it sounds like the link is broken at or near the sway (stabilizer) bar. Look at the other side. The link is supposed to be attached to the strut on the top side and the sway bar on the bottom. rangerj

 

[atxxtm]

well, it is the sway bar end link that needs replacement, but the car seems to drive fine. Even with some speed into corners it handles well. But since it is broken, it should be fixed. And should i do both sides? On shotimes it had seemed like it would be simple, but it looks like i would have to bend the sway bar to even connect the end to it, so I'm wondering if something is bent in there somewhere. I'll try to get a picture of it sometime this weekend.

 

[rangerj]

atxxtm,

You should not have to BEND the swaybar. You may have to apply some pressure to it to lign up the end with the link end.

Keep in mind that the other end of the sway bar is attached to the other side. If you have one side up on jack stands, the other side is going to apply pressure to the sway bar. You have to offset the pressure to lign up the new link.

I find it easiest to do this by placing one side up on a jack stand, then raise or lower the other side with a hydrolic jack until the sway bar end and the end link line up.

rangerj

 

[atxxtm]

well, it turns out the the side that says "TOP RH" was gues where...that's right, THE BOTTOM. So, the boot separated from the link, and now the it just hangs there. Remarkably enough, the car drives fine. But, I found the things, moog, greasable, for about $32 plus shipping (since the other place only had rear links). I'll wait for them to come in, and then it's party time! Oh, and my step father thinks that i will need a press to put the links on, but according to shotimes this isn't true, so who's right?

 

[projectSHO89]

The links can be installed with common hand tools, no press is required.

Sorry, Pops!

Steve