I went to bleed my brakes and check the rotors/calipers and that's another issue I'm dealing with as far as having completely rusted seized bleeders in the calipers...

While I was looking this caught my eye. What is it called and how hard is it to replace? Both sides (drive and passenger) look just like this.

Attached both images.

Do I have to replace the entire part or can I only replace that part that looks like the rubber boot is completely broken/ripped off... or not worry about it, probably like the previous owner...

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

thats the upper ball joint, if you have a press you can just get new ball joints.. but you can prob get a new upper control arm for a few bucks more and just replace the entire thing. difficulty level i would say is a 5 out of 10

 

Yeah that's the upper ball joint. I'd just replace the entire control arm and get moog with a grease able ball joint. Pull that bolt you see in the pic out, then take the bolts/eccentrics out at the frame and you'll be able to pull that whole arm right off. It's really simple

 

Dont forget to get it aligned!

 

lol yes i forgot about this.
listen to Zach!

 

Ok thanks for the info guys!!

So I was looking at the dorman since it was cheaper at 35 bucks but you recommend this one:

MOOG Part # K80052 Problem Solver; Complete Arm w/ Ball Joint; Includes Ball Joint and Bushings
Front Right Upper; RWD; Front Coil springs; Incl. powdered-metal gusher bearing to allow grease to penetrate bearing surfaces; Incl. bushing

More Information for MOOG K80052

It's 54.. so more expensive. Looks better too.


Am I going to notice any different in ride by replacing this? I have no clue how long these have been torn honestly?

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

It'll be worth the extra 19 bucks. The truck will drive tighter and you wont feel that sort of dryness over bumps that you may feel now. The best thing about the moog is that once you buy their UCA/BJ part like you linked, you can just replace the balljoint itself and not need to replace the entire arm.
Its also greaseable so you can grease them up whenever

 

That's excellent new then!! Dumb question but what is the average life of these? My truck currently has 120k miles on it, so I am just trying to figure out perhaps if they have ever been changed or if those were on there since 2001...lol

Glad I posted because now I can get these replacements and new calipers/rotors... The fun never ends!...lol I can only imagine having a dealership change everything and charge probably gobs of money... arg!

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

Probably the orgionals i just did my entire front end upper and lower it took a lot of vibration i had out of the sterring wheel. Ford uses non greasable so they wear faster im almost positive you have to do the whole upper control arm though for switched to one piece assemblies not sure of year they did and you cant press them out moog carries lifetime warrenty so get them with grease fittings and you should be good. But if your going through the trouble of tearing the front end apart Id do the bottoms to since they usually wear pretty evenly. Good luck on the project.

 

Sorry to ask another stupid question but what is the lower arm called? I went on rock auto and already ordered everything but the upper was called just the control arm, but don't see anything for a lower control arm? Is that what it's called?

Thanks again, been extremely helpful!!

-Nigel

 

Thats called the lower control arm. You won't need to replace that at all unless you destroy it on a rock or something and it gets bent. For the lower ball joints, you just hit them out with a deadblow hammer and press them in with a tool you can rent at any auto parts store. Its fairly easy as well, you'll just have to remove your outer tie rod out of the way to get to the ball joint down there which is also easy

I have the Ford workshop manual for 2004. I doubt there is any difference in torque specs between your year and mine so if you question any specs as you're going along, i don't mind pulling out the book and taking a look.

 

So I got all the parts and now I am about to order the lower control arm ball joint but not sure which ones to get?

How do I know which ones will fit the OEM lower control arm? I see that some of them on rock auto states will not fit OEM , but other than that they have for coil springs/RWD, which I have, but some are listing as different sizes?

MOOG Part # K8771T Problem Solver
Front Lower; RWD; Front Coil springs; Incl. powdered-metal gusher bearing to allow grease to penetrate bearing surfaces

More Information for MOOG K8771T

$26 per one? I take it there is no left and right? Just want to make sure that is ok?



Or this one also by MOOG for $23
MEVOTECH Part # MK8771T {#K8771T}
Front Lower; RWD; Coil Spring Suspension

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...175&cc=1372676


Thanks again for all the help!!

-Nigel

 

Dorman = German sounding name but components are primarily sourced from China.

Moog parts are made in the USA and best for the Ranger.

I wish that Lemforder (Boge/Sachs) under the ZF industries umbrella ZF Friedrichshafen AG made Ranger parts but to date, they do not.

 

Excellent! Ordered the Moog lower ball joints!
This should be a fun install this weekend of replacing the complete upper control arms, rotors, calipers, pads, and lower ball joint!

Thanks for all the help! Hoping it all goes together smoothly and firms up the front end somewhat.

-Nigel

 

I live in Atlanta, and the truck I bought spent its life here as well, so rust isn't an issue.

The parts I replaced came about relatively easy (outside of the lower ball joint). Upper control arm with ball joint, lower ball joint, and tie rods.

I saw a TV episode on where they showed how a Ferrari engine is built. They deep freeze the cylinder wall linings prior to putting them into the aluminum engine block. Once they warm, they expand and lock into position - forever!

So I placed my lower ball joints and tie rods in the freezer over night and they went into place much easier. The same applies to heat causing expansion vs. the freezer causing retraction. The two can work in combination for you.

Getting the lower ball joint out will take special tools. I used the Advanced Auto Parts Ball Joint Removal set for free. If you don't have access to a ball joint removal tool/set, then you will need to purchase or rent one.

The lower ball joint is pressed into place and will take quite some force to remove it. I used my 1/2" breaker bar in combination with the Advanced Auto Parts Ball Joint Removal Set and with full arm force popped them out. But they are in their very tight! As I recall, I put my torch to the lower control arm while using my breaker bar and the Tool Set to get it out.

The Upper Control Arm is quite easy, but remember to watch for the preloading condition and to mark the location of the metal tabs prior to loosening the arm. I used a chisel to scratch a mark into the metal.

 

Thank you for the advice about the freezing! That makes perfect sense. Before something kills me what do you mean about preloading?

I have a maxjax mid lift so I am able to lift the truck up to working height when I need to get under it so it makes it much easier to work on than jacking it up and putting jack stands undernethe.

Just worried about preloading as I've never head anything about this before..

thanks,
-Nigel

 

hes talking about that so you can try to align it the way it was before removing the arm. I'd get it aligned regardless.

btw, don't use the lower balljoint tool to REMOVE the ball joint. save yourself time and just hit it with a deadblow downward. i got mine out in 2 seconds after removing the cotter pin and castle nut