I replaced my shocks last Friday. As I worked I noticed the rubber covers for the ball joints were cracked and even showing the bearing in some places. I just shrugged my shoulders and went along with my business. Today I took the truck to the local ford dealership for an alignment b/c the front tire was cupping a tad and I have already checked the balance of the tire and pressure, etc. and it was all good. However before they started they stopped their work and came and got me to show me those rubber covers over the ball joints. I was like yeah I saw that earlier in the week. Long story, but they told me I needed two new ball joints and a realignment respectively. Should I really be having ball joint problems at 98,000 miles? Here is the other killer. If I get the work done there it would be $450 to get it done. I surely can find somebody to do it for cheaper or do the work my flipping self for that kind of money.

 

take your truck home and do it yourself.

 

That's what I am thinking too. I will get a good set of ball joints somewhere and put the ole Ranger on the high lift. Any suggestions where to get the ball joints? I don't trust some of the stuff that comes from auto parts stores. Should I just get some Ford ones?

 

just get parts master ones, or w/e the parts store sells. your just paying for the name if you get ford ones.

 

Auto parts stores are fine, just get the ones that have a good/lifetime warranty and you're set!

 

Moog balljoints. Lifetime warrenty. that is all...

 

Moog. Thats the best hands down.

And you don't *need* ball joints for an Alignment, if they don't have any play yet.. BUT when they wear out, which will be expedited by the tear in them (from dirt and **** getting in there) you'll need another alignment after replacing them then.

Do you rotate your tires regularly? If not that can cause them to get a nasty wear pattern.

 

Alright thanks for the input. Well at the dealership they showed me the "play" in the tire and I could see that. But I would think as I was driving down the road I could feel the amount of play in the tires but I reckon I had just got used to it. However I rotate my tires every other oil change. These are steel belted tires on there now. I had Firestone Destination A/T on there before which are nylon belted. Would you recommend since the tires I have now are steel belted to rotate every oil change? Nearly all of my miles are highway or pulling my trailer from yard to yard. I was just kind of taken aback when they told me I needed two ball joints put on when I go off road about 3-4 times a year for camp or deer hunting lol. It's not like I am wheeling everyday, which would be fun, but I don't like to break stuff if ya know what I mean

 

98,000 is a lot of miles, who knows, idk how often rangers go through them.

I rotate mine every 3-5k.

 

True, 98,000 is almost 100k. Ha, that means I would be rotating tires with every oil change which is not bad. Cause every time I change the oil its on the high lift anyways. I change the oil religiously every 5,000 miles since almost all my driving is on the highway usually.

 

$100 for Upper and Lower ball joints and maybe 1 1/2 worth of work.....Do it yourself! I did mine today.

 

its more than an hour and a half doing it for the first time. also more than $100 if he gets Moogs.

 

True...its not my first time....and I forget that not everyone may be mechanically inclined....and yea I just went with the Dorman joints with a lifetime warranty..just trying to make a point that $450 is crazy!!!

 

that's why I became a Mechanic, i saw a few of my parents repair bills and was like ****kkkkk that... I just started a Honda and after a few years I can make some pretty good money.

 

For $450 I'll drive up there, put moog's in on both sides and do a tap dance for you... and I'll do it all in less than 2 hrs.

Ford is like wal-mart.... except instead of it taking 4 damned hrs to put on 4 tires it takes 4 hrs to put on 2 damned ball-joints.

 

x2

 

Well I got some moog lower ball joints. I took them and the truck to a guy that does a lot of suspension work for my granddad. It was a half of day work and he charged $150. Today I took it and got an alignment; that was $50 and the ball joints were $75. So all together the fix was $275. Haha Ford wanted to charge me $450. I think I got a pretty good deal. And I can't believe the difference in how it rides. He showed me the joints and they were totally shot.

 

Is it not that bad for twin I beam setups? Lowers I think I understand but I'm not sure how the uppers go on I beams. Are the TRS tech library ball joint articles for pre-98's? (neither of the 2 seem to state it for sure). Thanks

 

Do u need different bolts for the top control arm for it be aligned correctly

 

yes, Ford ones from the factory offer no Adjustment.