anyone know about how much it costs to get new ball joints replaced?

 

I got the joints on ebay cheap and did it myself for less than $20. You do need a "ball joint press" tool (borrowed from AutoZone) which is a specialized, hulkin' thick c-clamp.

I have no idea how much it costs in a shop though, sorry.

 

I believe the dealership up here told my mom the balljoints were bad and quoted her at around $700.. They were trying to scare her into doing it by telling her the wheels will fall off while she's driving and stuff..

 

Ive replaced ball jo ints in a few Ibeam rangers It costs 25-30 a piece for each ball joint then renting a press is free after you take it back its usually around $100 for the deposit.

 

if you are talking about lower ball joints

the labor is 1 hour per side...on newer rangers and the cost on the ball joint is about $45.. but at a shop they mark up the price on the parts...
if it was done a my shop it would be
2 hours labor $180
2 Ball Joints $125
Alignment $60
~ $ 365...


labor is the same for uppers but the part is like $100 per ball joint because it is the whole upper contol arm...

 

why do you have to align the truck? or are you saying that they take the arms off the vechicle? if you do it yourself, its possible to do it without removing the arms, therefore, no alignment needed

 

Ball Joint went out on my work truck today...

Almost sh!ted myself

 

But you have to remove the spindle/knuckle in order to get the ball joint off right? So you'd still need an alignment?

 

no

those are attached to the upper and rear arms with the balljoints, the bolts holding the arms to the frame is whats involved with the alignment

 

If it's a 98+ Ranger, the lower ball joints can be pressed out of the lower control arm like any other ball joint. If it's the upper call joints, you have to replace the control arm and ball joint together, since Ford made them as one unit (another of Ford's great ideas). I believe they are about $115 a piece of Ford. However, Moog makes a replacement enhanced control arm where the ball joint can be pressed out separately. Either way you'll need to get new control arms

 

so if i were to crank my torsion bars which part or parts of the ball joints would that mess with the most. i ask because i have read that cranking them puts stress on them and that they will wear out faster. i am trying to get the guts up to crank em though. but wanted to know how much money i could be looking at to fix a problem that might arise. thanks everyone.

 

dude, mod meet at my place this sat, pm me for info if inerested.

 

Scott, you do the alignment afterwards becuase now you have new suspension components installed and alignment will change as things wear out. Why not do an alignment anyways?

 

Don't crank the bars more than 1.5" and you'll be fine. I've got 110K on my truck, and I'm still riding on the original ball joints!

 

If the Ball joints are bad in the first place your camber and caster setting cant be held..
when you put new parts in that have no play in them you can get the setting to hold.. thats why you align them after you change suspension parts

as said by Bill

 

How would I know when I need to replace the ball joints?And what will happen if you dont replace them in time?