Ok...update. I ordered both ball joints and upper control arms..moog of course..from rockauto.com. OMG what a bargain. $212.00, for both ball joints and both upper control arms, advanced auto wanted $325.00!! lol..ahh yeah, from now on thats where I'm buying my parts, 8 bucks for delivery and got them in less than a week, you cannot go wrong.

Now I have several questions. I started today installing the balljoints..not bad considering you have a rookie doin this. I started on the pax side, I understand that is the side the alignment is adjusted..yes? Anyways, got the lower ball joint in no problem, now comes the problem..the upper control arm on the pax side. I have removed the left upper bolt of the control arm, making sure to mark the camber plate the position it was in before removal. Now I'm on the right side...holy ****..I'm beside myself here. Here you have a bolt that has a small metal plate (about 1 1/2" wide) welded to the bolt..ok, which is tucked between two metal studs..sorta, it looks like its there to prevent the bolt from turning and loosening and falling out..also the camber plate is the same way on the nut side, the hole where the bolt goes through has threads on one side, that obviously the bolt threads through and it also has two metal studes sorta, that the camber plate is in between, it looks to keep from turning, I don't know. What do I do? How do I remove that bolt. The nut is off, its those metal plates and the studes they are in between that is gumming up my progress! What do you do? Pound the living crap out of the bolt and force it out? Can you buy new bolts and camber plates and just replace them? Someone please answer this. I'm at an impasse here. Thank you for any help.

My truck is a Ford Ranger 1998, 2WD, 4 clyinder, 2.5, coil spring

 

i think i know what your saying but could u take a pic and post it
i think mine was the same way and the thread in the bushing were from the suspension flex over time

and u can get the bolts from the dealler that have the camber plate on them

also is one of your upper control arms 2 pieces ? new or old
if so they did this at the factory and they know have an updated control arm that is 1 piece to replace this.
i put the updated part # control arm in and did an alinment on it (and set bolt to same place that they were) and didnt need to turn them at all to get the camber or caster in to spec

but im going on
if u get a pic of your problem bolt area i could help more
mine just came out so ?

 

Thank you for replying Orange, I'm afraid that time is of the essence, my truck is on base at the auto hobbyt shop and its costing me money to store it there, pictures are not possible now. " camber plate on them" what does that mean? The control arms are factory, original. I have brand new Moog control arms waiting to be installed, they are one piece The control arm on now is a one peice. I wish I could get a pic for you, but the truck is on base at the shop. Could I just pound the old bolts out and get new ones, if so, is the dealership the only place I can buy new bolts and camber plates? Thanx again for responding, it is a real help

 

camber plates are the metal circle peice on the upper controls arm bolts. i know u can get them at the dealler but not sure if u can get them anyware else u would have to check around ?
i wouldnt just pound them out get new ones first before u try to just pound them out and make sure they are the same
i found a theard on doing this (if u look at the old bolts he took out the camber plate is the piece on the bolt)
hope this helps
Replacing Camber/Caster Bolts - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®
also if u look his old upper control arm is 2 piece and the new one is 1 piece