How do you replace ball joints ? Are all ball joints the same or are there heavy duty ones ? Wheres a good place to buy them ?

 

i buy greasable one's at like NAPA or something like so use a Ball Joint press to drive them out and its a good idea to own a good impack gun to drive the ball joint press harbor frieght sells a cheap one i acully own it
this is the one i own

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38335

here is the one with more parts you really dont need it but some people think they do

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=4065

here is the one that says it works with a Dana-44

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42236

 

The harbor freight one is total junk. I BENT the c-frame doing my daughters Ranger. I'm taking it back.

I haven't found it necessary to use an impact gun to remove the joints -- or to bend the c-frame, lol. Maybe I just got a bad one.

I've rented/borrowed one from Autozone before. Theirs seems pretty good quality and they charge you for it like you bought it, but then refund your $$$ when you return it.

 

ok seems easy enough and for the ball joints themselves, are they all the same or is there a heavy duty one ?

 

Yes, there are heavier duty greasable ones from Moog and Spicer and maybe others. Also in someone's post they mentioned getting greasable ones at NAPA. I'm looking forward to LOSING mine in the next year or so!

I can help you do those when I come down.

Interestingly enough, that same ball joint is used on many F-150 trucks also.

 

x2

 

thats odd for how JUNK it is i have used it on my old f-150 did those ball joints, did my dads F-150, did my buddy's 1991 F-150, done now my Silver truck, and now my splash...still havent broke it...hmm honistly you must be doing something wrong john...

i know Ben isnt rich thats why i suggested it, and idk about where he lives but those one's from the auto store you can rent around here are just junk there all beat up and most the time missing parts...so i dont even bother with them anymore and got my own and used the hell out of it...

and i use the impact on the press to turn the rod because 1) i have them and its easier...2) it takes me like 10 min to press them out and press in the new one's that way, its quite fast...

 

I bent one too!!! Does that mean that two mechanics do not know how to use their tools?

 

Good deal we are going to have a lot of work to do.

 

That tool does work really good, i have one at work from snap on, and it works great, most stuff from harbor freight is junk, but a ball joint press should be fine.....I need to replace mine asap

Rocky

 

That's why I wonder if I got a bad one or not. The other ones I've used I've had no problems and I don't think I did anything wrong -- it's not rocket science, lol.

 

John i wasnt there when you where using it so i am just guessing. i no doupt bet you got a ****ty one hell there made in like china. all i know is mine was cheap and works great

 

Yeah, I'll probably just exchange it and hope for the best.

 

What model # is it for the rangers??? I'm looking around on google right now...

 

By the way, I have some pics of the tool in use in different ways from an earlier topic about installing ball joints: https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=7200

 

I called or went in every auto parts store around nobody carries the upper or lower ball joints. Summit has the lowers.

 

I think i had to get my lowers from the dealership, they werent overly explensive either and are holding up well after almost 40k miles. The uppers on MY truck constitute getting the whole upper control arm- through the dealer of course.

 

Get them from www.rockauto.com They have excellent customer service, best prices around the net and fast shipping.

 

i just used a ball joint frk... $10 from o reillys

 

i was told last week my lower ball joints were shot and needed to be replaced.

will replacing them give a better ride quality?? i hadn't noticed a decline in ride comfort or anything lately, but was wondering if it'll feel any better once they're replaced? regardless, they'll be replaced sometime this up coming week... but i was just curious to know if i'd even feel any difference with new ones or not.

oh by the way.... how long does this job take??? i'm only having the lower ball joints replaced. my friend will be doing it for me, so i'm going to need to know how much beer it will cost

 

not too long if he's only replacing the lower ones ... depends on how good he is and if he has air tools... maybe an 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

 

I finally got my ball joints. I called another NAPA like 30 minutes from me and finally somebody carried them. I got uppers and lowers both made by DANA. the lowers are greaseable. I got them in already too. I thought it was werid but the lowers went in from the bottom, i don't know for some reason i thought they would go in through the top.

 

he knows what he's doing. he's been a ford mechanic for a few years now and said it wasn't much work at all. he told me to bring it by one night during the week when he had time while working and we'd knock them out.

i clicked the link posted above and found the ball joints i'd need. i'm going to call my friend tomorrow while he's working to see if he can beat that price through ford with his employee discount... if not, i guess i'm going to be ordering them thru that website above.