HOW THE $%^ DO YOU DO IT? LOL

I just tore the grease boot on the MOOG LGJ. I have the ball joint press rented from Autozone. I googled bj installation and got ehow.com's video. I followed its instructions and was successful in installing it, BUT i tore the boot?!! And the boot doesn't come off....? The configuration of the bj press requires you to flip the install setup is the bj doesn't sit all the way.

This is what I followed to press the lbj in...

How to Press In a Truck's Lower Ball Joint: How to Replace a Truck Ball Joint | eHow.com

I wouldn't have known I tore the boot had it not been for me snapping the grease fitting threads when trying to position it for easy greasing.

 

That sucks.

I used a piece of pipe big enough to slip over the boot and contact that metal ring. Then drove it in with a bigger piece of pipe on the top side of the lca to let the bj come through some so I could get that snap ring on there. I just used a bfh and a piece of wood to drive it in.

The ball joint is sitting in my little pipe tool.

 

hmmm, after doing a little on-line digging there would happen to be 2 different ball joint press kits, a plain one and a 4wd kit. Something's telling me I probably need to use the 4wd version so that I can suck the rest of the bj up for snap ring install.

 

Yep, sounds like you need a deeper spacer.

 

That's the problem I'm running into. I need a ring over the top of the bj as the install adpater cup is too shallow to allow me to seat the bj all the way. The 3 rings that come with the press kit are too deep for me to cheat and use 2 at the same time. If they were half their legnth I'd be able to do this. Thus I assume the 4wd press kit would accomodate for such.

 

theres a special ball joint cup for the ranger lower ball joints that you are supposed to use....you will either need that or...

sometimes with the bigger cup, the ball joint press will not open large enough to fit everything so....get a cup that fits the ball joint or a piece of pipe it fits in, place the ball joint cup on the pad of your floor jack, place the ball joint in the cup, and jack the ball joint up into the lower control arm and tap down with a hammer on the control arm and it will go right in.

 

thats what i did...i used a BIG socket i found laying around. ant then beat the **** out of my LCA

 

so LBJs are in...

if you happen to be ignorant/naive like me and opt to do this AND you rent tools from AutoZone, make certain you get the ball joint press (part # 27023) AND OEM/ Ford ball joint adapter set (part # 27163) OR, if it'll work you can do the Ball Joint/U-Joint Set w/ 4wd Service Set (part # 27089).

alternatively, I assume one could also purchase for $59.99 the Harbor Freight Four Wheel Drive Ball Joint Service Kit (Item # 4065-0VGA). This would be cheaper than renting the press set for $135 and the adapter set for $85!

Don't be stupid like me and tear a new moog bj by following a video for a 2wd fullsize ford - though the video was helpful in basics.

 

I did the exact same thing but using 2.5" 16ga Exhaust tubing and my floor jack and 4lb BFH.

 

That's how I do mine.....lol. Basically exactly like that too. haha.

 

Wish i had knowledge in this area. . . sorry.