This may have been posted before, and it's common sense really -- but I never did it this way and I'm kicking myself for it, lol.

I put the new ball joints in the freezer for 15+ minutes before I installed them and took each one out only after I was ready to put it in. I lubed the hole in the lower arm and the ball joint with a thin layer of silicone grease (Sil-Glyde brake part lube).

Well, it took so little torque on the ball joint press that I was astounded. I've put quite a few sets of these in various Rangers and this is the easiest it's EVER been by far.

Like I said, cooling a press-fit part to make it go in easier is not news -- but somehow I never applied it to ball joint installation, so I thought I'd share it anyway.

 

huh good idea... ill have to try that whenever i do mine

 

could even heat up the lower arm if you really wanted to

 

Definitely a good idea, heating the arm though Alon is not something I would want to do as it would weaken it.

 

I'm with Bill I'd be worried to heat the lower arm, but freezing the joints is a good idea. I'll put that one in the idea chest if I ever need to replace mine.

 

i'm not saying to get it red hot, just a little warm.....

 

I understand heating it Alon. I have seen it done and it works well. I just hate working around hot objects.

 

I just use a balljoint press and have no problem.

 

It depends, Andy, on how dirty/corroded they are. It doesn't help getting the old ones out, that's for sure. But it's still easier and quicker getting them in and it's pretty much free.

I found on Candice's truck (8 years old), that I had some difficulty with the new ones because I didn't clean up the arms first. That's probably as important as anything else.

Still need a balljoint press regardless. Easier is easier, says I, lol.