Hello everyone,

I’m new here. I just bought a 1998 Ranger 2WD 2.5 liter, 5-SPD. The guy I bought it from included a Ford – Chilton manual that is pretty lacking in information as well as accuracy. Now I need to replace at least 3 ball joints (might as well do them all) for some reason they have torn boots, they are still solid and I won’t be able to do it for a few weeks.

Now the Chilton manual says my truck has torsion bars although it is clearly has coil springs, and gives no instructions for this. So my main question is what is the step by step procedure to remove the spindle and control arms, and most importantly do I need to remove the coil springs first?

Or does the shock limit the travel of the spring and I can thus leave the lower control arm on the truck and use a ball joint tool to remove / install the lower ball joints? (I don’t want to do something wrong and have an angry spring jump at me!)

Thanks!

 

IIRC you have to buy new lower control arms if the ball joints are bad...can't press them out

 

the lower ball joint is 100% servicable

the shock does limit suspension travel so just leave it installed. The upper ball joint may require the arm to be replaced if there is no snap ring holding the ball joint in

 

ok i wasnt sure there...i thought you couldnt service them

 

Hey John! How many miles are on it?

 

About 92K. The joints are solid but for some reason all of the boots are torn, like someone took it apart once using a "pickle fork"

I have found some other shoddy work on the truck such as;
The power steering pump cast aluminum bracket was held on with only one bolt,
The head gasket was replaced and a "New" timing belt (doesn't look new to me) was installed and he left the timing belt cover off (and lost it).

Can't wait to find the next suprise....

But it runs good, just drove it 130 miles today.