[down under bronco]

Hey, my passenger front wheel drives on a lean, so ive jacked her up & yep!!! there is play from top to bottom, not side to side. can i simply go to ford get a ball joint & undo that humungus nut & split pin & it will fall out, or do you need special tools... i do have a ball joint seperator, is this where you would use it.. does the disk brake have to come off, or the brake line at least??

:shocked

[/Remember in order to get that bolt really tight--------STRIP IT...., THEN BACK IT OFF 2 TURNS.... I]

 

[Bronco1989]

you have to take the hubs apart and pull the axlesand press them out.

 

[sackman9975]

Boy I wish it was as easy as to take that bolt and pin out but its a little more involved. Caliper, hub, rotor, tie rod, spindle and axle shaft have to come off. Then off comes the two ball joint nuts and cotter pins. Then you'll need that trusty ball joint seperator or two and a "BFH" (big f***ing hammer). Air tools can make this job a little easier. After you get the steering knuckle off then you'll need a ball joint press. Expensive tool but can be rented. Press out, press in then put back together.

 

[sewiv]

There's a thread on how to take apart the front end running right now.

 

[down under bronco]

holy shit, thats too big of a job to do with my K-mart tools.....i think ill take it to the mechanic. but much appreciated information....

Remember in order to get that bolt really tight--------STRIP IT...., THEN BACK IT OFF 2 TURNS....

 

[dan76]

Hey...this is the time to buy some decent tools with the savings you'll realize from replacing these items yourself........The will be upwards to 3 bills in most shops.

 

[redbeast9]

Sounds like its time to man up to me. Get a manual and got to work. Its not that bad but it will take you some time since your new to it. And the ball joint press can be rented from alot of the chain parts stores, rented mine for 150 then returned it and got all my cash back(advanced auto). Also while you have the press replace those axle U-joints and maybe replace the inner spindle bearings with all the money you saved. Good luck.

 

[waltman]

Im gonna have to replace the driver side BJ's in the next couple of months, really not looking foreward to it.

 

[dan76]

Hey...this is the time to buy some decent tools with the savings you'll realize from replacing these items yourself........The will be upwards to 3 bills in most shops.

Just noticed you're from "down under"......let me know what your shop charges for this work if you don't do it yourself.

 

[Felix.]

Did mine last week; shitty job but the big time $avings made it worth it.

 

[down under bronco]

Just noticed you're from "down under"......let me know what your shop charges for this work if you don't do it yourself.

I sure will, as i cant do this myself...sounds too involved. i allready changed the bake pads & dropped the car onto the cement & bent the rear quater.... im learning to stop at the larger jobs.

 

[kf4amu]

I sure will, as i cant do this myself...sounds too involved. i allready changed the bake pads & dropped the car onto the cement & bent the rear quater.... im learning to stop at the larger jobs.

lol yea this is a larger job. Although once you do it a couple times, you wonder why you didnt do it sooner. Makes me feel smart when I have my entire front end torn down to nothing, and then reinstall everything in 1 hour.

I replaced 4 balljoints in 3 hours last November, cuz I was trying to get it back to the alignment shop before they closed. Nothing special, just hte proper sockets...didnt even have a balljoint press.

 

[DNBELOWBRONCO]

Everyone's got to start somewhere. I'm waiting on about $400.00 worth of front end parts to arrive & four of them are ball joints. Even though I've never done it before everythings coming off & being checked & or replaced. Manual hubs, axle pivot bushings, radius arm bushings, etc. all Urethane. I've read about it through threads here at FSB & feel like I can handle it "No Sweat". Read Stangmatas' writeup on his 95' & if you have any questions or think you can't do it after that I'd be surprised. Give it a shot bro you can always get the mechanic to come to your house later with an offer of a Fosters & a Cute Sheila...Good Luck!! -Kevin-

 

[MikeW]

Remember to apply light pressure from a floor jack so the lower ball joint will seat otherwise it will spin' spin'.

 

[redbeast9]

I sure will, as i cant do this myself...sounds too involved. i allready changed the bake pads & dropped the car onto the cement & bent the rear quater.... im learning to stop at the larger jobs.

:shocked:shocked:shocked

Hmmmm...yeh you better take it to a shop then. :histerica
Glad you didnt get hurt though, or did you?

 

[sewiv]

I just did ball joints, tie rod ends, axle pivot bushings, front axle u-joints, front driveshaft front u-joint, pulled and drilled the chunk for an oil drain, resealed and regasketed the chunk, went clipless on the passenger inner axleshaft, changed the spindle and wheel bearings and seals, changed out the hubs/rotors, and changed from automatic hubs to manual hubs in only a week of working at night after my day job. Hooray for Michigan rust!

It sucked a lot. My Harbor Freight ball joint c-clamp was incredibly useful doing all that, especially with the optional adapter kit.

 

[GTRider245]

I just did ball joints, tie rod ends, axle pivot bushings, front axle u-joints, front driveshaft front u-joint, pulled and drilled the chunk for an oil drain, resealed and regasketed the chunk, went clipless on the passenger inner axleshaft, changed the spindle and wheel bearings and seals, changed out the hubs/rotors, and changed from automatic hubs to manual hubs in only a week of working at night after my day job. Hooray for Michigan rust!

It sucked a lot. My Harbor Freight ball joint c-clamp was incredibly useful doing all that, especially with the optional adapter kit.

Thats where I'm at right now. I am ordering the front end parts hopefully within the next week. Need to start cleaning and painting:banghead

 

[BroncoJoe19]

I'll be doing ball joints this spring. Parts will cost me about $200 VS about $1200 at a shop. I was warned that I may need a hammer puller, and a special adapter to pull the spindle, and asked around a little bit, and can't find a place that'll rent one. Any suggestsions?

 

[94broncoxl]

Hooray for Michigan rust!
.

We get that here too. Makes everthing that much harder. It was a major PITA to get the spindles off the first time I tore mine down.

 

[dan76]

I'll be doing ball joints this spring. Parts will cost me about $200 VS about $1200 at a shop. I was warned that I may need a hammer puller, and a special adapter to pull the spindle, and asked around a little bit, and can't find a place that'll rent one. Any suggestsions?

Do you have a Pep Boys or Autozone in your area?

Or you can buy the tool and sell it on this forum.