How to Replace Ball Joints on a Ford 4X4
The ball joints on a Ford four-wheel-drive vehicle are ball and socket joints. These joints help the suspension by providing mobility and flexibility. Without ball joints, the suspension would collapse or break during even normal driving due to the stresses placed on the system. Clunking or sloppy steering, including vibration at highway speeds, can indicate that the ball joints are failing and need to be replaced.
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Things You'll Need
- Tire wrench
- Brake parts cleaner
- Air compressor
- Impact wrench
- Ball joint separator tool
- Ball joint press tool
- Hammer
- Rubber mallet
- Socket wrench
- Socket set
- Floor jack
- Two jack stands
- Zip ties
- Pliers
- Torque wrench
Instructions
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1
Loosen the front wheel lug nuts by giving them a 1/4 turn counterclockwise with a tire wrench.
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2
Slide a floor jack under the front jack point and lift the 4x4 off the ground. This may be difficult because 4x4s tend to sit high off the ground. If you need to, you can always jack up on the lower control arm where the arm connects to the strut, since this will relieve pressure from the ball joint and make it easier to remove.
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3
Finish removing the lug nuts and pull the wheel off the hub.
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4
Pull the cotter pin out of the axle nut with a pair of pliers and remove the axle nut with an impact wrench.
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5
Push the axle into the wheel hub by hitting it with a rubber mallet. It's important to use a rubber mallet, not a hammer, to tap the axle in. If you damage the splines on the end of the axle, the axle will need to be replaced.
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6
Locate the lower ball joint. The ball joint is seated in the lower control arm on the bottom of the suspension. There is a rubber boot covering most of the joint, or at least there should be. If your ball joint is damaged, it may be exposed.
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7
Remove the mounting bolts on the brake caliper and pull the caliper off the brake rotor.
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8
Tie the caliper assembly to the coil springs above the brake assembly with zip ties.
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9
Remove the brake rotor by pulling it off the wheel hub.
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10
Remove the cotter pin from the ball joint mounting nut with a pair of pliers. You'll need to give it a good yank, but it will come out.
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11
Remove the ball joint-to-control arm mounting nut by turning it counterclockwise with a socket wrench.
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12
Place the teeth of the ball joint removal tool where the ball joint and control arm come together. Hit the handle of the ball joint removal tool with a hammer to separate the joint from the knuckle. This will take some time and quite a bit of force, but it will eventually come apart.
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13
Press the old ball joint out of position. Place the head of the ball joint press tool over the top of the ball joint. Turn the press handle to push the joint out of the control arm.
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14
Clean the control arm area with brake parts cleaner.
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15
Install the new ball joint. Installation is the reverse of removal. When installing, make sure that you seat the new ball joint straight into the control arm. If the ball joint isn't straight when you press it in, the joint could fail prematurely. Torque all suspension bolts and nuts to the specification listed in your Ford's service manual (see Resources).
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