How to Replace the Ball Joint on a Mercury Grand Marquis
by Leonardo R. Grabkowski
The Mercury Grand Marquis is one of the last full-size, rear-wheel drive cars on the market. The Grand Marquis shares chassis components with its cousin, the Ford Crown Victoria. Both vehicles are built on the Ford Panther platform that has changed little since its introduction in 1979. The ball joints are a crucial part of your suspension and steering; however, ball joint replacement is not recommended for amateurs.
Step 1
Disable the air-ride suspension on the Grand Marquis before lifting the vehicle. The air-ride suspension switch is located in the trunk. Some models have an access door to open behind which the switch is located.
Step 2
Disconnect the negative battery cable and engage the parking brake for safety. Make sure your Grand Marquis is parked on level ground, preferably on concrete or asphalt.
Step 3
Slightly loosen the lug nuts from the wheel(s) you need to remove to access the ball joint. Use the floor jack to lift the vehicle and support it with jack stands. Only use the factory recommended jacking point under the engine bay. Use the side mounts to support the vehicle with the jack stands.
Step 4
Use the four-way lug wrench to remove the wheel(s). Remove the wheel hub and the brake components to access the control arm and ball joints.
Step 5
Use the ball joint press to remove the ball joint from the Marquis. The ball joint cannot be removed without a ball joint press.
Step 6
Install the new ball joint using the ball joint press; do not remove the protective cover while installing it. Once the ball joint is fully tightened, remove the cover from the joint. You may have to trim the protective cover to remove it.
Step 7
Reinstall the wheel hub and brake components. Replace the wheel and tighten the lug nuts to between 85 and 105 foot-pounds using the torque wrench. Lower the vehicle, reconnect the negative battery cable and enable the air ride suspension by turning the trunk switch back on.
Things You'll Need
- Floor jack
- Jack stands
- Four-way lug wrench
- Socket wrench set
- Ball joint press
- Replacement ball joint
- Torque wrench
Writer Bio
Leonardo R. Grabkowski has been writing professionally for more than four years. Grabkowski attended college in Oregon. He builds websites on the side and has a slight obsession with Drupal, Joomla and Wordpress.
