good job lad.Ive just done mine on a ford transit(uk mk6)foookin barsteward of a job and i think ive nipped the rubber so i will have to swap it over but the twat should come out easier this time.
Superb video. I've done this job 100 times. Some things I learned which may (or may not) be helpful is that I loosen the hub lugs slightly with the wheels on and before jacking the truck up up. I had to stand on a 3' breaker to loosen those suckers most of the time. Also, if you put the new ball joints in the freezer a day ahead of installation you can almost insert them in the control arm by hand. Just need a few raps from a plastic hammer. They will expand when warmed up and become snug.
Excelente video, recomiendo aflojar la tuerca del eje antes de levantarel vehiculo, y al finalizar ajustar a 210 lb/f el hacerlo en forma excesiva dañara el rodamiento en forma prematura, e igual soportar el caliper con algo para evitar dañar la manquera. Gracias por el video.
Hey man, just wanted to let you know your video was very helpful. I just finished replacing the ball joints on my '98 Ford Ranger and it was a breeze.
Wow... what a trip. I have a 99 Explorer that needs new ball joints, but I can't see paying the gazillion dollars the mechanic wants. Googled "replace ford ball joint" and this video is the first thing that came up. Awesome. Thanks, man.
The axle nut is a large 32 mm nut. A different way to Brealk lose the nut and not put strain on the lugs and nuts. Before raising the wheel off the ground. Remove the center cap from the wheel. Now you can loosen that tough nut with stressing the wheel lugs and nuts. Just a half turn will do for now. Then follow the rest of the normal procedure.
@petespowerhour even with all of their air tools and nifty tricks a "professional" will milk this job since the labor book tells them they can charge you for 4 hours. This job can be accomplished by the average Joe in about an hour per side
@croom9 is doing this very similar to replacing a 2000 mercury mountaineer, the place i wet to wants almost 800 bucks for the entire job ad i cant afford that! T_T my car is going to fall apart and im desperate enough to learnt to do it myself ! O_O
This guy actually took the time to help other people out, trying to share a little know how, who the fuck actually takes the time to talk shit about him, or his weight, people are fucking idiots. If this video isn't helping you, then fucking move on already, bunch of little fucking girls. Anyway, thanks dude for taking the time out to make a cool video.
Hi croom9, excellent video and great for the home mechanic without air tools. I have a question. Have you ever changed the lower control arm? I have a 2001 sport 4x4 that the LCA bushings are shot in. Seen your video in the ford forum :)
Looking for advice on LCA replacement not sure about the torsion bars, and related pressures. Any help would be great. Keep up the good work, and pay no mind to the crazy mechanics behind the curtains. They no not of what they speak.
Great video, it really broke it down to the nuts and bolts. I was able to takle both the upper and lower on both sides in about 5 hours. It took some time since 177K miles with lots o rust on a 1995. Good demo on how to get out the lowers with using an old socket on ball joint and using a BF hammer. Great job (although I did have an air compressor and ratchet avail. It pays for itself every day!
wow, i need to come to the east coast, out here in colorado they were trying to charge me 680 bucks for my '98 ranger, thanks for this video, you saved me ALOT of money
1. I have a howling coming out of my front right axle/wheel well. The howling stops when i make a sharp right turn (shifting all the weight to the left side of the car) but when it settles out, it comes back. could this be the bearings?
2. does removing the adjustment shackle mess with the alignment (meaning having to get it realigned)?
Great Video! I am replacing my upper and lower ball joints on my 2001 Explorer Sport 4 wheel drive. QUESTION ~ In the manual that I am reading, it says that the control arms need to be replaced if the ball joints are bad. Obviously, your video just shows the ball joint replacement, not the lower control arm. Am I ok with just buying the ball joints and not the control arm/ball joint assembly?
@sledge244 Yes it would apply to a 97, and as a matter of fact this procedure will be the same on almost any vehicle you work on, things may look different and be different shapes and sizes but the process and concepts will all be the same
You gotta love these kind of videos on youtube. Thanks croom9, I just replaced the ball joints and outer tie rods on my 01 sport, just followed your instructions and it went smoothly. Its like a new truck now. The only issue I had was the lower ball joints would not pound out with a hammer, they just started mushrooming out. So I pressed them out with the press tool. Man they were really in there. I am never going to pay for labor again. All you have to do is buy the parts and do your research.
The hammer method is all over youtube already. With two hammers you risk zero damage to the ball joints or knockle, a pickle fork it's easily screws up the boot, not so bad if you are replacing the joint but if removing for axle replacement etc. you might want to save the joint. I did one last week with two or three taps, using two hammers, one on either side of the joint by the pinch bolt.
I'm just saying there's a much easier and quicker way. That's what mechanics do, share tips.
@165mrbreeze It defiantly is going to restrict the movement of the steering knuckle when you try to get to the lower joint, but you might be able to pull it out of the way JUST enough
@165mrbreeze also keep in mind if there is any kind of slop in the upper joint to begin with, and you over exert its range of motion you may damage it in the process of trying to move it out of your way
When replacing the ball joints do the get pressed in from the top or do they get pressed up with the tool didn't see that part in the video thanks look forward to your response im going to attempt this week to get it done!
@joelphnx Check out @7:55 The joints are pressed up into the lower control arm from the bottom you do not see the joint itself in the video because it is already in the press cup
When replacing the ball joints do the get pressed in from the top or do they get pressed up with the tool didn't see that part in the video thanks look forward to your response im going to attempt this week to get it done!
@croom9 LOL, yeah that's the ticket ! :D Seeing as this video is about REPLACING ball joints, I am not sure how you come to your conclusion, however irrelevant. Pickle forks are for separating ball joints, I understand that as I have been in the trade long enough. A much easier way, without requiring a pickle fork in the toolbox, is to simply knock around the knuckle surrounding the joint a few times. Easier, faster and yes you can free the uppers the exact same way.
@ozmedia why argue on his video? who cares if you use to work on ford trucks.. i have worked on three ford trucks in my life and understand the fork is there so you don't mess anything up.. its the same with bearings that are pressed in.. yeah you can get the right tool but all you need is an impact socket that fits the bearing and a hammer.. but there is no need arguing on someone elses video.. don't like how he did it? make a video response showing your way
Fair enough, you can have kittens lick it off if you wish. Just saying it for people who work at home, that may not have a pickle fork or want the easy way. I worked at a Ford truck shop for years and RARELY saw a pickle fork used on a ball joint, upper, lower or tie rod end.. You just whack the outside of the casting around the ball joint a few times and it's free,shops do it all the time for quicker, easier removal. Try it, its so easy you'll never go back.
Fair enough, you can have kittens lick it off if you wish. Just saying it for people who work at home, that may not have a pickle fork or want the easy way. I worked at Ford for years and RARELY saw a pickle fork used on a ball joint, upper or lower or tie rod end. A few whacks 'around' that top joint will drop it quick . You just whack the outside of the casting around the ball joint a few times,shops do it for quicker, easier removal. Try it, its so easy you'll never go back.
Fair enough, you can have kittens lick it off if you wish. Just saying it for people who work at home, that may not have a pickle fork or want the easy way. I worked at a Ford for nearly 20 years and RARELY saw a pickle fork used on a ball joint, upper or lower or tie rod end. A few whacks 'around' that top joint will drop it quick . You just whack the outside of the casting around the ball joint a few times,shops do it for quicker, easier removal. Try it, its so easy you'll never go back.
It's an easier way to remove them and any guy with a ball peen can knock them loose in a few whacks. I used pickle forks when I was an apprentice but quickly changed to a few whacks with a hammer when under the gun for time and charges.
@ozmedia yeh i still cant see how it would work on the uppers in this application..... there is a tool made for every job and this one requires a pickle fork... if you prefer to whack away with a hammer then by all means pound away, but im showing the correct way to separate the joints in this video
Save killing the joint boots with the pickle fork. It's way easier to just to give it a few raps around the outside of the knuckles where the joint slides in and they both just fall free, new or old, rusted or whatever.
@jessiejames2012 actually i edited it down to fit into 10 minutes in reality it took me about an hour a side......... as for your squeek go pick up a can of silicone lube from wally world and hit the sway bar bushings shock bushings and make sure you grease any zirk fittings you may have with a automotive grade grease.....
My wheels move left to right like 1/4" not up and down. The tie rod ends seem like they are good cuz they move with the wheel, dont seem to have play. I replaced the upper ball joint on the passenger side, but not the lower ball joint. The passenger side wheel does not seem to move as much as the drivers side. The drivers side did not have the upper ball joint replaced. This is what leads me to believe that both lower ball joints need to be replaced.
@Shadowslamer On ford light trucks EXTREMELY common, the engineering of them tends to have them self destruct, even the 97+ f150's and expeditions are hard on their own front end parts, but as with anything with a hundred thousand under its belt parts that involve motion/friction do wear out naturally, depending on your driving style and or geographical elements things may wear prematurely as well. On a 95 "full size vehicle" Id expect ball joints to show signs of wear.
@croom9 what are your symptoms, there are other components that could cause similar problems, i.e tie rod ends, shocks and struts, wheel bearings... ect
Really an informative video. I have PVH hubs on my 99 ranger. Not sure how to get those hubs off. Wish it had the system that's in this video but that's life.
@cromm9 Thanks for the awesome video! I used this last night to change both upper and lower ball joints on both sides of my 98 Explorer AWD 5.0L. Everything went well and your video helped alot. I do have a question though. Once I was finished and took it out for a drive, I found that the front end would shake at low speeds when turning, it would also shake some if I hit a bump at high speeds.
This didnt happened at all before I changed out the joints. What could be my issue?
Great detailed video.I will be doing this on my 98 this week and the only thing I have a question about is HOW FAR is the lower ball joint pressed into the hole. Does it simply bottom out or just enough to get the circle ring on? Thanks.
@theciskokidd When you pick up your new joints you will see that they have a ledge around them, that is so they bottom out on the underside of the control arm leaving enough room to put the clip on.
Thanks for watching and if you have any other questions id be happy to help!
@croom9 When you changed the upper control arm on the passenger side was the upper ball joint already installed on it and how much harder is it to change the upper on the drivers side. Also would your illustration be the same on my 2002 explorer xlt, 4wd?
@emberswzd Yes the Upper ball joints are already installed in the upper control arm when you purchase them, the driver's side is a bit easier than the pass. but it can be kind of a pain to fit ur hands in there when yout try to line up the bolts. I havent worked on a 2002 but i would say as long as its 4x4 they would be the same, if you have any questions while ur in the process dont hesitate to jump on here and ask, or send me a pm
@croom9 Thanks for the info and I will be sure to throw a help towards u if need be. hoping it all works out for the best. Already know what I need just have to find out if the local autozone rents out the ball joint press.
@emberswzd most autozones have them i know mine here in northeast pa has everytool know to man for loanouts, i usually end up wanting to keep them after i use them and go buy one afterwards lol
@hectorcriss hey thanks for showin some support! please subscribe to make sure you see all the videos yet to come and if there is something in particular you would like to see dont hesitate to shoot me a message and ill try to put something together for you! -Joe
I've seen allot of vehicle how to vids. This one is about the best. Clear instructions. You talk like a normal Joe (see now I did it). And you admit that presses can be used with a breaker bar. Although an impact will let everything hold still better!
I had to disconnect the upper ball joint and the tie rod end in order to swing the spindle outboard to get the clearance to push the axle inboard and tip the spindle away from the lower control arm. Everything went smooth.
@samndbo If you dont plan to replace the uppers, Im sure you can manage to swing it away JUST enough to get in there for the bottoms. but it wont be as easy to get to. Just be careful not to damage the upper joint by man handling it too much to get it out of the way, think of it as your shoulder socket , it will only move so far before it risks being dislocated or tearing something inside.
So I am in the process of replacing my driver side upper and lower ball joints and ran into a problem. Everything was coming off great until I got the bolt off that connects the upper ball joint to the knuckle. I don't think the ball joints have ever been replaced and I can not get the ball joint out. It seems to be rusted together. I have been trying my hardest with a ball joint fork, but it won't budge. I sprayed some WD 40 on it and will see what happens. Any suggestions. Thanks
@cjustice411 did you take the bolt all the way out? sometimes they build up quite a bit of rust and crud on them and its just enough that the balljoint stud cant get past it. Other than that just keep repositioning that fork and giver hell I know they can be a real bear.
Really appreciate this video. It was very helpful and they way the economy is, this helped me save lots of money that I can't really be putting out. Nice work!!!
Really appreciate this video. It was very helpful and they way the economy is, this helped me save lots of money that I can't really be putting out. Nice work!!!
thanks for posting this. good camera angle and explanations. i just bought a 1998 explorer xlt 4x4. it is also pretty rusty although i am in oklahoma it came from wisconsin. how do i know if the ball joints need replaced? will it sound similar to a broken cv joint on a car with the low muffed crackling sound when you turn? also is it a good idea to replace the axles when you are replacing ball joints? any difference in this procedure on 4x4 vs non 4x4? sorry for all the questions :)
@ed0985587 ok Ed, np, to check your joints raise the front end off the ground and grab the wheel at 12 oclock and at 6 oclock and check for play, if they are very bad you'll generally be able to tell just by driving it on bumpy roads you'll hear a dull clunking noise not so much the cv clicking type sound,and it will feel somewhat floaty. -You can inspect the axles while your in there. if the rubber boots are in good shape i would reuse them. and the procedure is generally the same mine was 4wd
@ed0985587 anytime, and if you have any other questions once you get into the job or need any further insight feel free to ask here or shoot me a message i get all the messages right on my phone so i can respond pretty quick if need be
@musclecarfreek04 yeah they can get pretty nasty especially up here in the northern states where we use ridiculous amounts of road salt in the winter, i like working on southern cars
@tubestoyou Your welcome... and the only thing I ever go to sears for is their front end alignments, they are the cheapest around here, and they have the best 4 wheel alignment equipment in my area
This has been flagged as spam show
thanks my friend !!
MrJustinrebel 1 week ago
good job lad.Ive just done mine on a ford transit(uk mk6)foookin barsteward of a job and i think ive nipped the rubber so i will have to swap it over but the twat should come out easier this time.
thanxx 1 week ago
Great job thanks for your time man...This was very helpful!
sco1873 1 week ago
Superb video. I've done this job 100 times. Some things I learned which may (or may not) be helpful is that I loosen the hub lugs slightly with the wheels on and before jacking the truck up up. I had to stand on a 3' breaker to loosen those suckers most of the time. Also, if you put the new ball joints in the freezer a day ahead of installation you can almost insert them in the control arm by hand. Just need a few raps from a plastic hammer. They will expand when warmed up and become snug.
lizard944 1 week ago
i have a 91 need to replace ball joints Will it be close to this? it is also a 4wd
jaybeefun 2 weeks ago
nice vid man
just found out i need to tackle this job soon
helpful video
sayian2k 2 weeks ago
Thanks for taking the time. Good video!
unclematt3 3 weeks ago
Excelente video, recomiendo aflojar la tuerca del eje antes de levantarel vehiculo, y al finalizar ajustar a 210 lb/f el hacerlo en forma excesiva dañara el rodamiento en forma prematura, e igual soportar el caliper con algo para evitar dañar la manquera. Gracias por el video.
caballerosmg 2 months ago
Excellent straightforward lesson
oreokookie1000 3 months ago
Hey man, just wanted to let you know your video was very helpful. I just finished replacing the ball joints on my '98 Ford Ranger and it was a breeze.
beardpower0 3 months ago
Do you or anyone watching this video have experience with the cheaper ball joints like lower end Raybestos or Mevotech?
Thanks for the video.
sirreginaldthe4th 3 months ago
Thank you very much!
willmrx 3 months ago
Wow... what a trip. I have a 99 Explorer that needs new ball joints, but I can't see paying the gazillion dollars the mechanic wants. Googled "replace ford ball joint" and this video is the first thing that came up. Awesome. Thanks, man.
kalidasa47 3 months ago
@kalidasa47 my 97 Explorer's ball joints have been replaced every 40k miles or so. its pathetic. I dont understand why.
FPGT24 2 months ago
You are a freaking Life Saver! Thanks for the video!!!
Corteese1980 4 months ago
Hello,
Here is a tip.
The axle nut is a large 32 mm nut. A different way to Brealk lose the nut and not put strain on the lugs and nuts. Before raising the wheel off the ground. Remove the center cap from the wheel. Now you can loosen that tough nut with stressing the wheel lugs and nuts. Just a half turn will do for now. Then follow the rest of the normal procedure.
Just a tip.
Thanks for the vid!!
Bob
crazybob1954mo 4 months ago
Thank you from Ireland - Excellent video man - thanks for posting :-)
niallandkellie 4 months ago
how long does it take for a mechanic to do this??
petespowerhour 4 months ago
@petespowerhour even with all of their air tools and nifty tricks a "professional" will milk this job since the labor book tells them they can charge you for 4 hours. This job can be accomplished by the average Joe in about an hour per side
croom9 4 months ago
@croom9 is doing this very similar to replacing a 2000 mercury mountaineer, the place i wet to wants almost 800 bucks for the entire job ad i cant afford that! T_T my car is going to fall apart and im desperate enough to learnt to do it myself ! O_O
Minyadagniriel 1 week ago
@Minyadagniriel Where are you going I took my 99 into a ford dealership and they charged me 200
EpicPowder 1 week ago
@EpicPowder i took it to a network alignment and brakes auto shop, but i couldnt get anything done, i cant pay 800 dollars for this :(
Minyadagniriel 1 week ago
Fantastic video man. Thanks
70oldblue 4 months ago
skinny little greaser eh - but good video, thanks
fishNtits 4 months ago
This guy actually took the time to help other people out, trying to share a little know how, who the fuck actually takes the time to talk shit about him, or his weight, people are fucking idiots. If this video isn't helping you, then fucking move on already, bunch of little fucking girls. Anyway, thanks dude for taking the time out to make a cool video.
FarmageddonRecords 4 months ago 15
shouldn't much different on an 03' explorer correct?
lizrocksyourworld 4 months ago in playlist Explorer
muy buen video amigo
luiscorona007 5 months ago
@luiscorona007 Agradezco el apoyo de Gracias
croom9 4 months ago
Hi croom9, excellent video and great for the home mechanic without air tools. I have a question. Have you ever changed the lower control arm? I have a 2001 sport 4x4 that the LCA bushings are shot in. Seen your video in the ford forum :)
Looking for advice on LCA replacement not sure about the torsion bars, and related pressures. Any help would be great. Keep up the good work, and pay no mind to the crazy mechanics behind the curtains. They no not of what they speak.
ZandorRI 5 months ago
YOU DONT HAVE TO REMOVE THE DRIVE AXLES TO REMOVE THE LOWER BALL JOINT
Whitecrackertrash 5 months ago
This is not a fancy car garage too. I dont have snap on or mac or sk and air stuffs
hom2fu 5 months ago
So all you need to do to separate them is just use a pickle fork and just go at it? It's a pain in the ass to get them apart on a 68 buick
snowman4839 5 months ago
Great video, it really broke it down to the nuts and bolts. I was able to takle both the upper and lower on both sides in about 5 hours. It took some time since 177K miles with lots o rust on a 1995. Good demo on how to get out the lowers with using an old socket on ball joint and using a BF hammer. Great job (although I did have an air compressor and ratchet avail. It pays for itself every day!
cwkrejci 6 months ago
wow, i need to come to the east coast, out here in colorado they were trying to charge me 680 bucks for my '98 ranger, thanks for this video, you saved me ALOT of money
youngleviathan 7 months ago
@youngleviathan Don't bother. They wanted $600.00 at one of my local shops in NC.
blueridgepics 6 months ago
A lot of good advice here...
TV843 7 months ago
Couple questions:
1. I have a howling coming out of my front right axle/wheel well. The howling stops when i make a sharp right turn (shifting all the weight to the left side of the car) but when it settles out, it comes back. could this be the bearings?
2. does removing the adjustment shackle mess with the alignment (meaning having to get it realigned)?
Galvoren 7 months ago
Great Video! I am replacing my upper and lower ball joints on my 2001 Explorer Sport 4 wheel drive. QUESTION ~ In the manual that I am reading, it says that the control arms need to be replaced if the ball joints are bad. Obviously, your video just shows the ball joint replacement, not the lower control arm. Am I ok with just buying the ball joints and not the control arm/ball joint assembly?
mnuppnau84 7 months ago
did you come to learn how to replace joints or talk about weight?
croom9 8 months ago
@croom9 Came to learn about how to replace joints, but in the process noticed how damn skinny you are and expressed my concern.
Would what you did on this vid apply to a 97 explorer?
sledge244 8 months ago
@sledge244 Yes it would apply to a 97, and as a matter of fact this procedure will be the same on almost any vehicle you work on, things may look different and be different shapes and sizes but the process and concepts will all be the same
croom9 8 months ago
@sledge244 Admit it- Your having trouble losing weight and your jealous.
ManOfWealthnTaste 5 months ago
@ManOfWealthnTaste Yup, you caught me, thats exactly it. I'm so fat infact when i lift heavy objects daily my gravitational pull does all the work.
sledge244 5 months ago
@croom9 Great video, just ignore that kind of post.
blueridgepics 6 months ago
@croom9 Dude thx a ton for the vid.. Very helpfull, and saved me tons of time thx again :)
actsetupsux 5 months ago
... You do eat right?
sledge244 8 months ago
@sledge244 your probably morbidly obese i take it?
croom9 8 months ago
@croom9 No, but you add reality to what my grandma always says, "Your nothing but skin and bone." don't get all offended damn.
sledge244 8 months ago
how much would this cost at a mechanic shop? instalation and parts?
santacruzgiantsfan 9 months ago
@santacruzgiantsfan Here in northeast pa it would run you about 225 a side, parts and labor
croom9 8 months ago
@santacruzgiantsfan $390 total if you buy the parts here in Indiana
Currency49495 8 months ago
You gotta love these kind of videos on youtube. Thanks croom9, I just replaced the ball joints and outer tie rods on my 01 sport, just followed your instructions and it went smoothly. Its like a new truck now. The only issue I had was the lower ball joints would not pound out with a hammer, they just started mushrooming out. So I pressed them out with the press tool. Man they were really in there. I am never going to pay for labor again. All you have to do is buy the parts and do your research.
TheNongboo 9 months ago
The hammer method is all over youtube already. With two hammers you risk zero damage to the ball joints or knockle, a pickle fork it's easily screws up the boot, not so bad if you are replacing the joint but if removing for axle replacement etc. you might want to save the joint. I did one last week with two or three taps, using two hammers, one on either side of the joint by the pinch bolt.
I'm just saying there's a much easier and quicker way. That's what mechanics do, share tips.
ozmedia 10 months ago
you shouldve loosen the axle nut while the tire still on it in that way you have good leverage
wangbungal 10 months ago
if changing lower ball joint only, do i have to remove upper control arm?
165mrbreeze 11 months ago
@165mrbreeze It defiantly is going to restrict the movement of the steering knuckle when you try to get to the lower joint, but you might be able to pull it out of the way JUST enough
croom9 11 months ago
@165mrbreeze also keep in mind if there is any kind of slop in the upper joint to begin with, and you over exert its range of motion you may damage it in the process of trying to move it out of your way
croom9 11 months ago
loved the vid man! much better than any other on the topic!
inwiththeold1 11 months ago
@inwiththeold1 Thanks for the feedback, glad to see you found it helpfull
croom9 11 months ago
When replacing the ball joints do the get pressed in from the top or do they get pressed up with the tool didn't see that part in the video thanks look forward to your response im going to attempt this week to get it done!
joelphnx 11 months ago
@joelphnx Check out @7:55 The joints are pressed up into the lower control arm from the bottom you do not see the joint itself in the video because it is already in the press cup
croom9 11 months ago
@croom9 thanks for the quick response my friend keep up the good work
joelphnx 11 months ago
When replacing the ball joints do the get pressed in from the top or do they get pressed up with the tool didn't see that part in the video thanks look forward to your response im going to attempt this week to get it done!
joelphnx 11 months ago
@ozmedia sounds like a good reason that dealerships end up replacing more parts than they have to
croom9 11 months ago
@croom9 LOL, yeah that's the ticket ! :D Seeing as this video is about REPLACING ball joints, I am not sure how you come to your conclusion, however irrelevant. Pickle forks are for separating ball joints, I understand that as I have been in the trade long enough. A much easier way, without requiring a pickle fork in the toolbox, is to simply knock around the knuckle surrounding the joint a few times. Easier, faster and yes you can free the uppers the exact same way.
ozmedia 11 months ago
@ozmedia why argue on his video? who cares if you use to work on ford trucks.. i have worked on three ford trucks in my life and understand the fork is there so you don't mess anything up.. its the same with bearings that are pressed in.. yeah you can get the right tool but all you need is an impact socket that fits the bearing and a hammer.. but there is no need arguing on someone elses video.. don't like how he did it? make a video response showing your way
kingofnone 10 months ago
Fair enough, you can have kittens lick it off if you wish. Just saying it for people who work at home, that may not have a pickle fork or want the easy way. I worked at a Ford truck shop for years and RARELY saw a pickle fork used on a ball joint, upper, lower or tie rod end.. You just whack the outside of the casting around the ball joint a few times and it's free,shops do it all the time for quicker, easier removal. Try it, its so easy you'll never go back.
ozmedia 11 months ago
Fair enough, you can have kittens lick it off if you wish. Just saying it for people who work at home, that may not have a pickle fork or want the easy way. I worked at Ford for years and RARELY saw a pickle fork used on a ball joint, upper or lower or tie rod end. A few whacks 'around' that top joint will drop it quick . You just whack the outside of the casting around the ball joint a few times,shops do it for quicker, easier removal. Try it, its so easy you'll never go back.
ozmedia 11 months ago
Fair enough, you can have kittens lick it off if you wish. Just saying it for people who work at home, that may not have a pickle fork or want the easy way. I worked at a Ford for nearly 20 years and RARELY saw a pickle fork used on a ball joint, upper or lower or tie rod end. A few whacks 'around' that top joint will drop it quick . You just whack the outside of the casting around the ball joint a few times,shops do it for quicker, easier removal. Try it, its so easy you'll never go back.
ozmedia 11 months ago
It's an easier way to remove them and any guy with a ball peen can knock them loose in a few whacks. I used pickle forks when I was an apprentice but quickly changed to a few whacks with a hammer when under the gun for time and charges.
ozmedia 11 months ago
@ozmedia yeh i still cant see how it would work on the uppers in this application..... there is a tool made for every job and this one requires a pickle fork... if you prefer to whack away with a hammer then by all means pound away, but im showing the correct way to separate the joints in this video
croom9 11 months ago
Save killing the joint boots with the pickle fork. It's way easier to just to give it a few raps around the outside of the knuckles where the joint slides in and they both just fall free, new or old, rusted or whatever.
ozmedia 11 months ago
@ozmedia why save them if the object of doing the job is to replace them?
croom9 11 months ago
Great Work! Keep it up! Time to change lower ball joints of my 01 explorer, thank goodness its similar to 99. Power to us grease monkeys!
WrenchingWarrior 1 year ago
grease monkey
hp11208 1 year ago
@Danovido1000 Your welcome, glad you found it helpful and thank you for the support!
croom9 1 year ago
damn u did this in liek 10 minutes it took me and my hillbilly friends like 2 hours
i took it mudding and after started squeaking liek crazy
jessiejames2012 1 year ago
@jessiejames2012 actually i edited it down to fit into 10 minutes in reality it took me about an hour a side......... as for your squeek go pick up a can of silicone lube from wally world and hit the sway bar bushings shock bushings and make sure you grease any zirk fittings you may have with a automotive grade grease.....
croom9 1 year ago
My wheels move left to right like 1/4" not up and down. The tie rod ends seem like they are good cuz they move with the wheel, dont seem to have play. I replaced the upper ball joint on the passenger side, but not the lower ball joint. The passenger side wheel does not seem to move as much as the drivers side. The drivers side did not have the upper ball joint replaced. This is what leads me to believe that both lower ball joints need to be replaced.
Shadowslamer 1 year ago
can this video apply to 1995 Ford Explorer 4 wheel drives? And will replacing my ball joints help stop my car from shaking between 65 and 75 mph?
truso 1 year ago
These look very similar to my 95 t bird. How common is if for the ball joints to go bad?
Shadowslamer 1 year ago
@Shadowslamer On ford light trucks EXTREMELY common, the engineering of them tends to have them self destruct, even the 97+ f150's and expeditions are hard on their own front end parts, but as with anything with a hundred thousand under its belt parts that involve motion/friction do wear out naturally, depending on your driving style and or geographical elements things may wear prematurely as well. On a 95 "full size vehicle" Id expect ball joints to show signs of wear.
croom9 1 year ago
@croom9 Thank you for your help. I will be replaceing my ball joints shortly.
Shadowslamer 1 year ago
@croom9 what are your symptoms, there are other components that could cause similar problems, i.e tie rod ends, shocks and struts, wheel bearings... ect
croom9 1 year ago
How do I find out what the torque settings are for my axle nut on my 97 4WD Explorer? Great video - will be doing mine this weekend on both sides.
heuster 1 year ago
Really an informative video. I have PVH hubs on my 99 ranger. Not sure how to get those hubs off. Wish it had the system that's in this video but that's life.
lsf53 1 year ago
@cromm9 Thanks for the awesome video! I used this last night to change both upper and lower ball joints on both sides of my 98 Explorer AWD 5.0L. Everything went well and your video helped alot. I do have a question though. Once I was finished and took it out for a drive, I found that the front end would shake at low speeds when turning, it would also shake some if I hit a bump at high speeds.
This didnt happened at all before I changed out the joints. What could be my issue?
Thanks
badvs3vil 1 year ago
@badvs3vil I have the same prob.. just finished and it shakes only when turning.. I think it needs an alignment..
jtpvg 11 months ago
Great detailed video.I will be doing this on my 98 this week and the only thing I have a question about is HOW FAR is the lower ball joint pressed into the hole. Does it simply bottom out or just enough to get the circle ring on? Thanks.
theciskokidd 1 year ago
@theciskokidd When you pick up your new joints you will see that they have a ledge around them, that is so they bottom out on the underside of the control arm leaving enough room to put the clip on.
Thanks for watching and if you have any other questions id be happy to help!
croom9 1 year ago
@croom9 When you changed the upper control arm on the passenger side was the upper ball joint already installed on it and how much harder is it to change the upper on the drivers side. Also would your illustration be the same on my 2002 explorer xlt, 4wd?
emberswzd 1 year ago
@emberswzd Yes the Upper ball joints are already installed in the upper control arm when you purchase them, the driver's side is a bit easier than the pass. but it can be kind of a pain to fit ur hands in there when yout try to line up the bolts. I havent worked on a 2002 but i would say as long as its 4x4 they would be the same, if you have any questions while ur in the process dont hesitate to jump on here and ask, or send me a pm
croom9 1 year ago
@croom9 Thanks for the info and I will be sure to throw a help towards u if need be. hoping it all works out for the best. Already know what I need just have to find out if the local autozone rents out the ball joint press.
emberswzd 1 year ago
@emberswzd most autozones have them i know mine here in northeast pa has everytool know to man for loanouts, i usually end up wanting to keep them after i use them and go buy one afterwards lol
croom9 1 year ago
@hectorcriss hey thanks for showin some support! please subscribe to make sure you see all the videos yet to come and if there is something in particular you would like to see dont hesitate to shoot me a message and ill try to put something together for you! -Joe
croom9 1 year ago
very good my friend ,very clear , very useful , keep doing these videos
hectorcriss 1 year ago
Is this the same process for a 98 Ford Ranger?
jfaust7819 1 year ago
I've seen allot of vehicle how to vids. This one is about the best. Clear instructions. You talk like a normal Joe (see now I did it). And you admit that presses can be used with a breaker bar. Although an impact will let everything hold still better!
mickblock 1 year ago
@mickblock Thanks for the positive feedback!
croom9 1 year ago
Wow you made it look easy! Thanks
gardnerbm 1 year ago
@gardnerbm Your very welcome! Good luck with the job.... dont be afraid to stop back if you run into any snags and have any questions!
croom9 1 year ago
I had to disconnect the upper ball joint and the tie rod end in order to swing the spindle outboard to get the clearance to push the axle inboard and tip the spindle away from the lower control arm. Everything went smooth.
Thanx for the video and help
samndbo 1 year ago
I am replacing the lower on the drivers side on a 2000, do I need to disconnect the upper to swing out the lower.
samndbo 1 year ago
@samndbo If you dont plan to replace the uppers, Im sure you can manage to swing it away JUST enough to get in there for the bottoms. but it wont be as easy to get to. Just be careful not to damage the upper joint by man handling it too much to get it out of the way, think of it as your shoulder socket , it will only move so far before it risks being dislocated or tearing something inside.
croom9 1 year ago
I am doing the lower on the drivers side, does the upper have to come apart to do this in order to swing out the lower.
LEDZEPppbj 1 year ago
your a champ. thanks bud I need to do this after the shop just quoted me 650$ :( before then can do the alignment
scubasteve041186 1 year ago
How long does this job typically take to complete start to finish ? Thanks...
Brushhoppr 1 year ago
@Brushhoppr I would say about 3hrs .... provided there are no setbacks
croom9 1 year ago
@croom9 Cool man Thanks the Video is also very helpful and detailed Awesome job and a fast response. Thanks Again... 10 +
Brushhoppr 1 year ago
@Brushhoppr NP, glad I could help! and as always if you run into any snags don't hesitate to send a message my way. GOOD LUCK
croom9 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@croom9 Cool man Thanks, and the Video is also very helpful and detailed Awesome job and a fast response. Thanks Again... 10 +
Brushhoppr 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@croom9 Cool man Thanks, and the Video is also very helpful and detailed Awesome job and a fast response. Thanks Again... 10 +
Brushhoppr 1 year ago
@croom9 Cool man Thanks the Video is also very helpful and detailed Awesome job and a fast response. Thanks Again... 10 +
Brushhoppr 1 year ago
So I am in the process of replacing my driver side upper and lower ball joints and ran into a problem. Everything was coming off great until I got the bolt off that connects the upper ball joint to the knuckle. I don't think the ball joints have ever been replaced and I can not get the ball joint out. It seems to be rusted together. I have been trying my hardest with a ball joint fork, but it won't budge. I sprayed some WD 40 on it and will see what happens. Any suggestions. Thanks
cjustice411 1 year ago
@cjustice411 did you take the bolt all the way out? sometimes they build up quite a bit of rust and crud on them and its just enough that the balljoint stud cant get past it. Other than that just keep repositioning that fork and giver hell I know they can be a real bear.
croom9 1 year ago
@cjustice411 i had the same problem with my 85 ranger all i did was get a pipe wrench and a breaker bar and twisted it off
killertewa 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Really appreciate this video. It was very helpful and they way the economy is, this helped me save lots of money that I can't really be putting out. Nice work!!!
leofire19 1 year ago
Really appreciate this video. It was very helpful and they way the economy is, this helped me save lots of money that I can't really be putting out. Nice work!!!
leofire19 1 year ago
@leofire19 Thanks..... Glad i could help!
croom9 1 year ago
thanks for posting this. good camera angle and explanations. i just bought a 1998 explorer xlt 4x4. it is also pretty rusty although i am in oklahoma it came from wisconsin. how do i know if the ball joints need replaced? will it sound similar to a broken cv joint on a car with the low muffed crackling sound when you turn? also is it a good idea to replace the axles when you are replacing ball joints? any difference in this procedure on 4x4 vs non 4x4? sorry for all the questions :)
ed0985587 1 year ago
@ed0985587 ok Ed, np, to check your joints raise the front end off the ground and grab the wheel at 12 oclock and at 6 oclock and check for play, if they are very bad you'll generally be able to tell just by driving it on bumpy roads you'll hear a dull clunking noise not so much the cv clicking type sound,and it will feel somewhat floaty. -You can inspect the axles while your in there. if the rubber boots are in good shape i would reuse them. and the procedure is generally the same mine was 4wd
croom9 1 year ago
@croom9 awesome thanks for the fast response!
ed0985587 1 year ago
@ed0985587 anytime, and if you have any other questions once you get into the job or need any further insight feel free to ask here or shoot me a message i get all the messages right on my phone so i can respond pretty quick if need be
croom9 1 year ago
coulda used this a few months ago!... wat a pain in the ass it was. wayyyy too rusty!
musclecarfreek04 1 year ago
@musclecarfreek04 yeah they can get pretty nasty especially up here in the northern states where we use ridiculous amounts of road salt in the winter, i like working on southern cars
croom9 1 year ago
@croom9 pretty nasty is an understatement lmao. i need new shocks now, that'll be fun...
musclecarfreek04 1 year ago
@musclecarfreek04 actually the shocks on these are pretty easy just did that on the wife's 96
bad95f150 1 year ago
@bad95f150 thats nice to hear. i just did my spark plugs and wires and i just about rolled the thing off a cliff...lol
musclecarfreek04 1 year ago
@musclecarfreek04 : actually the shocks on these are pretty easy to change just did that one on my wife's 96
bad95f150 1 year ago
Thank you so much for this excellent video guide. Sears just quoted me $1100 + for ball joint replacement on my 95 Explorer.
tubestoyou 1 year ago
@tubestoyou Your welcome... and the only thing I ever go to sears for is their front end alignments, they are the cheapest around here, and they have the best 4 wheel alignment equipment in my area
croom9 1 year ago
Thanks Guys, glad to see that I helped someone out!
croom9 1 year ago
Good Job.
abelsonjason 1 year ago
You just saved me a ton of money, thanks
HappyBonz4109 1 year ago