Garage Gazette
VEHICLES => DAILY DRIVERS/GROCERY GETTERS => Topic started by: stokester on December 22, 2019, 05:17:39 PM
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Recently I had a noticeable clunk in the front suspension in my 2005 120K RWD Ford F150. A quick check using a floor jack and a substantial pry bar confirmed worn lower ball joints. When I worked at the Chevy shop it was almost certain that a 100K+ truck would have this issue and would fail VA inspection. There were a couple of techs that had the full ball joint service set and generally took these jobs so I never made the investment in a comprehensive kit which can be quite expensive.
After removing the wheels and starting removal of the steering knuckle I noticed that one of the sway bar links was missing the upper rubber bumper so they were added to the parts list.
I needed to replace mine in a Ford F150 so what kit do I need? That answer is not readily apparent and I did not want to spend a lot of money on a service kit that may only be used once but was willing to use Harbor Freight to do the job if necessary. The local O’Reilly has a tool loan program and I brought my new Moog ball joint to ensure there was a cup to fit. Their kit was a basic and it did have one that would fit over the joint for removal and one to contact it for installation. But…
For removal there was no properly sized cup to allow full removal so a big impact socket did the trick. Installation was another matter as these joints use a snap ring and have to be pressed above the control arm approximately 1/4” which requires another spacer of some type. So I found a square chisel and nut of about the same size to allow the space required to press the joint into place. Although I do have an impact I elected to use the extended ratchet to install so it is easier to monitor the install ensuring nothing was misaligned.
Everything worked and I was able to install them using some “creative” tools. As a side note, disconnect BOTH sway bar links to remove and install to allow for bar movement.
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looks like you got it figured out.
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Good work Nick! Pickup trucks are always tough to do with the basic HF type press set. HF does offer a good expansion cup set and it includes the missing pieces for doing trucks. In your case, a little innovative backyard engineering went a long way to help accomplish the task at hand.
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Nice job and write up.