Quick Ball Joint Question

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

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North Carolina

Jul 18, 2006

#1

• Jul 18, 2006

• #1

I have a problem. I'm doing the spring/shock/strut/plate install. My passenger side ball joint has a little hole in it. Grease came out of the hole. I think I bursted the ball joint when I pulled downward on the strut to free the coil spring.

My question .... how bad is this? Can I get by for a little while until I can get some 03 Cobra A-arms with ball joints? What exactly will my car do if I drive it like this?

 

HISSIN50

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Jul 18, 2006

#2

• Jul 18, 2006

• #2

Justin, if that was a healthy BJ, that downward force shouldnt have hurt it (unless you've been pounding the weights harder than normal ).

Where is the hole? If you dont have the OEM BJ's, aftermarket stuff comes with a zerk fitting boss on the bottom. Your jack can spap that fitting off (dont ask how I know), which will leave a threaded hole.

I guess I'm not sure where the hole is. If you have ANY doubts about the BJ, replace it. When they go, you can end up sliding down the road on the frame.

An aside: if the boot ripped, you can get new poly boots at the parts store.

Good luck brah!

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

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36

North Carolina

Jul 19, 2006

#3

• Jul 19, 2006

• #3

It does not have a fitting at the bottom. I guess it's an OEM one. I didn't preload by jacking at the joint anyway .... I jacked just behind it at the "cup" in the control arm. The hole is on the top side .... closest to the spindle.

I don't KNOW that I bursted it. It may have been that way already .... and maybe I just noticed it after I was yankin' on the strut.

Here's a couple of pics (sorry JT).

View attachment 454677
View attachment 454678


Next question: can I replace the BJ without removing the control arm? Is there some sort of portable press/puller that I can use? These are different than the one's that I've R/R'ed in Ranger's.

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

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North Carolina

Jul 19, 2006

#4

• Jul 19, 2006

• #4

I guess I'll get a BJ press kit and a pickle fork & go to town on it.

I guess I'm not gonna get the Cobra arms since this is kind of urgent. I'll just get ball joints. What BJ's should I get?

 

HISSIN50

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Jul 19, 2006

#5

• Jul 19, 2006

• #5

Sorry for the long time to reply. As you know, Mike and others have been trying to help me get noise out of my puter (as did you ), and I was DL'ing that file that Mike recommended.

Your BJ herniated itself (two words I never want to see in the same sentence again. ).

I didnt mean to scare you in my first post. It's true (and it scares me) but if you have no other reason to think the BJ is bad................ (you should have wear indicators on the bottom of the BJ that you can check). And if the camber hasnt changed, nor are you able to move the wheel when grabbed at 12 and 6 o'clock (this last test isnt valid for testing a bad OEM balljoint, but if the darn thing moved, we'd both wanna replace it. It's just a clue), then it might be alright.

If you think the joint is ok (it very well might be) and you want, you should be able to get a new boot. I'm pretty sure I've seen ES poly boots at the parts store, but dont hit me if I'm wrong (I know I got ES tie rod boots and I think I saw BJ boots too).

If you get a new boot, you'd have to loosen (but not remove initially, while hammering) the BJ nut. Then either use a piece of wood as an extension (like a drift) and a 4# hammer to press the threaded shank out of the spindle, or I've used a Pitman arm puller on them before with success too.

If you replace the joint, the BJ press and a pitman puller would be the things that I can think of to rent/loan out.

The last BJ I got from AZ was Moog (came in a duralast box). I was surprised. I like Moog stuff alright as far as parts store parts go (if you can find one). If you're thinkin of goin with the Cobra arms (great idea) in the not so distant future, it might not matter what you get really......

Anyhow, that was long and recursive. Recap: if your BJ looks Ok otherwise, I might just get a new boot. I'd say to try and silicone yours but it looks kinda chitty and cracked.

Good luck brah!

 

R.J.

Member

Aug 20, 2003

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Warwick, Rhode Island

Jul 19, 2006

#6

• Jul 19, 2006

• #6

through summit racing the cobra arms are less expensive than your going to pay for two ball joints, the press kit and a fork.

 

HISSIN50

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Jul 19, 2006

#7

• Jul 19, 2006

• #7

R.J. said:

through summit racing the cobra arms are less expensive than your going to pay for two ball joints, the press kit and a fork.

Click to expand...

He can loan out the pressing kit. If he did buy it........ I paid 30 bucks for mine. Pickle forks are what, 10 bucks (also loanable).

I seldom endorse replacing just one BJ but he is going to likely replace the arms anyhow, and it seems to be a boot issue.

Just my perspective.

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

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Jul 19, 2006

#8

• Jul 19, 2006

• #8

Well, I went & picked up some Dana BJ's. Got the pickle fork for $8. And O'Reilly's loans out tools for free. You just pay for the tool and then take it back & get your money back. So I got a press kit there.


I got to thinking ... and ... once I get this thing lowered & put a little wider tires up front, I will be cutting it close as far as clearance goes. So the Cobra A Arms might not be the best for me (since they broaden the turning radius like 10%).


Thanks for the help guys!



BTW, JT, you did scare me. That's why I went out I got this stuff, lol. Thanks man.

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

3

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North Carolina

Jul 19, 2006

#9

• Jul 19, 2006

• #9

Okay, I got the spindle off. Used the press to press the joint out ..... but the inner part of it came out. The outside part of the BJ is still stuck in the control arm. How do I get it out? HELP!

 

HISSIN50

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Jul 19, 2006

#10

• Jul 19, 2006

• #10

Oh chit. I once had this happen too, but I cant remember what I did (I honestly dont remember what the shell even looked like in there).

I either used a different adapter in the kit or I used a piece of pipe I had on hand to press the rest of it out. I honestly cant remember (I tried several things), but I know it greatly slowed down my R/R time.

Let me think a bit and bump ya.

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

3

36

North Carolina

Jul 19, 2006

#11

• Jul 19, 2006

• #11

Whew! Took a bit, but I got it out. I just used the different sleeve from the kit .... like you said you did JT.

This project is getting really time consuming. I can't wait to do the other side, lol.


I haven't gotten there yet (doing some other things right now) ..... but what's the best way to press the spindle back on? Can you just use the BJ nut to do that?


EDIT: I just realized what I typed. This thread is getting graphic. Viewer discretion advised.

 

R.J.

Member

Aug 20, 2003

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Warwick, Rhode Island

Jul 19, 2006

#12

• Jul 19, 2006

• #12

You might have the adapters backwards. One adapters holds the cup on the c-clamp so the ball joint has somewhere to go as it press out and the other adapter slides over the threaded part of the ball joint and should sit flush where the ball goes into the joint.

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

3

36

North Carolina

Jul 19, 2006

#13

• Jul 19, 2006

• #13

R.J. said:

You might have the adapters backwards. One adapters holds the cup on the c-clamp so the ball joint has somewhere to go as it press out and the other adapter slides over the threaded part of the ball joint and should sit flush where the ball goes into the joint.

Click to expand...

I dunno ..... but I already got the old one out and put the new one in.


Thanks.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

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Jul 19, 2006

#14

• Jul 19, 2006

• #14

SeventyMach1 said:

I haven't gotten there yet (doing some other things right now) ..... but what's the best way to press the spindle back on? Can you just use the BJ nut to do that?


EDIT: I just realized what I typed. This thread is getting graphic. Viewer discretion advised.

Click to expand...

You sure like to spend time with your BJ's, dont you Justin.

I dont know the factory manual way to do it, but I toss the ball joint shank into the spindle. Then I start the nut for safety's sake and for future clearance. Then I put a jack under the control arm and start raising the control arm - this seats the shank a good ways. Cinch the nut up. Once you have the car on the ground (all buttoned up) cinch it again. I drive it once, hit some bumps, go home and retighten it once more. That last stuff is kinda anal if you use German torquing but there's no way to recreate the weight of a car coming down on the shank after a bump.

R.J. might do it differently (And R.J., I didnt mean to come off confrontational before. I do stuff on the cheap and was thinking about parts store BJ's rather than Motorcraft. I just re-read my earlier post and I kinda came off like a pud. ).

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

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36

North Carolina

Jul 19, 2006

#15

• Jul 19, 2006

• #15

I guess I HAVE to try that JT ..... the BJ stud is turning when I try to tighten the spindle nut.


Thank you sir!

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

3

36

North Carolina

Jul 19, 2006

#16

• Jul 19, 2006

• #16

Not working!!! I jacked up the A arm.


The stud is still turning when I try to tighten the nut.

 

HISSIN50

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Nov 29, 1999

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Jul 19, 2006

#17

• Jul 19, 2006

• #17

SeventyMach1 said:

Not working!!! I jacked up the A arm.


The stud is still turning when I try to tighten the nut.

Click to expand...

Do you pretty much have the weight of the car on the control arm? I have held that corner of the car up by the LCA before to load it enough (lifts it off the jack stands).

If you can access the ball-joint nut with the wheel on, get the nut spun as far as you can and button it up enough to put it on the ground with the wheel. That should load it up.

My story with that issue - I've had it happen with some BJ's (not your case, but they werent great quality). The last one I did (the Moog) was so tight I couldnt even move the ball when I took it out of the box. I didnt even have to jack up the control arm to keep it from spinning.

Because the shaft is tapered (here we go again with the lingo ) once it gets pressed into the spindle enough, it will stop spinning.

Maybe someone has better ideas than my crude ones (I'm a big guy and kinda hamfisted with suspension work - I didnt post what I'd do in your situation).
Good luck brah!

 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep

Mar 30, 2005

1,940

3

36

North Carolina

Jul 19, 2006

#18

• Jul 19, 2006

• #18

Thanks man.


I actually got it to tighten up about 5 minutes after that post. I had lifted the car off the jack stands with the jack ..... so it was definitely loaded.

It just took a few persuasion whacks with the BFH to the top of the spindle. She cinched right up. I guess I need to go back after a little driving & tighten some more.

Thanks for all the help! Now that that crap's outta the way, I can continue with my little project with ease (I hope).

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Jul 19, 2006

#19

• Jul 19, 2006

• #19

Schweet!