Lower ball joints

XR7Kurt

Registered User
Has anyone used the press to remove/install the lower ball joints while the control arm is still installed. I can't seem to make it fit. It looks like it will work for installation with a little bending of the dust shield, but the removal doesn't look like it will work at all. Any help will be appreciated. I'm giving it up for tonight.
I read an old post and someone said the Autozone press didn't work for them, but It didn't say wheather the lower control arm was removed or not.

Thanks,
Kurt
 
I have-and it's a real PITA!

I would remove the dust shield-you'll tear it up pretty good if you leave it in place.

You'll need a buddy to help as well-those things take LOTS of force to get them in and out-probably why Ford sells the lower control arm/ball joint as an assembly.
 
It's only three more Nuts/Bolts on each side. Do them off the car. They are in unbelieveably tight.
 
If you consider the load the pressed in bearing has to take, I would be very surprised if you could get them out without a hydraulic press. I'd take them off the car and to a machine shop to have it done. Well, in fact, after adding up the cost of the bushings, balljoint, and additional shop work to press the parts out/in, and time, I decided that the whole control arm was worth it to me. They were only a bit over $100 a piece from 5star Ford in arizona and I believe that included shipping :D
BTW, I'll just put in a plug for them. They were very good to work with.
 
You CAN get them out with a screw-type press-but you'll work for it.

I'm doing the same-replacing the lower arms-I'm going to drill and tap for grease zerks-that seems to be the problem with the ball joints-no provision for lubrication, so they fail when they're dry.
 
There is a much better and easy way to do them some one posted befor about it. why dont you just buy the lower control arm that way you will be geting a new ball joint as well as the bushings on the arm since most of them will be gone.
Thats what I would do yes there is a little more cost but if your taking it some place to have them pushed out that will cost as well.
 
I'm in this process right now, myself. I've got $30 into the lower ball joints, I've got the poly front suspension kit, which is why I'm doing it this way, the shock mounts were good, so I didn't have to change those, and paying to have them sandblasted and new ball joints and bushings pressed in. I don't know what the poly control arm bushings run individually, but even at $50 EACH, I've still got only $100 invested in each arm. I doubt that the control arms bushings would run that much individually, probably more like $35-40 each. I figure that I saved at least $50-$75 by replaing the worn parts on my control arms. And I don't have the stock rubber bushings sitting around since I'm using poly. Personally, I'd do it this way again, but that's just me. I had very little actual work involved in them myself. Had I had the proper tools for pressing the bushings, I would have saved another $20 per arm. Just food for thought.

I actually took some control arms off a parts car and am working on those so that I don't have to have my SC down for a day or 10. That's the way to go!
 
Thanks everyone, I guess I'll look into the other options. Obviously upgrades are nice but a lot of parts on this car are overdue for replacement.

Thanks again,

Kurt
 
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