98 XLT - Ball Joints Not Replaceable?

[goober71]

Hi,
I have a 98 Ford Explorer V8 XLT. I am feeling a little play in the steering and the steering vibrates a little at high speeds (70-75MPH) and when i brake at high speeds. The suspension is also getting rough.
I think it may be the ball joints so i was reading my Haynes manual and it said the front ball joints on the 95 and up explorers are not removeable or serviceable and the control arms need to be replaced?
Is this true or has anyone replaced just the ball joints? Also, how do i tell if it the ball joints that are going?
Please let me know.
Thanks.

Goober

 

[Lloyd10977]

Your manual is correct with regard to the UPPER ball joints. They cannot be separated from the control arm and replacing then requires R&R of the control arm. The lowers can be replaced in the normal fashion.

 

[karl_burns]

But instead of getting them from the dealer, get some from Autozone or some Moog's so the ball joints will come with zooks so you can refill with grease instead of replacing in another 60K miles. The additional cost is only a few bucks, if I remember correctly.
Karl

 

[goober71]

Thanks. Is there a way to make sure it is the ball joints that need replacement?
Goober

 

[Rhett]

Thanks. Is there a way to make sure it is the ball joints that need replacement?
Goober

Jack up the front end of your truck. Put on some gloves. Pick either of the front tires. Grab the top of the tire with your left hand, and the bottom of the tire with your right hand. Then try to push and pull the tire with first one arm, then the other. There should not be much movement or noise at all. If there is, you may have a problem with the ball joints. Push and pull pretty hard.

Chances are, if you've got more than 100,000 miles on the truck, the OEM ball joints could be due for replacement.

Other signs of balljoint failure are uneven tread wear on the fronts; wandering at speed; and sometimes suspension noise, especially on bumps.

Finally, be aware that I am unfamiliar with the wheel bearing/hub setup on your 2nd gen truck. Worn or improperly torqued bearings can also cause tire slop as well. With a 1st gen truck, I would check the bearings first, and make sure they were right; and then if they checked out ok I would next suspect the ball joints.

 

[Lloyd10977]

Chances are, if you've got more than 100,000 miles on the truck, the OEM ball joints could be due for replacement.
QUOTE]

My upper ball joints began squealing at 90,000 miles.

 

[Brock94]

To really check the ball joints, you need to do the following:

1) Lower BJ-- Jack the truck up so that the suspension is hanging free and the tire is about an inch or so above the ground. Have a buddy insert a pry-bar under the tire from the outside and try to pry it upward while you watch the ball joint from underneath the car. If you see any vertical movement in the lower ball joint, it is worn out.

2) Upper BJ: With the vehicle frame on jackstands and the wheels off the floor (from above test), jack up the lower suspension arm to "unload" the upper. (careful not to knock the truck off of the stands. Now have your buddy push/pull the top and bottom of the tire as you watch the upper ball joint. Any side to side movement in the ball joint will indicate that it is worn. You can also insert a prybar under the upper control arm, and try to pry it upward to see if there is any movement. Again, any movement at all will indicate that it's worn out.

As you look for movement, bear in mind that the joints are supposed to rotate around the ball. The movement you are looking for is movement that is independent of movement of the control arm.

As for replacing the uppers. I don't know about the 2nd gen Explorer, but I just did the joints on my Durango (similar basic set-up). The manuals also state that you must replace the entire upper control arm, but MOOG makes a ball joint for the Durango (maybe they do for Explorers as well) that can be bolted onto the old control arm. You have to drill and chisel the rivits, but it is a lot easier and faster than removing the who control arm.

My Haynes manual for the Durango also said that I needed to remove the lower control arm to get a new lower ball joint pressed in at an automotive machine shop. This complicated procedure was not necessary-- with the steering knuckle removed, I was able to use my Harbor Frieght ball joint press (basically a big c-clamp) to press out the old and in the new with the control arm on the vehicle.

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

Those ball joints that are offered on the Durango and Explorer are meant to be used as replacements with the Moog control arms, not on the OEM ones. I don't know how comfortable I'd be with repairing my truck that way.

 

[Brock94]

Those ball joints that are offered on the Durango and Explorer are meant to be used as replacements with the Moog control arms, not on the OEM ones. I don't know how comfortable I'd be with repairing my truck that way.

Where did you get this information? Nothing in the instructions that came with the joints or any other information I read about them indicated this. If true, I may want to re-do the job, so please let me know.

Many, many people are buying MOOG ball joints like this as replacements to go on the OEM CA's for Durango and Dakota models that were not recalled but had the same bad ball joints-- last I saw, Rock Auto was keeping an email waiting list.

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

From the Moog product catalog at the parts store I work at.

 

[Brock94]

From the Moog product catalog at the parts store I work at.

You scared me a little bit, but I finally dug up the instructions that came with the Moogs for my Durango and they include the following:

"NOTE: The parts in this kit are designed to replace the worn or non-functioning original equipment parts in the vehicle as produced by the car factory."

It goes on to warn against using them on suspensions modified for racing.

I'm glad my 8 hours of work is not down the drain. If Moog makes this kind of replacement for Ford's then it will be a huge time and money saver for the competent DIYer.

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

You scared me a little bit, but I finally dug up the instructions that came with the Moogs for my Durango and they include the following:

"NOTE: The parts in this kit are designed to replace the worn or non-functioning original equipment parts in the vehicle as produced by the car factory."

It goes on to warn against using them on suspensions modified for racing.

I'm glad my 8 hours of work is not down the drain. If Moog makes this kind of replacement for Ford's then it will be a huge time and money saver for the competent DIYer.

Sorry to give ya false info, I thought the Durango ones were just like the Explorer ones. From what knowledge I have, the Explorer ones are definitely not the same way. The whole control arm must be replaced the first time.

 

[bradford98X]

my 98 explorer would vibrate at high speeds just like yours. I put 22in rims replaced the control arms and ball joints with moogs and got it alined and it drive great. Even better than when i first bought it.

 

[Brock94]

Sorry to give ya false info, I thought the Durango ones were just like the Explorer ones. From what knowledge I have, the Explorer ones are definitely not the same way. The whole control arm must be replaced the first time.

No problem. Better safe than sorry-- I'm glad that I double checked.