Ball joint questions...

[freak007]

Ball joint, bushing, and alignment cam questions...

I recently purchased new tires for my '97 Mounty (AWD), while the tech had her in the air I checked my ball joints... My lowers have been replaced (no longer sealed) but the uppers are shot... I was getting ready to order the parts to fix it and would like to verify with others that have done this job so that I can get everything the first time without having extra parts... My plan is to replace the upper ball joints/control arms, the lower ball joints (the wife has put 10K miles on the truck and since I was deployed they were never greased... I hate tearing something apart twice), the caster/camber cams and the upper and lower bushings... I prefer Moog parts, so here are the part numbers I have found...

K8708T - Upper Control Arm FRONT SUSPENSION ENHANCED DESIGN - LEFT - w/CONTROL ARM & BUSHINGS

K8710T - Upper Control Arm FRONT SUSPENSION ENHANCED DESIGN - RIGHT - w/CONTROL ARM & BUSHINGS

K8695T - Lower Ball Joint FRONT SUSPENSION ENHANCED DESIGN

K80065 - Cam And Bolt Kit CAMBER/CASTER CAM BOLT KIT (+1 5/8 to -1 5/8 adjustment)

K8705 - Lower Control Arm Bushing Or Kit FRONT SUSPENSION

K8704 - Upper Control Arm Bushing Or Kit FRONT SUSPENSION



My biggest concern is the upper right control arm/ball joint, moog says that it includes the bushings, but since the control arm is 2 pieces I doubt that it does... can anyone confirm this for me?

Second question, I am a big fan of setting alignment to maximum positive caster, so naturally i am looking for maximum adjustability out of the cam kit ... I noticed that Rockauto lists "SPICER Part # 6161011 {Camber/Caster Adjust Kit} Front Susp.; 0 Degree To Plus Or Minus 2-1/4 Degree; Contains Cams And Bolt" I know "back in the day" Spicer/Dana used to be quality parts... but is that still the case after the bankruptcy?

I suspect my final parts list will look something like this:

1 - K8708T (upper left control arm)
1 - K8710T (upper right control arm)
2 - K8695T (lower ball joint)
1 - K8704 (upper control arm bushing kit)
2 - K8705 (lower control arm bushing kit)

as well as 1 "alignment kit" of whaterever brand I decide on....


Thoughts? Theories? Suggestions?

 

[freak007]

anyone?

 

[freak007]

more than 40 views in 2 days and no answers?!?

 

[Blee1099]

I recently purchased new tires for my '97 Mounty (AWD), while the tech had her in the air I checked my ball joints... My lowers have been replaced (no longer sealed) but the uppers are shot... I was getting ready to order the parts to fix it and would like to verify with others that have done this job so that I can get everything the first time without having extra parts... My plan is to replace the upper ball joints/control arms, the lower ball joints (the wife has put 10K miles on the truck and since I was deployed they were never greased... I hate tearing something apart twice), the caster/camber cams and the upper and lower bushings... I prefer Moog parts, so here are the part numbers I have found...

K8708T - Upper Control Arm FRONT SUSPENSION ENHANCED DESIGN - LEFT - w/CONTROL ARM & BUSHINGS

K8710T - Upper Control Arm FRONT SUSPENSION ENHANCED DESIGN - RIGHT - w/CONTROL ARM & BUSHINGS

K8695T - Lower Ball Joint FRONT SUSPENSION ENHANCED DESIGN

K80065 - Cam And Bolt Kit CAMBER/CASTER CAM BOLT KIT (+1 5/8 to -1 5/8 adjustment)

K8705 - Lower Control Arm Bushing Or Kit FRONT SUSPENSION

K8704 - Upper Control Arm Bushing Or Kit FRONT SUSPENSION



My biggest concern is the upper right control arm/ball joint, moog says that it includes the bushings, but since the control arm is 2 pieces I doubt that it does... can anyone confirm this for me?

Second question, I am a big fan of setting alignment to maximum positive caster, so naturally i am looking for maximum adjustability out of the cam kit ... I noticed that Rockauto lists "SPICER Part # 6161011 {Camber/Caster Adjust Kit} Front Susp.; 0 Degree To Plus Or Minus 2-1/4 Degree; Contains Cams And Bolt" I know "back in the day" Spicer/Dana used to be quality parts... but is that still the case after the bankruptcy?

I suspect my final parts list will look something like this:

1 - K8708T (upper left control arm)
1 - K8710T (upper right control arm)
2 - K8695T (lower ball joint)
1 - K8704 (upper control arm bushing kit)
2 - K8705 (lower control arm bushing kit)

as well as 1 "alignment kit" of whaterever brand I decide on....


Thoughts? Theories? Suggestions?

The K8710T is the 2 piece design version of the upper control arm and the K80068 is the single piece design.. To be perfectly honest its a personal preference on the design for the right side. They both should have new bushings in them. Spicer still continues to make some good products, especially their ujoints and such. The adjusters are basically the same to be honest.

 

[freak007]

The K8710T is the 2 piece design version of the upper control arm and the K80068 is the single piece design.. To be perfectly honest its a personal preference on the design for the right side. They both should have new bushings in them. Spicer still continues to make some good products, especially their ujoints and such. The adjusters are basically the same to be honest.

I prefer the 2 piece design because it allows for more caster adjustment, but I am not sure it comes with the bushings because you don't have to remove the bushings to replace the outer portion of the control arm... What do you guys use to press bushings in and out of the control arm? Any reason a ball joint press wouldn't work?

 

[freak007]

for those who care to know K8710T (the two piece control arm) DOES NOT include the bushings...

so the only question I have left is how do you press the bushings in and out?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

The LCA bushings will be a pain, you will have to release/remove the torsion bars to remove the arms to replace the bushings- too much work, IMO. My bushings on mine were fine at 130k miles.

 

[BryanB]

I replaced both my uppers with the MOOG one piece (both sides) I highly recommend these because if they ever fail again, you just replace the joint, not the entire arm again. (info for those not familiar with the MOOG ball joints)