ball joints!!!!!!!! (read me)

[dodge]

well one of my day's off turned in to a learning experience:

I went in to have my fuel filter changed and told the people who were changing it that I had a rattle comming from what sounded like the front weel so he checked it out. he continued to show me that, when propped up the weel has play and the ball joint needed to be replaced!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so that was going to be about three hundred dollars!!! so i decided to call a friend who knows a little more about cars and he said call a popular tire place i wont say who. I called and they said bring it in we will look at it. well to make a long story short Ford allows the play in the ball joint so I really had no problem. i didnt see this already listed but sorry if the subject is.

word of advice: go to someone who knows more

I know I know take my own advice, well im gona

dodge

 

[dman726749]

well ford does not allow play in the ball joints, if you truck is jacked up and you can wiggle your hub asembly then you NEED new ball joints.

 

[dodge]

ball joint

so i should call ford and check it out for sure????

 

[SiLenZe]

ford does allow a little play in the lower ball joints. but if it is more then a certain amount then they need to be replaced. the exact number is
Ball Joint Radial Play ³
³ Lower ball joint Ä maximum ³ 0.8 mm ³
³ ³ (1/32 in.) ³
³ Upper ball joint Ä maximum ³ 0.8 mm ³
³ ³ (1/32 in.)

 

[karl_burns]

get them replaced

Actually, you can order new Moogs for $45 or so, or get the AutoZone brand for $36 ish and replace them yourself. Nothing complicated. Search the forums for threads on how-to-replace.
Karl

 

[dodge]

I am soo confused but will get it

ok so I have under 90k miles on it. the place i went to last said those same play quotes also and told me my tire play was 25 somthing so there fore I was ok to go.

not to contradict myself but I notice the sound has gotten worse. and if this is a problem I am going to get really desparate for selling it and getting a truck!!!!!!!!!!!

but if it isn't hard to replace I might be able to do it

thanks for the help everyone

 

[dodge]

ya he said 1/25 of an in.

 

[410Fortune]

do a search on how to replace them on these forums. Replacing ball joints on a 91-94 Explorer is a topic that is covered in full detail on this board over and over again.

THEN let us know if you still have questions or concerns

Good luck!

Basically you need to do all 4 ball joints at the same time. Parts will be about $120-180 for all 4 joints, then you need to rent a press and do the work
Its not htat hard and you can easily do both sides in one day if you are a semi competent mechanic (can you change spark plugs?)

 

[SOUTHERNSNAKE]

took mine in yesterday for noise from the front end , suspected balljoints , as was the culprit along with a steering rack ???

oh well , thank god for the ESP

 

[nole99]

took mine in yesterday for noise from the front end , suspected balljoints , as was the culprit along with a steering rack ???

oh well , thank god for the ESP

I am still having a similar problem and suspect my rack may be going south.

Prior to having the rack replaced did the steering seem any harder? (as in more force to turn the wheels?)

Did you have any bump steer?

What sort of noises was it making? and When?

I have been trying to chase down a clunk for about two months and my alignment only lasted about 3 weeks and my whell is ****ed, I have massive bump steer, and when I turn the wheels around corners or swerve, or just drive over any pavement that alters the geometry I get popping and clunks

SO far I have had ball joints, inner and outer tie rods, shocks, tires, cv shafts, and hubs all replaced

Just curious as to your bad rack symtoms?

Thanks

 

[dodge]

ya mine is a clunk in the front weel baring area, the mec. said it is normal, It sounds like its gona fall apart but I guess its just the way ford made them. bouncy and all. mines a 91 so i think that was the first year they came out. I havn't fixed it, it sounds like from you i shouldn't.

it clunks when I hit the slightest bump in the paivment, kinda noisy but i get use to it

 

[slag]

dodge, thats not normal.

Its might be your radius arm bushings that are wearing out, but a clunk in the front end is NOT normal.

 

[SOUTHERNSNAKE]

I am still having a similar problem and suspect my rack may be going south.

Prior to having the rack replaced did the steering seem any harder? (as in more force to turn the wheels?)

Did you have any bump steer?

What sort of noises was it making? and When?

I have been trying to chase down a clunk for about two months and my alignment only lasted about 3 weeks and my whell is ****ed, I have massive bump steer, and when I turn the wheels around corners or swerve, or just drive over any pavement that alters the geometry I get popping and clunks

SO far I have had ball joints, inner and outer tie rods, shocks, tires, cv shafts, and hubs all replaced

Just curious as to your bad rack symtoms?

Thanks

well , it started with making a clunking sound over every little bump . it dindnt matter if its pavement , concrete , parkinglot , highway , turning or straight or grass . it sounds like someone taking a hammer and tapping on the frame . one time it sounds like its from up front and another like its right at the tranny . its hard because i think the sound travels back the frame . i havnt noticed any steering issues other than lately it does seem to pull to the right ever so slightly. or when im in reverse making a long swing on pavement , it sort of feels like hubs being locked in, no binding noise , the front and sort of has a slight wobble in it.
it will also make the nocking sound when i pull to a stop or pull away , as the front suspension does its thing .
i suspected lower ball joints originally for the front end noise , as the wheel moved when jacked up i took it to the stealer because i still have the esp and inspection is due at end of month , they said my lower ball joints do need replaced as they have play , my slip yoke on the rear driveshaft needs more lube (is the cause for the delayed clunk from the rear as i pull away or a second after i stop) and that the hammering noise is from the rack . its sceduled to go back on tuesday as they had to order the rack .
now i do have another noise , kinds sounds like my break calipers hanging up or something moving when i release the breaks , i read another thread of the caliper bolds becomming loose , and dammaging wheels , so before tuesday , im gonna pull them and double check my pads anyway and torque them back

 

[nole99]

thanks for the insight ... I am curious as to what symtom it was that caused the dealer to suspect the rack. Mine has been to the dealer several times and ye to be diagnosed ... or course there were about ten different noises happening and now I am down to these two ...

I am also very curious as to whether the rack replacement cures your woes...
PLEASE keep posted

my sound around corners and stopping is a hollow popping like when you put your finger in mouth towards the cheek and make it pop. I can also make the sound happen by driving on arc and then abruptly staightening the wheel

over eneven pavement and bumps the popping sound is mixed with clunking, I do also have a wobbly feeling from the front on certain pavements

when I raise the front wheel and turn the wheels by hand I get the same clunking ... just need a partner to help out so I can trace the problem area

After moving the wheels by hand I get air in the rack and bump steer is massive as in had to stop completely several times as the wheels wobbled like mad. To cure it I found that turn the sterring wheel full L to R about 8 times remedies the massiveness of the prob, although I do still get bump steer ...

 

[SOUTHERNSNAKE]

im not sure what made them suspect my rack , they had called me up after i dropped it off and asked me to come back and take the tech for a test drive , to point the noise out to him . appearently they had already had it on the lift and noticed the lower ball joints were on the way out , but they suspected that that wasnt the noise i was hearing . It may be something they know is gonna fail soon and since the warrenty is still good , they decided to replace it now before it runs out . im not sure , when i drop it back off on tuesday , ill ask the tech why he came to that descision.

 

[Ford_Racing_Guy]

buy a Chilton or a Haynes Manual, very helpful

 

[SOUTHERNSNAKE]

have one , but as long as i have warranty left , gettin my money's worth out of it .
i just cant figure out why this stuff is goin bad at 33k miles ? . first owner was my grandmother , so it sure as heck didnt get abused from her. .. lol

 

[nole99]

Any results on this southernsnake?

takin mine in sat or mon and was just curious

TIA

 

[SOUTHERNSNAKE]

Any results on this southernsnake?

takin mine in sat or mon and was just curious

TIA

just got it back today , 2 days . they did the ball joints , the rack , lubed the slip yoke and brakes for inspection .. .. drives like a dream

 

[nole99]

just got it back today , 2 days . they did the ball joints , the rack , lubed the slip yoke and brakes for inspection .. .. drives like a dream

SWEET Way happy for ya

Did they say what was broken in the rack to cauise the noises or did you find out what it was that made them think the rack was bad??

Just want my ducks in a row