Confirm ball joints are bad?

[n0c7]

I thought my ball joints may have been going bad as 1.5 years ago there was about 1/8inch of play(up and down). Just checked again today and it is still the same, 1/8inch of play. Vehicle has about 230,000km, both upper and lower ball joints look like they had been replaced at one time or another as they have the grease fittings on them which I don't believe the stock ones did. I also remember reading that some balljoints are supposed to have a minimal amount of play. Am I worrying about nothing? Both sides are the same.

 

[pokerman11]

1/8 of play is not alot of play - What makes you think you need to change the ball joints?

For me when my lowers start to go I can tell becasue it will start 'thunking' during sharp turns (expecially going uphill/downhill).

The '93's are notorious for ball joints going bad.

 

[n0c7]

I thought they had to be changed because of the play. I'm used to working on cars where there is no play at all up and down.

 

[pokerman11]

The OEM specs for replacing a ball joint in '93 exp 4x4 is .031 inches

http://www.aa1car.com/library/balljointspecs.pdf


if you are at 1/8 that's .125 and you are in replacement mode.

If you have done ball joints before then it's not a bad job on these Explorers, but you do need that press. It looks like a big C clamp with some fittings to press the balljoint out/in. Perhaps also a local mech can do the press in/out for you for a case of blue.


Here is a good write up about ball joints, and how to identify when to replace them.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/balljointspecs.pdf

 

[mikeinri]

I'd have to agree. Regardless of the spec, 1/8 inch seems like it would be more than enough to kill your tires a lot faster...

Mike

 

[n0c7]

Basically its enough to hear a small click. I can't accurately measure it, just a rough guess that its 1/8.

 

[Fordmandan87]

take a look at the wheel from the side to see if it is infact the hub or balljoints that are moving

 

[n0c7]

Update - dropped by a friends place, his dad is a retired Ford mechanic. He checked it out and said right away that its not the ball joints. He recommended checking the bearings, repacking, and tightening them up a few more notches.

 

[mikeinri]

Wheel bearings make sense and were my first guess, but your first post pointed out that the movement was only up/down. Normally when the bearings are loose, the wheel move side/side too.

Anyway, replacing or repacking the bearings is far easier than doing the ball joints, so I would definitely start there.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

Mike

 

[n0c7]

Turned out to be the wheel bearings, repacked, tightened, all good. Thanks!