Front upper/lower ball joint job

[MC05XLS]

This is one thing I cannot find a good work up on, and I really need to know what I am getting in to.

I've done disc brakes, plugs, oil (duh), air filter... general maintenance. But I don't know if doing this is biting off more than I can chew.

I know for a fact my uppers *must* be replaced. The boots are thrashed, and they make that hideous creaking sound when I go over the railroad tracks at work at low speed. I've not had time to take the wheels off to check the lowers, but I'm figuring on them being shot as well.

So here's where all you Explorer geniuses come in.

Just how difficult is this job?
Is this as complicated as the Haynes Repair Manual makes it look?
About how long is this going to take? (Being my only vehicle, I can't keep it out of service too long)
What are the potential issues that this could bring up?
Is there anything else I should be replacing when I take on this project?
Are there any opinions on Moog parts? They seem better than the OEM, especially considering the OEM boots seem like they were made by Trojan Prophylactics.

I want to do this right, and I might as well use a bit of an upgrade. Any pointers that you can give me will be a huge plus.

 

[thepotroast]

This is one thing I cannot find a good work up on, and I really need to know what I am getting in to.

I've done disc brakes, plugs, oil (duh), air filter... general maintenance. But I don't know if doing this is biting off more than I can chew.

I know for a fact my uppers *must* be replaced. The boots are thrashed, and they make that hideous creaking sound when I go over the railroad tracks at work at low speed. I've not had time to take the wheels off to check the lowers, but I'm figuring on them being shot as well.

So here's where all you Explorer geniuses come in.

Just how difficult is this job?
Is this as complicated as the Haynes Repair Manual makes it look?
About how long is this going to take? (Being my only vehicle, I can't keep it out of service too long)
What are the potential issues that this could bring up?
Is there anything else I should be replacing when I take on this project?
Are there any opinions on Moog parts? They seem better than the OEM, especially considering the OEM boots seem like they were made by Trojan Prophylactics.

I want to do this right, and I might as well use a bit of an upgrade. Any pointers that you can give me will be a huge plus.

I have a complete "How To" on replacing uppers in my signature.

The only difference is that the write up is based on a 4x4, yours is 2wd which makes it that much easier. So omit the entire part of disconnecting the CV axle in the front from the hub, and you should be good.

Also, the Haynes manual has absolutely no write up at all about replacing the ball joints, it says that they must be dealer serviced and that to replace them, the entire control arm assembly (upper as well as lower) has to be replaced with it, which is why I made my "How To".

 

[SmoothJimmy]

While I have a 'gen2 with slightly different layout...only slightly. I did the 'ol 6-and-12 wiggle, where you jack just that one wheel off the ground, grab the tire at the top and bottom and push/pull in/out. I had no noticeable play. However, a second test inspects for vertical play. Jack the one wheel off the ground so there is a few inches of space under the tire. Then insert a crowbar under the tire and lift up. You can position yourself in front of the tire and observe any up/down movement in the lower ball joint. A good joint will have a teensy bit of play (maybe a 1 mm or 2). Mine had more like 5+ mm of play. Time to replace. Get the greaseable Moog balljoints. If your local autoparts shops are hungry like mine, they'll match he best price you can find...I found the best prices on Amazon. There's a sticky regarding lower balljoint replacement on gen2's. Should give you an indication of the complexity of a gen3 job.

 

[MC05XLS]

POTROAST: Haynes says on a 3Gen they are user serviceable on all four, but the on the rear, the ball joints are embedded into the control arm, and the whole control arm must be replaced. Advance Auto has the control arms for around $240 per, which... doh god... I really hope the back joints are good.

JIMMY: I'll pull out the jack on my day off and give the backs the 6/12 and crowbar tests. But I'm gonna have to do the fronts ASAP before those joints go completely to crap. And thanks for the info on the Moogs. Being able to add grease from time to time seems like a real @$$ save to me.

 

[thepotroast]

POTROAST: Haynes says on a 3Gen they are user serviceable on all four, but the on the rear, the ball joints are embedded into the control arm, and the whole control arm must be replaced. Advance Auto has the control arms for around $240 per, which... doh god... I really hope the back joints are good.

JIMMY: I'll pull out the jack on my day off and give the backs the 6/12 and crowbar tests. But I'm gonna have to do the fronts ASAP before those joints go completely to crap. And thanks for the info on the Moogs. Being able to add grease from time to time seems like a real @$$ save to me.

I'm not sure what version of the Haynes manual you have, but the Haynes manual for 2002-2007 Ford Explorers (#36025) on chapter 10, section 15 (titled Balljoints - check and replacement) top page #10-15 states:

Replacement -
5. The balljoints on these models are not serviceable. If the balljoint must be replaced, the control arm and balljoint must be replaced as a single assembly.

As far as the control arm replacement, there is an entire writeup regarding it for both the front as well as the rear, which includes the ball joints as they are pressed into the new control arm assemblies. However Haynes does not cover ball joint replacement for upper or lowers, on either the front or the back in their 2002-2007 Explorer manual.

Feel free to correct me if you have a different manual than me.

 

[EasyRhino]

The front top and bottom ball joints are replaceable. I know, I did it last fall.

There are references that indicate that the top ball joint is integral with the control arm (somewhat true) dictating replacement of the entire unit (control arm and ball joint)(not entirely true).

The job took me all day for all four ball joints, using parts bought at the local O'Rielly's Auto parts. The lower ball joint is somewhat like the typical ball joint in that it is (at least partially) retained by a spring clip. The top ball joint is pressed in and held in place only by the interference of the press in.

I rented the ball joint press kit at the auto parts store where I bought the ball joints (free with return). The upper control arms have to be removed to press out the ball joints (no room to get the press tool on while installed). I pressed out the lower ball joints without removing the loweer control arms, the removal of which is much harder than the uppers. All would be easier to press in/out with a nice bench hydraulic press but I got by with the small kit.

The uppers were actually not that hard to press out (old ones) and in (new ones); however, one of my lower ball joints was a real pain to get it to pop out.

Overall, I would rate this job about 10x more difficult than doing a complete disc brake job. If you get stuck the 'plan B' would be to remove the control arms and take them to someone with a hydraulic press to swap them out for you.

thepotroast has an excellent procedure with pictures that I used to get my courage up to do my own. I am frugal (read: cheap) and did not want to pay my local stealership the $1500 they wanted for the job. Cost me about one day, one six pack, three busted knuckles, 2 dozen swear words (maybe more like 12 dozen), and about $200 in parts.

 

[thepotroast]

thepotroast has an excellent procedure with pictures that I used to get my courage up to do my own. I am frugal (read: cheap) and did not want to pay my local stealership the $1500 they wanted for the job. Cost me about one day, one six pack, three busted knuckles, 2 dozen swear words (maybe more like 12 dozen), and about $200 in parts.

Thanks for the praise Rhino! The entire reason I made my "How To" on doing the upper ball joints without replacing the control arm assembly, is because everyone (Haynes, stealership...and for some time...forum members) said it can't be done. I figured since there was a replacement part made for it...it could be done, and without anything other than some free rental tools and some time.

 

[MC05XLS]

THEPOTROAST:
I did it yesterday morning-afternoon after I got in from work. I ended up not fooling with the lowers, since they seem to be in pretty good shape. The first upper was a pain, as I kept looking back at your instructions to double check myself. That one took me about 2.5 hours. On the other side, knowing what I'd learned from the first one, I got it done in just over an hour. Driver side was last, and I had a problem trying to get the control arm back into place. There's just not much room to maneuver on that side. But I got everything back together, drove the Ex to return the press tool and lower ball joints, and a lot of my issues with how it was handling were gone. One of our worst roads is between my house and the parts store, and my truck was much more well behaved. So I thank you for your help on this one.

 

[MGiovanni]

I would like to know what brand of ball joint is best from other's experience in this forum.? I recently gave my '03 Mountaineer to my daughter. I noticed a very little play in the passenger side lower balljoint while replacing tires. I would like to replace all four front balljoints as well as front struts. This is a job I can easily undertake as I have replaced many balljoints in the past. My issue is what brand and where to get them? Prices range from $9.31 at PrimeChoice.com to $35.24 for Moog with discount at Advance Autoparts (.006 oversized are more.) for the same part.

And, since I will have the front-end partially disassembled, I will replace the strut assemblies. Are the Prime Choice StrutTek strut assemblies high quality and will they improve the ride over stock Ford strut assemblies?

Thanks for future responses.

 

[Mr Dubya]

I've heard good things about the StrutTek assemblies, and for real quality ball joints, I would point you in the direction of Moog. Their website should let you track down the serial numbers, and then cross-check them with eBay for some good deals.


-Dubya

 

[swshawaii]

Thread from the Gen 2 forum comparing aftermarket brands. Check RockAuto for correct part numbers.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297369

Search "struts" in the Gen 3 (2002-2005) forum, found 12 pages of strut related threads. Here's one. GL
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=397034&highlight=struts

 

[Donystoy]

I replaced my two upper ball joints last summer without removing the arms. I had a press kit but had to make up sleeves to be able to use it upside down.