How to: Ball joints on 3 gen 1 of 2 [Pictures]

[Hitchhikingmike]

How to replace front upper and lower ball joints on a 3rd generation Ford Explorer (2x4)​

This write up is for 2x4 Explorers.

First let me clear up a myth/unknown: YES the upper ball joints are replaceable. You do NOT have to replace the upper control arm.

My lower ball joints were way out of spec by 55k miles. Hopefully since the new ball joints have greece fittings these will go a lot longer!

Torque specifications:
Upper control arm ball joint-to-steering knuckle nut- 129Ft-lbs/ 55Nm
lower control arm ball joint-to-steering knuckle castle nut- 129Ft-lbs/ 175NM

This article is Divided in to 5 sections:
1) Unfastening of steering knuckle
2) Removal of steering knuckle
3) Replacing the lower ball joint
4) Replacing the upper ball joint
5) Reassembly



Section 1, Unfastening of steering knuckle
Set the rear E-brakes and jack up the truck from the lower center cross brace and place jack stands underneath like so:

Take the front wheels off. Here is what we are dealing with. Please note the nomenclature of the parts that make the suspension work:

A.-Upper Control Arm
B.- Lower Control Arm
C.- Steering knuckle
1.- Upper Ball Joint
2.- Lower Ball Joint

First, remove the brake caliper. I was able to get away by resting it in a position on the lower control arm so that it would not fall off.

Remove the nut that secure the upper ball joint to the steering knuckle.

Now redirect your attention to the very bottom of the steering knuckle. Note the identification of these parts.

A.- Castle Nut
B- Cotter Pin

Remove the cotter pin by bending the two end together (the ends B is pointing to in the picture) and pull out with a wrench from the other end. This is now what you have.

The cotter pin is a safety measure. It keeps the castle nut from loosening and falling off.

Now remove the castle nut

At the top of the lower ball joint is a snap ring. The picture below is what a snap ring looks like on my pliers:

Here is the snap ring in the lower ball joint. It is another safety measure to keep the ball joint secure.

The snap ring is removed by sticking the ends of needle nose pliers into the two holes and expanding the ring and working it off of the lower ball joint like so.

Again, here are all the parts we have removed thus far: the nut securing the upper ball joint and the cotter pin, castle nut and snap ring securing the lower ball joint.

Section 2, Removal of steering knuckle

First the ABS sensor connected to the hub assembly must be removed, separating the wire from the steering knuckle. Below is where the sensor connected to the hub. It was secured by the 1 allen head bolt. Be careful not to get dirt in the hole, as the blue stuff is the grease for the bearings.

Here is the sensor removed:

Now the steering knuckle comes out by separating it from the ball joints. Note the ball joints do not come out with the knuckle, they stay in their control arms.

First disconnect the upper ball joint by hitting the bottom of the control arm with a hammer. The arrow in the picture shows where to hit with a hammer. The upper ball joint should then pop out of the steering knuckle and the upper control arm will raise itself up (as if it were spring loaded at the hinge).

Next separate the lower ball joint by using a ball joint separating tool.

Place the fork end of the tool around the lower ball joint like so.

Now hammer on the end of the tool. This will cause the steering knuckle to pop right off of the ball joint. The steering knuckle can then be fanagled off and set aside. Note that I left the pitman arms connected so the steering knuckle is not entirely free. I set the steering knuckle on a box.

My other ball joint was so bad and worn out, that the ball joint separator tool was not thick enough to work. I then rented a second ball joint separator tool thinking I could put one on top of the other, this did not work. I had to improvise by taking two pliers halfs and placing them under the tool to make it thicker.

*disclaimer* I know it is a common practice to take a giant blow with a sludge hammer to the steering knuckle to shock the ball joints loose from the steering knuckle. I tried this some to no avail. Remember that these steering knuckles are NOT steel, they are ALUMNIUM. Every time I would hammer on the steering knuckle I would make a permeant gash on the steering knuckle. I do not recommend doing this.

Second half is located here.

 

[thepotroast]

Excellent write up.

I believe it's worth mentioning that this is a 2wd Sport, the replacement of the ball joint(s) on a 4wd XLT is just a little different...I am planning to do mine this weekend and will hopefully have a write up for it when I am finished.

Great job!

 

[Rofocowboy84]

First of all, amazing write up, the pictures really help. With my fairly new interest with automotive mechanics, reading some of these write ups that are all writing and like 2 pictures, I have a hard time picturing exactly what they're talking about. You had 1 picture for like every 5 sentences, that's like the write up version of an elite private school with an amazing teacher-to-student ratio, lol!

And Thepotroast, I'm definitely interested in your write up. I'm not sure how different the 2wd sport and ours (04 XLT's) are. I could probably figure it out, but hey, if you're doing a write up, that's even better! Make sure to take lots of pics, lol.

 

[thepotroast]

And Thepotroast, I'm definitely interested in your write up. I'm not sure how different the 2wd sport and ours (04 XLT's) are. I could probably figure it out, but hey, if you're doing a write up, that's even better! Make sure to take lots of pics, lol.

In a 4wd, you don't pull the knuckle off as you have CV axles connected to the hub assembly. You disconnect the upper arm from the knuckle and then unbolt the upper arm from the frame mounts.

In a 4wd, you have a axle nut inside the hub assemble that holds the CV axle.

Also, the upper control arm is completely different on the 4wd XLT models than the 2wd Sport models. However the same premise applies to pressing the ball joint out.

It's also worth mentioning that the 2wd sport ball joints are not the same part # as the 4wd XLT models use, and they look different as well.

Just some notes that I believe that need to be added, as someone with a 4x4 XLT may see this writeup, and get into the disassembly and notice that they have a CV axle sticking out the end of their knuckle....and that they need to be cogniscent to not remove the knuckle as it is not necessary, and that if you do....you need to tie back the CV axle so that it doesn't overextend.

 

[Oldwolf]

Good job. This will help me do the bottom ball joints. Thanks!

 

[Oldwolf]

Fantastic job. This should be a sticky!

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

You are right, I forgot to add information on how the process will be different for 4x4 owners. I will be sure to add that soon.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

.

 

[Oldwolf]

I agree a write write up of 4x4 lower ball joint replacement would be nice in the archives. I don't need to do it yet but will someday I am sure.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Excellent write up.

I believe it's worth mentioning that this is a 2wd Sport, the replacement of the ball joint(s) on a 4wd XLT is just a little different...I am planning to do mine this weekend and will hopefully have a write up for it when I am finished.

Great job!

Actually no, this is for a 2002, 4 door 3rd generation Ford Explorer XLS. No "sport" here. And the procedure for replacing the ball joints on a 4x4 explorer is exactly the same, plus the removal of the CV shaft. The upper and lower control arm as well as the upper and lower ball joints are exactly the same for any 2004 4x4 XLT as they are on this write up.

XLT and XLS makes no difference on this procedure. They are all the same. And the "sport" definition does not apply to the 3rd generation explorer also. That was only a 2nd generation thing.

 

[thepotroast]

Actually no, this is for a 2002, 4 door 3rd generation Ford Explorer XLS. No "sport" here. And the procedure for replacing the ball joints on a 4x4 explorer is exactly the same, plus the removal of the CV shaft. The upper and lower control arm as well as the upper and lower ball joints are exactly the same for any 2004 4x4 XLT as they are on this write up.

XLT and XLS makes no difference on this procedure. They are all the same. And the "sport" definition does not apply to the 3rd generation explorer also. That was only a 2nd generation thing.

I'm right in the middle of doing my uppers right now....taking pics, you will see many differences in the process of the removal of the upper arm Your tutorial is very good, but it just needed to be mentioned that it's for a 2wd....you don't want to move the knuckle on a 4x4 AT ALL...it's imperative that it stay in place. This is kind of a big deal

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

I'm right in the middle of doing my uppers right now....taking pics, you will see many differences in the process of the removal of the upper arm Your tutorial is very good, but it just needed to be mentioned that it's for a 2wd....you don't want to move the knuckle on a 4x4 AT ALL...it's imperative that it stay in place. This is kind of a big deal

hmmm... okay, would you like to add some of your insight into the article? If you come up with some pictures and good thoughts written down I will add it to the article. Of course I would add your name for credit too.

 

[Curtis]

Fantastic job! I still have 12k warranty left on my 04 so Im hoping to have them done under warranty, but if they last longer, I will for sure follow your advice. Thanks!

 

[muzzymaniac]

I pressed out the uppers on a Ranger. There wasn't enoough room for the press there either. I removed a couple of things(can't remember which things) from above the wheel well in the engine compartment, cut small flaps, pressed out then in and replaced the flaps. The flaps where only cut on 3 sides and I covered them with black duct tape. Worked great and you can't tell.

 

[thepotroast]

hmmm... okay, would you like to add some of your insight into the article? If you come up with some pictures and good thoughts written down I will add it to the article. Of course I would add your name for credit too.

I'll make a new thread with a small(er) write up that addresses the 4x4 3rd gens.

I just finished pressing out the old upper ball joint and pressing in the new one, reassembled and back together....need to upload pics and write up a quick "how-to"....will post this in the morning.

Thanks

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

I'll make a new thread with a small(er) write up that addresses the 4x4 3rd gens.

I just finished pressing out the old upper ball joint and pressing in the new one, reassembled and back together....need to upload pics and write up a quick "how-to"....will post this in the morning.

Thanks

great! can't wait to see it. go ahead and post a link over here once your done.

 

[thepotroast]

great! can't wait to see it. go ahead and post a link over here once your done.

Ok thanks

How To: Replacing Upper Ball Joints in a 3rd Gen 4x4
http://explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249135

 

[JLindley]

Actually no, this is for a 2002, 4 door 3rd generation Ford Explorer XLS. No "sport" here. And the procedure for replacing the ball joints on a 4x4 explorer is exactly the same, plus the removal of the CV shaft. The upper and lower control arm as well as the upper and lower ball joints are exactly the same for any 2004 4x4 XLT as they are on this write up.

XLT and XLS makes no difference on this procedure. They are all the same. And the "sport" definition does not apply to the 3rd generation explorer also. That was only a 2nd generation thing.

I saw that you were able to put a grease fitting on the lower ball joint which i am a firm believer in grease fittings since i grew up on a dairy farm and its urgent to grease all of our equipment before harvesting our crops for the dairy cows. Anyway is there anyway to also buy a upper ball joint with a grease fitting or install one on it like you did for the lower.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Hi JLindley. I do not believe that any upper ball joints are available with grease fitting on them. There really isn't a place to mount a grease fitting on them anyway.

 

[JLindley]

Hi JLindley. I do not believe that any upper ball joints are available with grease fitting on them. There really isn't a place to mount a grease fitting on them anyway.

Theres got to be some kind of upper ball joint somewhere that has a grease fitting. by the way i dont have to get the whole A arms assembly do I? What are the best kind of ball joints to get since the factory ones are not worth a damn. All so what are the best front wheel bearings to get, im also goin to just go ahead and replace them while i have it all torn appart. nock them all out at one time.