How To: Upper Control Arm / Ball Joint Replacement (Lots of Pictures)

[RangRayy]

first of great write up! but i have a few questions...

first off would this be in need of a new one?

and would this cause a bad vibration? at speeds of 65-70mph

 

[CDW6212R]

The boots need to be sealed, always replace the joint if the boot is split or has a hole or leak.

FYI, I priced UCA's at two places in case I need them soon. The Moog's are higher than before now, and TRW arms are also lifetime parts. Advance Auto had the Moog parts in stock, and wanted to give me a price break to get them instead of ordering the TRW arms(maybe five days). So if you are needing them, shop around and consider the other choices.

 

[Midnightrider1]

A arms. lower Ball joints, inner tie rod

2000 Limited AWD

Well I went out and bought my parts so I take a look at the upper A arms
my right one look like my left one did so they gave me the wrong A arm for the right side. The A arm they gave me for the right side was way different., it should of look like my left side. So then I took a look at my lower ball joints and one had splines on it the other one didn't. I took them 2 parts back and suppose to get new ones in the morning I am glad I hadn't started tearing it down it a long walk to the parts store in this small town.

I just may put this in the shop I see others has had problems of some type and I don't need no more problems being I am on social security.

It sure looks easy to do but I have already ran into trouble and I haven't got my tools out yet.

Frank

 

[promisedwon]

Help with Upper Control Arms 01 Explorer AWD 5.0

Just wanna ask u bro if yours will be the same as mine (01 Explorer AWD 5.0). I had the front dif taken out to make it a rear wheel drive b/c it was giving us a lot of trouble. It may have been b/c it was wrecked b4 but not sure. But I have 2 change them and am not sure where 2 start. U nade it look so easy and it probably is but just wanna make sure so if u could please get with me on it I would GREATLY appreciate it.

 

[promisedwon]

Camber

Also, I dont know what a camber is so if u can help me with that also.

 

[sonet123]

Thanks CDW6212R had both left and right side done today, brought my parts from Ford and your right the new upper control arm both left and right side is in a one piece assembly. According to Ford over the years that two part assembly has went thru like six modification resulting in the one piece assembly.

 

[sonet123]

Reply to promisedwon not sure what taking the diff out has to do with replacing upper control arms. But as the ford dealer told me at least 6 years of made gone by from when the right side was a 2 apart assembly. I’ve had my both arms in a week and had the alignment done drive true state as an arrow.

 

[sonet123]

So far as camber in aligning the wheels to track straight and get even tire wear. Terms like toe in and toe out are alignment terms meaning the all the components including axel upper and lower con trolls arm ball joint are not quite at a 90 degree to the ground to make these adjustments one thing is a little plate it looks like a crooked washer that sits on the bolt that the connecting the control arm, these crooked washer is used to offset the to correct the tracking of the wheels
In thye pictures the at the beguinning og this thread the guy show the bolt with 2 canmber adjustres still on the bolt

 

[Teale]

I have the same problem and i just replaced my wheel bearings and noticed that my ball joint is showing major wear and the plastic boot is gone after replacing my bearings now my truck pulls hard to the passanger side. could the bearing be the problem i know that it has to be replaced but it wasnt the problem before the tire was toed in pretty bad and now the wheel is stright and no problem there but now the braking problem. PLEASE HELP

 

[conifercatcher]

Oooops!

Hello, I just installed new upper and lower ball joints on the passenger side, and the lower ball joint on the driver side. My problem is that I accidentally installed a 1 piece on the passenger side instead of the 2 piece. My question is if I can leave the passenger side with the 1 piece and also install a 1 piece on the drivers side? My other question is if there is any way to move the steel hoses that get in the way of the camber bolts on the drivers side upper ball joint? Thanks for your time.

Rusty

 

[sonet123]

conifercatcher; Yes I would say you can leav in the one piece Passenger side upper control arm. Both side come in a one peice assembly now, they have differant part numbers for the passenger side vs the driver side.

 

[conifercatcher]

Thanks for the advice. I just ordered a new 1 piece control arm, as well as new camber bolts. I think I will probably just cut the old bolts out of the brackets.
Rusty

 

[LuMax]

Thanks for the great instructions. I swapped out both of the the upper control arms + alignment kit, lower ball joints, shocks, rotors and pads, and the sway bar links all at the same time. Here are the parts & what it looked like when I was done:

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Thanks for the pictures, nice job

 

[RacerX]

Moog upper ball joints - P/N?

About two years ago, the upper control arms and lower ball joints in my '97 Mountaineer were replaced with Moog parts. I'm starting to get some uneven front tire wear and the mechanic told the he thought there was some slop in those parts (yes, I have kept them greased). Anyway - is the lower balljoint part also the one used in the Moog upper C/As? Anyone know?

Thanks!

 

[LuMax]

I don't think they are the same but don't quote me on that.

I don't have links for the Moog parts, but here are the Raybestos ones: Lower and Upper

 

[YountExplr]

no the uca ball joint has a pinch bolt vs the lca ball joint that is threaded for the castle nut. since you had them previously replaced with moog parts you can just get the ball joint for the uca and press it in. same with the lca. 2 years is pretty quick for moogs unless you have been abusive to them. you should check your inner and outer tie rod ends also.

 

[dean1997sport]

camber bolts

I just checked mine and it looks like i already have camber washers in place from the factory, they look the same just no square hole in the top.
Will i need to buy new camber adjusters? or can i just use the ones that are there already?

 

[YountExplr]

if you have not lifted your vehicle then you should be alright. Afterwards if the alignment shop says you need them then just go buy them and have them put them on for a little extra. or do it yourself, its up to you. If its not lifted and you have plans to lift it then you might as well go ahead and get them.

 

[cspat8]

Please help!

Hey I'm gonna try to do this on my '97 ford explorer. Do the step by step directions you gave (which are great!) apply to my truck. Are they similiar?