negative camber on my 97?

[JoshC]

I have a 97 4d and since i have had it i have noticed that the front tires sit out at the bottom. I'm pretty sure that this is called negative camber, but after i did the TT and put on 31's i noticed it even worse. The tires haven't seemed to be wearing out any faster. One mechanic told me that it was my outer tie rod ends, but that would just control steering. I was thinking more of a lower ball joint. What cause this on explorers. My dad's 2000 does the same thing too. Thanks for the help!

Happy trailes!

 

[FMExplorer]

Jot017,
I had the same problem - it turned out to be the balljoints. A bushing I believe. When youlift or add larger tires you need to change the bushings or shims to adjust the camber.

Jon

 

[JoshC]

Thanks for the help Jon. Which bushings or shims are you talking about? And was it the lower ball joint that you replaced? Thanks again!

Happy trailes!

 

[FMExplorer]

Jot - it was the upper ball joint shims. They are a different size shim in order to gain the movement needed to align properly...

Jon

 

[Clint]

torsion twist would bow the tires like this \ / not / \ did u get an alignment after the tt i don't think u need alignment shims i think u need new ball joints

 

[JoshC]

Thanks Clint. No i didn't get it aligned. I need to though. I was thinking more along the line of a ball joint, now that I have someone elses opinion then that's what I'll do, do you have any idea how hard that is on a 97? Thanks for your help again.

Happy trailes!

 

[Clint]

i don't have any experience with the explorer torsion suspension but i do have experience with the torsion system in general if u are pretty good with trucks i think u could do it but u need to make sure that is the problem first but from what i know about whats wrong with your x it sounds like a ball joint is having play u might want to go to an alignment shop and they won't even align it for u if the ball joints are bad so that would be one way to find out whats wrong

 

[JoshC]

Thanks alot. That sounds pretty good. I have a friend that is the suspension man at my local Ford shop coming to run a computer scan on it for me, so i'll ask him then. I really appriciate your help.

Happy trailes!

 

[SCEXPLORER]

Did u ever replace the ball joints? I'm having negative camber also even more noticeable after offroading.

 

[JoshC]

Wow, this is an old thread awake again! But yes i did. Very easy job too. It actually took about 90% of the problem away. With my factory wheels on there it looks alot better and i can visually see that they are straiter up and down, but with my ARE wheels with the offset, it looks kinda bad, but not that bad. But, ball joints fixed it, so there ya go, good luck. If you need any help, let me know!! Thanks!!

Happy trailes!!

 

[SCEXPLORER]

I just noticed the negative camber after I went offroading so something went wrong. I'm still hessitant that it was the ball joint because when I do the ball joint test, it doesn't have play. Did yours have play? Also, how bad was your camber, mine looks as bad as when a car is lowered and the tires have negative camber.

 

[JoshC]

Yeah, mine was the same way. Mine was also tight when i did the test and then i went on a wheelin trip with some friends and when i was on the way back from cleaning it up i noticed that it was popping and banging and stuff so i drove by NTB and they do a free front end check and told me my lowers were bad and you're better off replacing the uppers and the lowers!! Hope i've helped!

Happy trailes!!

 

[SCEXPLORER]

How did you replace them? Did u change the control arms? Or just the ball joints? What kind of ball joints did u get?

 

[JoshC]

No i didn't replace the control arms. Both lower ball joints are the same, so that solved a problem i strugled with. I rented a ball joint press (that i used very little) because the lowers are press in. Now the upper ball joints come with the control arm. I got Federal Mogal or how ever you spell it. Life time warrenty, not greasable though. If you don't have a repair manual then get one, i actuallly didn't even open the manual, i just tore into it. If you have any kind of mechanic ability then you should be okay, just take you time and don't get frustrated! One hint. The upper ball joint pinch bolt has to come all the way out and that baby should pop right out! There ya go, really is a easy job, let me know if i can do anything else!!

Happy trailes!!

 

[SCEXPLORER]

How come pepboys sells perfect circle upper ball joints only without the arm?

 

[JoshC]

Huh, that i don't know. Does the 2wd have the same set up as the 4wd? Maybe that has somthing to do with it. I really don't see how it would be possible to change just the ball joint on the upper because i believe it is made into the control arm.....not 100% sure though. If i were you i would get the control arm and go ahead and replace the (i think they are called...)shim plates or caster plates, they are like big washers that nuts built in for each of the 2 bolts that bolt the control arm to the frame. It would make life alot simpler with the whole control arm. So, i don't know what to tell ya about pep boys. We have Advance Auto parts here on the east coast. Give me shout!

Happy trailes!!

 

[SCEXPLORER]

Yah i'm gonna go ahead and get the uppers from Moog which are $99 each and the bottoms for $35 each.

 

[WILL]

Yeah I have fallen to the Ball Joint God. My Ball joints were good then after my lift and a little over confidant off-roading i decided to get an alignment. That is when the Ball Joint God had me. I got the lowers done (greasable) and luckilly I didnt need the adjusters for the top. So I saved some money for now. The front end feels better and looks better in some ways.

 

[JoshC]

Yeah i only had to have one adjuster for the top on mine, not to bad. Ford put it on after i had it aligned. Mine looked good from the front, but after i got some miles on the new ones they kinda settled in and it looks kinda bad, but not as bad as it was!

Happy trails!!

 

[SCEXPLORER]

Hey Jot017,
How much grease did u put into your ball joints? I put it until it started coming out from the bottom. Is that how much you put in?