The right way to check balljoints | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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The right way to check balljoints

96eb96

Explorer Addict
Joined
October 20, 2004
Messages
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City, State
Albany, NY
Year, Model & Trim Level
96 EB V6 OHV 4WD
I was considering changing balljoints due to some vertical movement(screwdriver test/or tire iron under the wheel when LCA is supported). However, I realized that this is NOT the right way to check Explorer Ball Joints, and many are probably implicated in this manner. A dealer confirmed this, and here are two other sources:

From a state inspection manual
:
Pg 14/ states Explorer Ball J SHOULD NOT be checked vertically (as per (c) foot note). Only horizontal movement with a dial micrometer (.031" = 1/32" or a bit under a mm) is a tiny amount of horizontal play. It may be hard to tell by eye, but ANY horizontal play you see means to replace).

www.aot.state.vt.us/DMV/documents/Manuals/Inspection/BallJointWearTolerances.pdf

Ford Service Manual:
WARNING: sic <shut off the air suspension>

Raise and support the vehicle. For additional information, refer to Section 100-02 .
Prior to performing any inspection of the ball joints, inspect the front wheel bearings (1216).
Position a safety stand beneath the front suspension lower arm (3079) to be tested.

While an assistant pulls and pushes the bottom of the tire, observe the relative movement between the lower spindle arm and the front suspension lower arm ball joint (3050). Any movement at or exceeding the specification indicates a worn or damaged lower ball joint. Install a new ball joint as necessary.

While an assistant pulls and pushes the top of the tire, observe the relative movement between the upper spindle arm and the front suspension upper ball joint. Movement at or exceeding the specification indicates a worn or damaged upper ball joint or loose pinch bolt joint. Tighten pinch bolt and nut as necessary. Install a new upper ball joint as necessary

Ball Joint Radial Play
Lower ball joint — maximum 0.8 mm

(1/32 in.)
Upper ball joint — maximum 0.8 mm

(1/32 in.)


----


There is nothing here about screwdrivers or up and down movements. I guess you can consider changing Ball Joints a PM or peace of mind item if they are replaced for up and down movement.
 

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So your saying that if I have about a half an inch of movement up and down, and not in and out (pulling bottom and pushing top, vise a versa) that my ball joints are not bad? I thought that any kind of movement was bad? Let me what you think, that truck is apart and I am gonna do them in the morning.----Thanks, jack
 






So your saying that if I have about a half an inch of movement up and down, and not in and out (pulling bottom and pushing top, vise a versa) that my ball joints are not bad? I thought that any kind of movement was bad? Let me what you think, that truck is apart and I am gonna do them in the morning.----Thanks, jack

Are they making noise?
By the service manual, the inspection manual, and what Ford told me, they are fine. I also have a 96 with 135K miles. Mine also move 1/2 inch up-down with a crowbar. That test is not appropriate for some vehicles and can make certain ball joints look bad. I was told it has to do with the torsion bar suspension setup and the way the joints are stressed.

There is no vertical test on this application and some other full size fords (as per pdf). Also, You must do the test with all the control arm fully supported. However, 1/32" radial is a small amount and is for all intents and purposes pretty much no movement.

Now..whether you want to do it for peace of mind or the trucks age..thats up to you. I inspect mine at every oil change.
 






Are they making noise?
By the service manual, the inspection manual, and what Ford told me, they are fine. I also have a 96 with 135K miles. Mine also move 1/2 inch up-down with a crowbar. That test is not appropriate for some vehicles and can make certain ball joints look bad. I was told it has to do with the torsion bar suspension setup and the way the joints are stressed.

There is no vertical test on this application and some other full size fords (as per pdf). Also, You must do the test with all the control arm fully supported. However, 1/32" radial is a small amount and is for all intents and purposes pretty much no movement.

Now..whether you want to do it for peace of mind or the trucks age..thats up to you. I inspect mine at every oil change.

I thought I'd bring this thread back to life a bit as I am currently having to get my Missouri state inspection to re-tag my truck, and the station I took it to checked the ball joints the old school way that I myself had subscribed to when I was wrenching back in the day, and that was to raise the vehicle and put the weight of it on jack stands on the lower control arms and use a pry bar to move the wheel/tire in a vertical manner and check for movement.

Now I find out that on these trucks it is NOT the correct way to measure lower or upper ball joint play, AND the inspecting garage CAN NOT legally fail your truck unless they properly check them the way the poster above has
said, and they are not to fail this ball joint inspection unless they can actually measure the radial (side to side) play with a proper dial indicator, at least here in Missouri, check your own state rules and guidelines.

So to anyone that has to pass a state inspection and are being failed for this reason, let them know it is not a valid way to inspect them, and that you can report this to the state.
I can't believe how many times I seen techs fail a Ford Explorer this way, me included.
 






New ball joints have no play, horizontal or vertical.
Therefore, if (and I have) I discover any play in a ball joint, it gets replaced.
There is no ball joint Mfg that will tell you the joint is good when there is excessive play in it. 1 mm is hard to spot without a caliper. If you can see the play, it needs to be replaced. Common sense, like it or not.

FYI - That same shop manual and FORD also said 26PSI was adequate air pressure for the tires on the vehicle.
 






New ball joints have no play, horizontal or vertical.
Therefore, if (and I have) I discover any play in a ball joint, it gets replaced.
There is no ball joint Mfg that will tell you the joint is good when there is excessive play in it. 1 mm is hard to spot without a caliper. If you can see the play, it needs to be replaced. Common sense, like it or not.

FYI - That same shop manual and FORD also said 26PSI was adequate air pressure for the tires on the vehicle.
Couldn't have said it better. Any coincidence most OEM suspension parts are not greaseable?
Remember, auto dealers stay profitable from parts and service, not from sales of vehicles.
 






as far as your ball joint conclusions... i don't think i agree. as stated, new ball joints don't have any play. i just changed mine at 180k because the boots were shot and they were making noise. it wasn't until i had the old ones out until it was obvious how bad the lower bj's really were.

as far as sealed vs joints w/grease fittings, some will argue that non-grease-able joints last longer than grease-able ones. i say horse poop... a grease-able joint (as long as it is greased regularly with a quality grease and provided the boot is good) will last much longer than a non-grease able joint. i replaced mine with Moog's with grease fittings.
 






dear op.

Measure the ball joint deflection while an assistant pushes up and pulls down on the wheel and tire assembly, by hand.
If the deflection exceeds the specification, a new ball joint must be installed.

yes up and down affects play.

also to test the upper joint, once the suspention is loaded, you dont move the wheel, you move the upper control arm.
Measure the ball joint deflection while an assistant pushes up and then pulls down on the upper control arm, by hand.
If the deflection exceeds the specification, a new ball joint must be installed.

now why do people use a pry bar, tools, cause they dont want to load the suspention. it actually does the same thing. but up and down play is exactly as bad as left/right.

i would fail you for up and down play. and i would win my case. even after your complaints.

oh thats from a random wsm from ford the quotes.
 






I have done many safety checks, changed many ball joints back in the day, and failed many for this same reason. It was standard practice that if we as A.S.E cert techs, saw, in our trained opinion, ANY excessive vertical play, it was to be a "recommended" part to change, unless the thing popped out of the spindle, and it was "obvious" it was an immediate danger/not drivable then we would check off the box that reads "replacement needed" or similar description.

This is the shop inspection sheet I'm talking about. Now the state of Missouri safety manual guidelines say that excessive play is to be determined by the vehicle manufacturers specs, and if a customer wanted to make a stink about it, since Ford, and MOOG both say the same thing, that essentially there is NO vertical spec to compare the Explorer with, and ONLY a radial spec of .031, well
technically the customer has a valid objection and reason for an appeal.

Now look fellas, I guarantee yous that if I had the money, I would have already changed all 4 BJ's with quality greasable ones and been done, after all that is the way I was trained, and always done it since 1978.
I wouldn't try to rape my customers if the things had a little movement, and I'd even grease them up for them if they were dry if possible as well.
This was a judgement call based on training and experience we were faced with everyday. But this Missouri state guidelines, combined with the Ford factory and MOOG specs throws a monkey wrench in things that gives knowledgeable, and broke folks like me an out.

FWIW I had to stop working as a result of an illness that resulted in the amputation of my RH index finger, and had to have 3 surgeries on the same hand, that caused me to lose most of the sensation in my finger tips.
So I'm SOL " handicapped" and couldn't compete with healthier, youngins.
Living on SSD, and having to count my coins and do without is not the way I envisioned things at 50, so I have to wait to fix my truck, and was actually
glad ( for once) that I found this "out".

I can't believe I turned into the cheapo customer we all dreaded having to deal with LOL...But it is what it is. Now if I can convince the other old dodger at the local garage here in town, I should be able to pass the safety inspection and wait till spring to change the BJ's out. So now I hope yous can understand that I'm not trying to be difficult, just low on funds AND going by the books.


Also..a WORD OF FRIENDLY ADVICE TO ANY TECHS THAT MIGHT BE READING THIS-
Always use rubber gloves when using the damned Safety Clean tank in your shop. The chemical in that causes problems in time as it absorbs into your skin, and can with prolonged use and exposure, cause auto immune disease and other ailments. Same thing applies to Brake/Carb/TB cleaners and other aerosols, and all petroleum products too. Read the labels.
And use the safety glasses, use proper technique to clean brake parts including a mask too. I wish I would have...:salute:
 






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