Turning a 4 hour job, into a 24 hour job.

[Blacksheep Josh]

Turning a 4 hour job into a 24 hour job is not at hard as it seems... in essence, it's quite easy. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Read everything possible on explorerforum.com related to what you're doing.
2. Get all tools needed for the job.


I finally attempted to change my ball joints on the driver side, I got the tool needed from autozone, which did absolutely nothing... I ended up having to go to a local shop and get a technician to press out the old ones, and press in the news ones... Think, the ball joints were the originals... and my Explorer has about 252,000 miles on it. Then, during reassembly, I went to reconnect the tie rod, and come to find out, the stud/bolt was cross-threaded.

All in all

2 Trips to autozone
1 trip to junkyard
3 snapped flathead screw drivers
8 oz or grease
1 Bottle of Dawn
1 Night staying at a friends house

Was pretty successful... but definitely not time well spent. Still have to do the other side now.. .maybe that will go better, who knows. But now when I drive, my steering wheel is 25% turned to the left.. What fun.

I think when I finish, and get the alignment done, I'm going to get them to once over everything, make sure it's tightened properly and all... I don't want to lose a damn wheel going 50 miles an hour.

Cheers.

 

[smtcapecod]

Went through similar littany recently, just a different thread.

Do have someone check everything....steering wheel offset is the tie rod off a few threads probably. Or else the alignment shim is WAY out of spec and your tires will wear quickly.

NO miracles following all the work, 4 new balljoints and new outer tie rods and mine isn't tremendously more fun to drive...there is still a bit of play either in steering box (and I couldn't loosen preload bolt) or in inner tie rod assembly. But the new tires will wear less quickly.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

I'll going to finish the other side tomorrow, and I'm just going to replace the outer tie rod anyways... figure it can't hurt, and it'll keep me from having problems like the driver side.

i'll be getting the alignment sometime tomorrow... HOPEFULLY.

all i have to do is drive the 10 or so miles to school, and back, and then to where ever i'm getting the alignment done. so i don't think 20-30 miles will kill the tires to much if i don't speed.

wish me better luck.