2004 lower ball joints
06-02-2019, 08:46 PM
#1
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2004 lower ball joints
Greetings!! I'm trying to get the straight skinny. My maintenance manual says that if you want to replace the lower ball joints on a 2004 F150 XLT crew cab 2 wheel drive w/4.6L, (not Heritage) you have to replace the entire lower control arm, as is typical with the upper ball joint/control arm r&r. I want to replace ONLY the ball joint, PERIOD. I see lots of videos on YouTube that say that you can just press out/in the ball joint from the lower control arm and not replace the complete assembly. Has anyone replaced the ball joint by itself? I want to know the actual truth before I start turning wrenches and find out my plan is FUBAR'd. Thanks.
06-03-2019, 05:38 AM
#2
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Every Ford I have had has mentioned in the manual that the entire arm must be changed w/ lower ball joints. I guess if you go OEM, that might be the case. I wouldn't go that route since I would only get a greasable unit. The ball joints can be pressed out and replaced. If you look on Rock Auto's web site, you will see no arm assemblies, just ball joints for your 2004. I have used Moog's Problem Solvers in the past and been happy with them.
06-03-2019, 07:52 AM
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Awesome information!! Thanks a bunch!! And super coincidental, because I was looking at Rock yesterday, shopping for them, and noticed the lack of lower control arms...and the Moogs were what I was looking at as well, so it's good to know that you've been happy with them. And, yep...greaseable is EXACTLY how I plan to roll. I hate the no grease bs...I have a 2007 Mustang GT, and when it was about a year old, it got a squeak from the front end. I took it to the dealer asking them to service it, and they told me the bad news...yep, no grease fittings!! DAMN!! Anyway, thanks for your help...I appreciate it!!
06-04-2019, 03:33 PM
#4
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I replaced the lower ball joints on my 2004 Supercrew two years ago with the greasable NAPA balljoints. They rented me the tool set to press out the old joint too. Only caution I'd offer; when you are smacking it with the short handled sledge hammer trying to break it loose, be careful not to mushroom the plug. Those sharp edges will gouge the aluminum bore as you are pressing it out. I set a large nut on top and beat on it.
Worked like a charm.
Worked like a charm.
06-04-2019, 03:40 PM
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I replaced the lower ball joints on my 2004 Supercrew two years ago with the greasable NAPA balljoints. They rented me the tool set to press out the old joint too. Only caution I'd offer; when you are smacking it with the short handled sledge hammer trying to break it loose, be careful not to mushroom the plug. Those sharp edges will gouge the aluminum bore as you are pressing it out. I set a large nut on top and beat on it.
Worked like a charm.
Worked like a charm.