Ball Joints..
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 7
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Ball Joints..
Morning, all.
Should be a semi easy question but I cant seem to find a good answer anywhere.. I have a 1985 F150, 4wd with the D44 TTB front end. Will have it apart for other reasons next week, and figured I ought to do the ball joints while I'm there.
Can find the Moog just fine, but had poor luck with them. Don't want to do this twice. I've always used dana/spicer in everything else and never heard much bad.. but does anyone know the part number for each of the joints?
Should be a semi easy question but I cant seem to find a good answer anywhere.. I have a 1985 F150, 4wd with the D44 TTB front end. Will have it apart for other reasons next week, and figured I ought to do the ball joints while I'm there.
Can find the Moog just fine, but had poor luck with them. Don't want to do this twice. I've always used dana/spicer in everything else and never heard much bad.. but does anyone know the part number for each of the joints?
Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 11,256
Likes: 1,769
From: Memphis, TN, Earth, Milky Way
Replacement parts (even Ford/MC) are rarely better than originals. So you should never replace any part unless it's due on the maintenance schedule, or it fails a published test. I have the D50IFS apart on my 300Kmi '97 F250HD right now, but I'm not touching the BJs because they're still fine.
(click this text)
Checking them is fairly easy - just jack up a front tire by the axle beam (I normally use the radius arm bolt), and try to rock it in at the top & out at the bottom. If it clunks, have an assistant watch (or your phone recording video) the BJs.
This page shows the process:
(click this text)
This is another truck:
(click this text)
Don't be surprised if the spindles are seized in the knuckles:
(click this text)
The job will be significantly easier if you pressure-wash the front axle before beginning (and it won't hurt to hit everything else, too).
(click this text)
(click this text)
Checking them is fairly easy - just jack up a front tire by the axle beam (I normally use the radius arm bolt), and try to rock it in at the top & out at the bottom. If it clunks, have an assistant watch (or your phone recording video) the BJs.
This page shows the process:
(click this text)
This is another truck:
(click this text)
Don't be surprised if the spindles are seized in the knuckles:
(click this text)
The job will be significantly easier if you pressure-wash the front axle before beginning (and it won't hurt to hit everything else, too).
(click this text)
vertical pin buster
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,411
Likes: 41
From: grant town
I looked thru all my books and interwebs.The only spicer ball joint i can find for a ford are for super dutys.i put Detroit axle ball joints in my 04 f250 a few years ago. And never had any problems with them. Just bought an 03 6.0 f350 and it needs u joints so I'm gonna replace gonna replace the ball joints while I'm at it and I'm using Detroit axle ball joints again. So maybe look into them. I ran 285/70r16s on my 04 and spent a good bit of time in 4 wheel drive. Just an idea.