Lower Ball Joints
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Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2
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From: Maine
Lower Ball Joints
03 150 with 58,000 miles in need of lower ball joints and idler arm for state inspection. Is that normal? The tolerances seems to be a relative thing. No noticeable movement or vibration in steering and great even tire wear. Are dealers struggling to generate repair $$??
American Pride!!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 392
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From: Keystone Heights,FL
03 150 with 58,000 miles in need of lower ball joints and idler arm for state inspection. Is that normal? The tolerances seems to be a relative thing. No noticeable movement or vibration in steering and great even tire wear. Are dealers struggling to generate repair $$??
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 477
From: Cape Girardeau MO
Welcome to the site!
Suggest that dealers are struggling, no doubt - perhaps now flagging things that would have been passed in the previous days. Did they happen to toss out any estimates?
58,000 seems really early, my ball joints made it to 140,000 - however the entire steering linkage needed attention around 70,000 - which I attribute to the fine decision to use ungreasable joints for my vintage.
+1 on going for the second opinion - not too concerned on where they stick it. :-)~
Suggest that dealers are struggling, no doubt - perhaps now flagging things that would have been passed in the previous days. Did they happen to toss out any estimates?
58,000 seems really early, my ball joints made it to 140,000 - however the entire steering linkage needed attention around 70,000 - which I attribute to the fine decision to use ungreasable joints for my vintage.
+1 on going for the second opinion - not too concerned on where they stick it. :-)~
American Pride!!
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 392
Likes: 0
From: Keystone Heights,FL
Welcome to the site!
Suggest that dealers are struggling, no doubt - perhaps now flagging things that would have been passed in the previous days. Did they happen to toss out any estimates?
58,000 seems really early, my ball joints made it to 140,000 - however the entire steering linkage needed attention around 70,000 - which I attribute to the fine decision to use ungreasable joints for my vintage.
+1 on going for the second opinion - not too concerned on where they stick it. :-)~
Suggest that dealers are struggling, no doubt - perhaps now flagging things that would have been passed in the previous days. Did they happen to toss out any estimates?
58,000 seems really early, my ball joints made it to 140,000 - however the entire steering linkage needed attention around 70,000 - which I attribute to the fine decision to use ungreasable joints for my vintage.
+1 on going for the second opinion - not too concerned on where they stick it. :-)~
(I am), any time I have a sneakin suspision that they're trying to stick it to me I really do feel like Im the one to shove my foot right in their *** for trying to rip me off, but not only for me but for all the older people that have no means of working on it their self and they have no way of telling whether they are bull****tin them or not. Im not trying to seem like a hero but I do have grand parents that have been takin advantage of and it pisses me off and I feel like we need to keep these guys straight. I know that what I do for a living that it doesnt matter what the age or education of the customer that the work or the price does not change from customer to customer. So, if I were you I would learn how to change them myself or get a couple of opinions about the shape of the ball joints.
Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: Chapel Hill, NC
In North Carolina they would have to be very worn out to the point of a safety issue in order to fail NCSI, and you would have some worn out tires to boot. I would not only get a second opinion but ask them to show you where and why they are worn out. Ive worked as a Ford tech for years and I will be the first to tell you factory ball joints suck. Even down here in the south where we have little to no snow and salt on the roads they still do wear out way too fast. Ive seen Ford trucks in need as soon as 30,000 miles Ive replaced under warranty and some as long as 300,000 miles. Just depends on driving habits primarily and luck of the draw. If and when you do have them replaced be sure to request greseable ball joints because they are way better. Oh and the upper ball joint is serviced in the control arm and they ae expensive.