I have a 98 F-150 4wd and am getting ready to replace both lower and upper control arms due to excessive noise when turning at low speeds. Thought about replacing pitman arms also. Also plan on changing shocks while everything is torn apart. Is there anything I should look for during the process?

 

Why would you replace lower control arms? Just do the joints. Its easy, really easy. Maybe thats what you meant. Upper arms are a breeze too. Only things bad on my 2003 4wd supercrew at 197,000 were the upper joints.

 

I'm not sure what the control arms have to do with noise when turning at low speeds...I guess it's possible but there are several other things I would look into first.

 

More than likely you just have worn out ball joints. To replace uppers, you have to do whole upper control arm. The lowers press into the control arms and are replaceable. They can be repaced without pressing them, all thats needed is 32 oz ball peen hammer.

 

The guy at the parts store told me he couldn't get the lower ball joint. It was part of the control arm and the whole thing would have to be replaced.

 

Which would be?

 

Bull. I went to the local O'Reillys, and they had the lower ball joints.

 

Go to another parts store. The bottom ball joints are replacable. The top is where you have to replace the whole control arm.

 

Rock auto has the lowest prices I know or, MOOG lowers are about $25 vs $45 locally. shipping just takes a few days.

You remove a snap ring from the lowers, and drive them out with the hammer. To put them in without a press, insert the new one under the control arm, place jack under it and put a load on it pushing it up into the hole, then hammer the top of the lower control arm with the hammer, it slowly goes into place like a charm . Just dont bugger the edge of the hole with the hammer, and wear earplugs. Theres a video on youtube showing this, it works. Ball joint press I borrowed from autozone, doesnt fit and work for this.

 

Check the bushings attaching it to the frame. You can get the moog lowers fairly cheap with new bushings and joints if you want to go that route. But have fun getting the torsion bars out.