I'm going to take on the task of replacing 4 ball joints. I have not ever done this before but a buddy will help that has hopefully.

I just have jack stands so we'll be on the ground.

This is an '89 4WD w/5.0

Does anyone have any pointers on what could make the job easier?

I only have $1000 in the truck so I can't see spending $650 to have someone do it.

 

Pressing out and pressing in ball joints is the easy part.... The most time consuming part is definitely getting your spindle off. It took at least 2 hours of hitting it with a deadblow hammer just to get the thing off. So a big tip for you would be too rent a spindle puller from autozone. I used that on the other side and had it off in 1 minute. Seriously. But other then that its a pretty simple job. While your at it might wanna just replace your u joints and rotors as well so you dont have to go through everything again.

 

i did ball joints once and the hardest part was getting the ball joints out lol. but you really should get a press like roachey said.

 

I appreciate your help. I'm hoping its not too time consuming. I need to take the truck 500 miles to our cabin and I'll be using it to drive on two tracks with little to no cell service. This must be repaired.

 

There's three parts of this, so go through it to see what you'll be doing. I have to see things, rather than read up on what I'll be doing to my truck

 

iv never heard of or seen a ball joint fail to the extent of losing a tire, and iv seen some bad ball joints lol. if you cant manage to do them before you leave dont panic, just take it easy.

 

Got ya.

I took the truck in to have some work done to the exhaust and that shop made me sign a waiver that I knew I was driving an unsafe vehicle.

 

 

Come work at my shop for a week. You would be surprised what comes in on a hook or flatbed.

 

It's not hard, just time consuming.

I jut did this exact job a week ago with no previous experience.
You need a ball joint press tool, the ford hub nut tool, and a torque wrench - you can rent both.
Take the locking hub assy off, then brakes, then the special bearing nut off, slide the rotor off.
Take the spindle off (6 bolts) and the dust shield.
Take the axle shaft out (the passenger side is 2 pieces, DO NOT remove the passenger side mid shaft from the differential, cut the boot clamp and separate)
Remove tie rod end from steering knuckle, then ball joint nuts.
Index or otherwise mark the camber adjuster on the upper ball joint shaft (imperative this piece goes back in the way it came out)
Hammer out the steering knuckle by hitting the ball joints.
Replace ball joints.
Replace grease seal on the back of hub/rotor assy.
Torque new ball joint nuts to spec.
When the lower ball joint shaft spins, use a jack or c-clamp to force the ball joint up to the axle beam.

Put it back together.
6 hours tops.
Buy a Haynes manual!!!