Ball Joint Replacement Procedures for Ford Pickups

When inspecting the ball joints, the tire should be lifted clear of the floor. The best method of testing the wear on the ball joint is to grab the top of the tire and attempt to wobble the tire in toward the truck and out again, feeling for any freeplay, looseness. There should be no more than 1/32-inch of play, or in other words, very little if any. The ball joints used in a Ford truck are pressed in with the stud facing downward and secured with a snap ring on the top.

You need several tools to replace the ball joints in a Ford pickup truck:

Floor jack
Jack stands
Ball joint separator
Ball joint press kit
Lug wrench
½-inch drive ratchet
Set of ½-inch drive sockets
3/8-inch drive ratchet
Set of 3/8-inch drive sockets
Large hammer
Common screwdriver
Set of wrenches
Wire cutters
Snap ring pliers

Raise and support the truck with the jack stands under the I-beams close to the spring location. Remove the tire/wheel assembly. Remove the two slider bolts securing the brake caliper to the mounting bracket. Hang the brake caliper from the spring with a suitable piece of wire.

Remove the cotter pins from the upper and lower ball joint studs and the tie rod end. Remove all three nuts using a wrench. Install the nut on the lower ball joint, but turn it on only three threads.

Insert the ball joint separator tool between the tie rod end and the spindle and strike it with a hammer until the tie rod separates from the spindle. Do the same for the ball joints.

Lift the upper ball joint out of the spindle. Lift up slightly on the rotor and remove the lower ball joint nut. Remove the rotor and spindle as a unit. Remove the snap rings from the upper and lower ball joints using the snap ring pliers.

Install the ball joint press tool onto the top ball joint. Place the driver on the top of the ball joint and the receiver on the bottom. Turn the tool clockwise to press the ball joint out. Install the tool with the threaded driver through the hole vacated by the upper ball joint. Install the driver on the top of the lower ball joint and the receiver on the bottom. Again turn the driver shaft clockwise to drive the ball joint out.

Install the lower ball joint using the tool in reverse with the driver down pushing upward. Place the driver sleeve on the bottom and the receiver on the top and press the ball joint in as far as it will go. Install the snap ring in the top of the ball joint.

Install the upper ball joint in an identical manner. Lift the rotor and spindle, and lower the spindle over the lower ball joint stud. Install the nut on the stud by hand. Lower the upper control arm with the ball joint and insert the ball joint stud through the hole in the top of the spindle. Install the nut. Tighten the top and bottom nuts securely. Install the cotter pins.

Install the tie rod end into the spindle and tighten the nut securely. Install the cotter pin. Install the brake caliper over the rotor, line it up with the holes in its mounting bracket and install the slider bolts. Tighten the caliper bolts securely. Install the wheel.