Have you replaced ball joints?

[Natural Citizen]

I hate doing ball joints. It's one of the more suckier jobs to have to do.

 

[progressive hunter]

If worse comes to worst, I have a fork style separator and some high temp grease.

explosives are always an option,,

 

[progressive hunter]

I hate doing ball joints. It's one of the more suckier jobs to have to do.

they are fun to do,,

 

[Missourian]

explosives are always an option,,

It didn't come to that.

Hit it 6 or seven times with a 5 lb hand sledge the way you suggested and the tie rod end dropped right out. Did the same to the lower ball joints and they dropped right out too.

The two biggest problems were... First, believe it or not... removing the lower ball joint cotter pins. They had very little structural integrity outside the castle nut...but were fused inside.

Ended up driving them both out with a punch eventually.

The other issue was the ball joint removal kit wasn't expansive enough...or I wasn't using it correctly.

Ended up having to jerry rig a solution.


My

Oh... And I didn't have a short enough 1⅛" socket to get in over the lower ball joint castle nut so I used an open end wrench an a super cheater "bar" that was actually a hickory handled scraper in a pipe.

Changed brake pads since I had the caliper off...$45 for pads at AutoZone. Seemed high. I remember when they were $10.

Napa and O'Reilly's were both out of stock?!?

I had to ask twice I was so incredulous.

The OBS Ford F150 is ubiquitous here...how do you run out of brake pads?

Anyhow...it is done. Took about 4 hours plus an hour of clean up.

Thanks for all the help. It made the job much easier.

 

[progressive hunter]

It didn't come to that.

Hit it 6 or seven times with a 5 lb hand sledge the way you suggested and the tie rod end dropped right out. Did the same to the lower ball joints and they dropped right out too.

The two biggest problems were... First, believe it or not... removing the lower ball joint cotter pins. They had very little structural integrity outside the castle nut...but were fused inside.

Ended up driving them both out with a punch eventually.

The other issue was the ball joint removal kit wasn't expansive enough...or I wasn't using it correctly.

Ended up having to jerry rig a solution.

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Oh... And I didn't have a short enough 1⅛" socket to get in over the lower ball joint castle nut so I used an open end wrench an a super cheater "bar" that was actually a hickory handled scraper in a pipe.

View attachment 840049

Changed brake pads since I had the caliper off...$45 for pads at AutoZone. Napa and O'Reilly's were both out ?!?

I had to ask twice I was so incredulous.

The OBS Ford F150 is ubiquitous here...how do you run out of brake pads?

Anyhow...it is done. Took about 4 hours plus an hour of clean up.

Thanks for all the help.

glad it all went good,,

I didnt learn that trick for at least 5 yrs in,,,

since you replaced the BJs you could have just hammered a socket over the cotter pins and zipped the nut off with an impact,, saves fighting the frozen pin

4 hrs isnt a bad time for being on the ground doing it for the first time, and you also did brakes

 

[Missourian]

glad it all went good,,

I didnt learn that trick for at least 5 yrs in,,,

since you replaced the BJs you could have just hammered a socket over the cotter pins and zipped the nut off with an impact,, saves fighting the frozen pin

4 hrs isnt a bad time for being on the ground doing it for the first time, and you also did brakes

That's probably what I should have done. Definately wasn't what I envisioned being the hard part.

It would have taken a lot longer without your advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[progressive hunter]

That's probably what I should have done. Definately wasn't what I envisioned being the hard part.

It would have taken a lot longer without your advice. I really appreciate it.

not a problem,, front end work is one of my favorites,, was a ft end specialist for goodyear for a cpl yrs,, they made sure I had all the education I needed,,

firing me over a cheescake was pretty dumb of them after all the money they spent on me,,

 

[Missourian]

not a problem,, front end work is one of my favorites,, was a ft end specialist for goodyear for a cpl yrs,, they made sure I had all the education I needed,,

firing me over a cheescake was pretty dumb of them after all the money they spent on me,,

They fired you over a cheesecake?

 

[progressive hunter]

They fired you over a cheesecake?

yep,,

they required constant classes for front end and tire guys, so they sent me for a week in a hotel for a class I didnt need,, the hotel was no where near anything of use and we only had a company van, we couldnt get anything to eat other than what he get with our vouchers in the hotel so I bought a whole cheescake and took it back to my room and put it on the voucher,,
all of us did it,, most were plates of potato skins or some other appetizer plates,,

but that cheescake pissed them off,,

 

[Missourian]

yep,,

they required constant classes for front end and tire guys, so they sent me for a week in a hotel for a class I didnt need,, the hotel was no where near anything of use and we only had a company van, we couldnt get anything to eat other than what he get with our vouchers in the hotel so I bought a whole cheescake and took it back to my room and put it on the voucher,,
all of us did it,, most were plates of potato skins or some other appetizer plates,,

but that cheescake pissed them off,,

Good grief. Some people. Sounds like you were better off getting away from them folks.

 

[progressive hunter]

Good grief. Some people. Sounds like you were better off getting away from them folks.

I do have regrets,,
goodyear takes care of their people with good retirement options and pensions,,

 

[Missourian]

I do have regrets,,
goodyear takes care of their people with good retirement options and pensions,,

Yeah... That part sucks.

 

[progressive hunter]

Yeah... That part sucks.

I think they have closed all their company owned stores and have gone to dealers for tire sales only and gotten out of full auto care centers like they used to have,,

they had 10-12 stores here in town and most if not all are closed,,

 

[Missourian]

I think they have closed all their company owned stores and have gone to dealers for tire sales only and gotten out of full auto care centers like they used to have,,

they had 10-12 stores here in town and most if not all are closed,,

There are a couple in Springfield I think...one at Battlefield Mall for sure. And a commercial tire center.

 

[progressive hunter]

There are a couple in Springfield I think...one at Battlefield Mall for sure. And a commercial tire center.

they are heavy in the commercial and truck tire market,,