If I am correct when the ball joints are bad or getting there the front end tends to feel loose and make shimmy at times, you could hear some clunking when turning etc. To check if your front end is in good shape you usally jack up the front and grab the wheel and see if there is any play in it.

 

There definitely will be some looseness in the front end when the joints are worn. I noticed the change immediately once they were replaced. I had taken the truck to the dealership to get an inspection for license renewal and it needed the joints replaced to pass.

 

You say you noticed a difference right away, which makes sense but did you notice it was bad, or did it just seem like as time went by it was hard to notice?

 

Mine went out around 48,000. The truck was pulling to the left and it felt like it was a little loose. I really didn't notice mine until I drove my moms truck (also a 97) what a world of difference. Did anyone else have to have their pitman arm replace also?

 

The front end had felt somewhat loose for a while; really can't give you a time frame. I just thought it was in need of an alignment and intended to get that done this summer. Still want to do that too before too long.

 

Thanks for the info. The reason I asked is because at 30,000 miles I had my power steering fluid flushed and new fluid with a BG conditioner (suppose to help the seals). Anyway I thought the steering felt great, very responsive, it only had 30,000 miles on it.

I tell you what it was a HUGE difference when I picked it up from the dealer, the steering felt completely different. More responsive and more smooth.

 

Still running the original ball joints at almost 104K, but I am sure they are worn. I will be installing a lift in a few months, new tires, new shocks... etc., etc. and now that I see this tread I think that I will be changing those at the moment.

 

Yes, there is vertical movement when you have the tire off and you push down on the rotor, you will get separation between the knuckle and the lower control arm.

It is an easy job if you have a ball peen hammer and about a 3 pound sledge.

It goes as follows....

Tools----Impact wrench, two jacks (or stack of bricks to put under lower control arm see below), larger size ball peen hammer, 2 pound sledge, AXLE NUT SOCKET!, BALL JOINT PRESS KIT. These are both offered free at Murrays, Auto zone.
I wont include jacking procedure
1. remove wheel.
2. remove brake and rotor and thin metal shield
3. remove bolt to upper control arm (upper ball joint)
4. JUST BANG ON THE knuckle with sledge to get it off the pressure fit bolt shaft.
5. TAKE OFF axle nut and pull CV HALF SHAFT out of the way.
6. REMOVE lower ball joint castle nut and BEAT knuckle free.
7. Now you have access to the lower ball joint safely.
8. Support the lower arm with something to support some pounding.
8a. Remove the C clip that is around the ball joint.
9. Using BALL PEEN HAMMER as a go between, hold the ball side of the hammer on the LOWER BALL JOINT and hit the flat side of the hammer with the sledge.
10. HIT IT HARD, HIT IT HARDER, HIT IT HARDERER, have a friend hit it harder. You are trying to beat the ball joint out of its extremely tight fit, but make sure you are hitting it the right way, should be obvious. THe ball joint will get a dent in the top from your pounding, but keep on hitting. When the sucker moves for the first time have a big round of applause and take a break, get dinner and beer because you have the new ball joint in the freezer so it shrinks a little so you can press the new one in right?
11. FINISH beating it out.
12. Figure out how to use your ball joint press.
13. Take new ball joint out of freezer and run, put it in and it goes in with several hard turns and about 15 seconds.

Put everything back together.

PS. Check your tie rods by placing the wheels on the ground and cranking the steering wheel left and right. If you see the tie rod ends "jump" they are bad. Extremely easy to do if you have a torch.

p.s. The ball joint is like 32$
Tie rod end is like 30$
Upper control arm is like 30$
Idler arm is like 52$
CV joint is 90$

 

Sean Romo, thank you very much for your time.

 

No problem, I hope it helps everyone.

I was quoted 400$ to do the idler arm and the ball joint. I ended up doing the Idler arm, ball joint, tie rod, CV joint and upper control arm myself for around 250$. I figure I saved 800$.

I did the upper arm because I had everything apart, the tie rod because I discovered it to be bad (see previous note on how to check) and the CV joint because I didnt have any clue when I started and damaged the boot. After many attempts at trying to get the outer joint off the shaft to put on a new 12$ boot, I found a new shaft was only 90$ and just replaced the whole thing. I recommend the same for anyone who doesnt know that only the inside joint can be banged off ha ha, the instructions dont tell you that. Plus once the joint comes off, bearings go everywhere and the grease is just too much to deal with.


Good luck guys, let me know if you have questions or comments

 

The dealer replaced a Pitman arm at around 25,000mi while trying to find an annoying squeak I was complaining about. I didn't notice any difference.

 

i drilled all my tie rods and ball joints out and tapped grease fittings in them but the stock ford idler arm is a peice of crap the ford dealer changed 3 under warrenty so i got a moog one and it stays tight it is a lot better part much stronger i dont know what the ford factory is thinking when you dont put grease fittings on a truck

 

Getting new balljoints replaced on my 2001 SCrew 4x4 tomorrow (100,000 kms/60,000 mi). Not sure if that's normal or not? Fortunately, covered under my extended warranty (which expires in about 800kms/500mi).

Have you replaced your original rubber on your SCrew? What did you get? Happy with new tires?

Cheers

 

I had to replace one on mine at 80k miles and I do a lot of bumpy roads in michigan, and off road twice or more a year. Same with the tie rod and idler (but the idler arm was probably gone a lot earlier)

Tires have done me well, if it werent for flat tires I probably would just be getting new ones around 70-80k miles. (goodyear 17" stock rts')

 

Thanks to everyone (in this thread and others which I posted re: ball joints). Picked up me Chariot this afternoon. Not only did they replace the ball joints but both inner tie rods - - ALL UNDER WARRANTY - - my cost only $57.50 (C$ or about $20 US - - or thereabouts). I'm a happy camper. Steering feels tight now!!

What's important to me is that I didn't ask for this to be done. I had taken my SCrew in for new air and fuel filters; fuel injector cleaning; new plugs (Platinum); and regular oil change and it was the shop mechanic who told the service rep (one of my former students) that I needed the work done on the front end.

So, here's to the continuing good service I've gotten since I bought my SCrew through Al Slattery Ford in Welland, ONTARIO CANADA