After much research, I decided on the Belltech lowering kit, for my '01 Supercrew. The instructions that came with the kit are very detailed and understandable,...but only address the rear. The person that I have asked to assist me in installing the kit,...although very qualified and handy, seemed to take a very negative position, as far as degree of difficulty and potential problem, in the removing/replacement of front springs/shocks.

Simply said,...he said we had to "SPLIT", the lower ball joint, to release pressure on the spring,..and usually when "SPLITTING" the ball joint, the rubber boot is damaged,..and potentionally, the entire ball joint could be damaged,...and everyone knows what that means.

I would love to hear from those great f150'ers, with experience,..and would appreciate it if you could write me at my private email,...since I don't go online at f150 that often.

Please share your know-how at.....bobcan@sbcglobal.net

It would be sooo appreciated !!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,....and "KEEP IT BETWEEN THE LINES"

 

you dont need to pull the ball joints out to replace springs.

This thread i started talked about what steps i did to avoid having to remove the ball joints, which is near impossible without high dollar tools, since the ball joints are press fitted into the control arm
-Patrick

 

What he means by split is with a fork and that seperates the control arm from the spindle which is where the ball joint is located and yes, if you use a fork to do this it will destroy the ball joint boot which holds the grease. How we do all coil springs here with this design is first off try to just hit it the lower control arm near the ball joint with a hammer and see if it'll pop which it probably won't. If this doesn't work then the way we do about 90% of them is get 2 guys with one holding a solid bar about 3 ft long with one end on the lower control arm by the ball joint and have the other guy hit the other side of the bar with a sledge hammer and it will pop. You may have to hit it a few times but it will come. Can't remember on the F150 if it's necessary to take the upper one out as well but it's basically the same process. Since you have lowering coils you shouldn't need to compress it to get the new ones back in. Just make sure whoever uses the sledge doesn't miss because this could get very painful to the one holding the bar (luckily no one here has ever missed)

 

for a typical garage DIYer its so much easier to un bolt the two LCA bolts and let everything just fall out of place, once the spring is decompressed, via the shock threads. It is a little bit of work to get them to go back in. But its so much easier then playing with the ball joints

 

I've always loosened the castle nut a bit, then give it a good whack with a hammer. Typically pops the joint out of the spindle without letting it pop out all together.

-Joe