2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Ball joint replacement woes...

[jmeehan]

Well I bought the complete kit with tools from Quad 4x4, watched the video, and tore into the truck. I'd done lots of ford ball joints, read everything here on the TDR I could find, I'm set.

OK, the bearing won't separate from the knuckle, no problem, cut the ball joint studs and the knuckle/bearing assembly is free.

Once I pulled my head out and got the ball joint press installed properly the press worked great. I wish Dan the Gear Man had used the press they sell when they made the video.

Now I'm home free, I just need to hammer the bearing out of the knuckle so I can bolt everything back together. Hmmm, maybe a bigger hammer. Hmmm, maybe more penetrent. OK, it's time to go have a beer and research this on the good ol' TDR.

Turns into the next day, I decide I need a shop press... shoot it's Sunday, no one is open with a press. Two friends with a press, one is out of town and the other one has family in town and I can't reach him.

I spent today building a fixture to hold a hydraulic bottle jack so I could press the bearing out. I ran out of steel and time, I have never built anything like this before so it was a new design. Just need a little more strength so it won't flex.

Tomorrow I'm going to find a shop press to finish this side, then I'm going to order one for my own shop for the other side.

On the bright side, I finally got my new wire feed to run good, and it got some use today.

 

[HDarga]

Not alone

Hey, just wanted to let you know you're not alone. I got one side done (had to replace the hub though) on my truck but still have not got the hub out of the other side. I took a week or more off of working on it cause my Mom passed. I too was thinking of cutting the ball joint studs and using my press, but I don't know if I have enough steel laying around to make the fixture so I could use the press.



Yesterday I was using a slide hammer attached to a wheel puller from the outside and an air hammer with a socket welded to it on the bolts from the back side. I did get it to budge a little, so todday I'm getting a bigger slide hammer.

 

[TurboTweaker]

once you get the wheel bearing out before you put it back in don't forget to ANTI-SEIZE it then the next time you want to do brake rotors or axle seals or any time you have to pull the bearing you wont have to fight it. just yesterday i did brakes and put on new rotors and i just turned the 4 bolts out quick and give them a lil love tap and out they came less than five min into it. so thats just my heads up.



The Fat kid

 

[msperos]

If you do a search there is instructions on using a socket and extension on the hub bolts and then use the trucks power steering to press out the hubs. I second tweaker use lots of anti-seize on both the hub and the ball joints. I changed my uppers again and just drove the ball joints right out with an air hammer. About 1-1/2 hours a side.

 

[jmeehan]

I found a shop with a press that could do it right away for me, $35, a 100 ton press and a torch are all it took. I'll be back on the road in a couple hours.

The old man running the press was making me nervous though, he kept wanting to press the bearing apart.



It's definitely getting antiseazed when it gets reassembled. I would have tried the steering trick but I was working alone. When I do the other side I'll have a new press in the corner, an oxy/acetylene rig and a helper behind the wheel.