Ball joints on a W250

[DieselBuzz]

Has anyone done the ball joints on one of these? What tools are involved, and roughly the cost?

Thanks

Art



PS My wife says I am consumed by this truck. I think she is overstating it. Just a hobby, right?

 

[JTeague]

Ball Joints

With the Dana 60 front axle you technically dont have ball joints. On the bottom of the spindle there is a bearing (similar to a wheel bearing) that rides in a pocket of the axle housing. This usually does not wear out. On the top there is cover with 4 bolts or studs (depending on what side). Under the cover there is a HEAVY spring, shimms, and a nylon bushing. The bushing is what wears out over time. They are easy to replace and not very expensive. You can buy just the bushings from DC for under 30 bucks. When you replace them, load them with grease before installing them in the spindle.

 

[DieselBuzz]

My mistake on the terms. Thanks for the help.

Art

 

[Matt S]

I've been down this road. Mine were so bad the truck wouldn't stay in its own lane. I was pulled over because they thought I was drunk. I usually do all my own work but this needed special tools and one of the nuts needs around 600 ft-lbs of torgue I believe. I had mine done as Duff's Brake and Spring in Medford, MA which is just north of Boston. I bought the parts (thinking I'd do it myself) but they put them on for $40 more than what the tools would have cost me AND they aligned it. I dropped it off in the morning and picked it up at the end of the day. I have had zero trouble with them since.



Depending on the parts store, I've heard them called ball joints, king pins, and trunions. Good luck, let us know how you turn out and keep grease in them.

 

[JFitzgerald]

Originally posted by DieselBuzz

PS My wife says I am consumed by this truck. I think she is overstating it. Just a hobby, right? [/B]

That's what my wife says about me and my Jeep!

 

[JTeague]

Which nut?

Hey Matt, which nut are you refering to that needs 600 ft/lbs of torque? the only one I can think of is the cone that threads into the axle housing. I did not remove it when I replaced mine.

 

[DieselBuzz]

Bring me your ball joints, your trunions and king pins

Guys,

I took a prybar and wiggled the bottom union thing on the drivers side. It had a good 1/16th of play. The inside of that tire seems to be cupped more than the passenger side. The bottom union thing had little play on the pass side. Did I think to check the top? No, Duh! for me. My guess is that it might need the bearings and bushings?? Matt, did you do the whole thing or just the bushings?? (On first reading, Duff's Brake and Spring, sounds like it came right out of the Simpsons). No, I haven't been pulled over yet, but some people looked concerned goin' by.

Thanks for the help. I may not be real smart but this web site is a major boost to my mechanical IQ. I'm grateful I don't have to teach myself all these things.

Art

 

[Matt S]

I had the whole thing done. Not just the cones. With the amount of movement in mine, cones weren't going to do it.



I believe it is the nut on the top where the steering goes into the driverside. I can't remember for sure but I'll check my service manual tonight to refresh my memory.