pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on thu 11 sep 03
Ball-Joints and not Ball Clay...
Hi Steve,
This sounds like a lot of work!
I thought a Ball-Joint was located on the Tie-Rod ends, or
on the Pitman Arm or on the end of the drag link?
Are you talking about a Steering Knuckle Velocity Joint, or
Front Wheel Universal Steering Joint, as found on Four-Wheel
Drive situations, for the front Wheels to both steer and be
under power?
Anyway...I am not familiar with the newer stuff, and all the
Ball Joints I ever knew of were permenant forged Steel
adjustable elements as were to be greased, and if one wished
to take them apart, one merely pulled a Cotter's Pin at the
end, unscrewed the concave ended plug, pulled out the 'Ball'
aspect of it's communicateing neighbor, and that was
it...really very simple and friendly.
I know they went to some other method at some point, but I
had never owned anything as had them...the ones where one
used some dort of 'Fork' to seperate them...
I feel so sorry for anyone trying to Work on so many aspects
of these new Cars and Trucks...
Yeeeeesh!
Best wishes!
Phil
Las Vegas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Slatin"
> Well, you'll almost certainly need a ball joint press.
> you may also need a set of air tools; getting the knuckles
> off usually requires more pressure than a human can bring
> on their own. You'll need some industrial-grade
jackstands,
> too.
>
> The process begins as follows:
>
> Jack up truck, insert jackstands, pull jack. The axles
have to
> Be hanging with the wheels totally 'free.'
>
> Pull hubs
>
> (if you haven't done a brake job on this vehicle, stop
here
> and quit, as if you don't you'll have a disabled vehicle
you
> can't either drive safely or completely put back together;
it
> will be at least a day before you get back to this stage
on
> re-installation, and you'll forget where everything goes)
>
> Pull brake calipers
>
> Pull rotors
>
> (study the living daylights out of these two steps if
you
> haven't done it repeatedly before, as the hazards inherent
in
> messing this up are FAR WORSE than simply having no
brakes)
>
> Pull spindles
>
> Pull axle shafts
>
> (have I mentioned this is a great time to replace other
worn
> parts, like the shafts, if they're at all worn? You
may as
> well plan on a brake job too; it's too much work not to
use
> it twice.)
>
> You have now revealed the corroded nuts on the ball joint.
With
> your air hammer, bash them until they're amenable to
coming out
> quietly.
>
> Your manuals will show that at this point you can remove
the knuckle
> easily. This is a lie. Apply various hammering and
prying techniques
> until the knuckle gives way.
>
> Now you can get to the 'C' clip on the ball joint. Remove
it. It's
> Also corroded into position, so be ready for a little
fight here as
> well. By the way, you DO have a second vehicle to go to
the NAPA
> store for extra parts that break during this process,
don't you? The
> clips don't always make it.
>
> With the ball joint press and maybe an impact driver,
press out the old
> ball joints.
>
> Now probably a full day has gone by at this stage, all
your knuckles
> are bleeding, you're half deaf from the noise of the
impact hammer, and
> your back is completely messed up from dragging on those
wrenches while
> under the truck.
>
> Go take a hot bath, and get a good night's sleep. You'll
be reversing
> the entire process in the morning and reassembling parts
of the vehicle
> most drives never even see. There are no credits for an
installation
> that leaves any parts left over, BTW. And those axle
shafts rarely
> want to go where they belong.
>
> It's one nasty job, overall. That's why they charge the
big bucks for
> it. If you plan to keep the truck for many years and you
can find a
> garage that'll give you a warranty on the ball joints that
includes
> labor
> costs, I'd say take it. Mechanics make good money for a
reason, and
> this
> is not a job to be taken lightly. If you're really
familiar with
> cars and have done major drive train work, that's one
thing. If you're
> the sort of guy who's handy but usually stops at doing an
oil change or
> maybe replacing brake pads, this is not a job you want to
undertake
> alone.
> At least get help lined up before you start.
>
> Good luck -- Steve S
Steve Slatin on thu 11 sep 03
Ball-Joints and not Ball Clay...
>Hi Steve,
>This sounds like a lot of work!
>I thought a Ball-Joint was located on the Tie-Rod ends, or
>on the Pitman Arm or on the end of the drag link?
>Are you talking about a Steering Knuckle Velocity Joint, or
>Front Wheel Universal Steering Joint, as found on Four-Wheel
>Drive situations, for the front Wheels to both steer and be
>under power?
Ouch! I assumed 4-WD on the F-150, which is not necessarily
the case -- there's lots of 2-WD F-150's out there (which are
equally useful for hauling large loads of clay, or firebricks,
or finished pottery to a vendor ).
Anyway, please disregard previous message, and all that. It
might not be that hard on the particular truck in question. I
just have terrible memories of a cold, wet weekend lying on the
ground and helping someone (Who'd done it before, and knew how!)
do it on one particular 1980-something F-150 with 4-WD.
The part itself was small and cheap, but the labor was something
else. Some people just replace the whole lower control arm,
figuring the cost isn't that much and you need to realign completely
afterwards anyway.
For what it's worth, it's easier to do on a GM, because you can
pull the shafts and just knock the joint right out and replace it
(no clips, nothing) though on a GM (at least the S-10/15 series)
the factory spec for alignment is within 1/8 inch. Hence the
'vagueness' in steering on some GM's.
Thanks for reminding me, Phil. I should think more first before
replying.
Regards -- Steve S
| |
|
