Ball Joints Can I Do It Myself Or Do I Need Special Tools

[chuckles_kingranch]

I was wondering how to change ball joints on my 04 f250 king ranch and about how big of a job it is on a scale of 1-10 thanks guys

[Marty]

8 for home mechanic, with typical tools found at home.

If you've done stuff like this before and have a shop with all needed tools it's about a 2. I consider it gravy work now...

[chuckles_kingranch]

is there anyone on here that has made a post that walks you through the process

[Marty]

Yeah I'm sure there is one...

Basically you take the wheel off. Remove caliper/hang it, take rotor off, remove hub, remove snap ring, remove 3 washers, remove hub bearing assembly, pry axle out, remove bottom ball joint nut, loosen top ball joint nut but leave on w/ 2 threads, douse w/ PB Blaster, use huge pickle fork to seperate knuckle from axle, when it finally drops take the top ball joint nut off, put knuckle in a vise, remove snap ring(s), spray w/ PB blaster, use a peice of steel stock and a BFH to pound out the ball joints.

Use a ball joint tool to put the new ball joints in (use some PB Blaster and emory cloth to clean ball joint bore and a light coating of grease helps), then reverse order.


You should replace the yellow O ring on the back of the Hub Bearing assembly as well as the knuckle seal. It requires a special driver to put it on so just take that to your ford dealer unless you want to fab up an installation driver.

[madscientist]

i found this
Ball Joint Replacement Write-Up For Ford F250 F350 Super Duty

[Marty]

That's a VERY good writeup, nice find.

[chuckles_kingranch]

thanks for the help much appreciated

[madscientist]

Send me a PM with how it goes, i never did mine yet. but have done king-pins on trucks before

[chuckles_kingranch]

will do for sure!!! so the link that you posted on here that should be all the same on an 04 f250?

[madscientist]

should be, it all looks the same.