Ball Joints And Control Arms

[90lxwhite]

Hey fellas I was wondering since my 95 is needing ball joints would be be cost effective to just replace the control arms since the come w ball joints or should I just do the ball joints? I'm not sure if Im gonna have a shop do the labor or myself but prob a shop since I'd just be using hand tools. SO if I end up taking it to a shop would I be saving much money but just doing ball joints??

 

[95Vert383AOD]

Unless you want to drop weight there is nothing wrong with the Arms. What i did was Installed urethane bushings and a Moog ball joint.

 

[90lxwhite]

Thanks man. Yeah I was just wondering if there would be any advantage in installing new arms instead of just ball joints if I had a shop do the work. Seems like Moog balls are running about $70 a piece, so thats around $140 for parts, but I see that a set of arms would be around $400 for parts. Do you think it'd be about a 2 hr job to have the shop do just the balls, so if labor (just a guess $60 an hr) then it be a like $260 total investment. I guess what Im getting at just going the long way about saying it is, how many hours labor do you think for arms and how many hrs labor would you guess for just balls? If to do balls is gonna be a $500 job then maybe worth it to get arms

 

[95Vert383AOD]

Go on Rockauto.com Save some $$$ Besides do the replacement arms have urethane or just reg bushings?? Rock auto has the moog ones for $38.99 each. Maximum Motorsports has all 4 urethane control arm bushings for $59.99 So you are looking at $150-160 shipped for everything. Then you just need to have it installed.

Stock replacement arms don't usually have greasable ball joints. If you hold a moog next to most other brands you can physically see how they are superior. The urethane will mean less movement of the control arms against the frame which will improve handling. Its cheaper to rebuild the arm and get a better than stock result.

Ball joints press in and out just like the bushings. Most of the labor charge will be removing the arm in the first place. This is what i did on my mustang. Just make sure they grease the new ball joints like they're supposed to.

 

[revhead347]

I don't trust it when a control arm cost almost the same as fixing up your original ones. There is so much stuff coming out of China these days, it's not worth the risk. You will never get an aftermarket part as good as the original. I think the safer choice is to press new bushings and ball joints into the originals.

Kurt

 

[turbogt]

Buy 03 Cobra Control Arms.. I don't know how no one has mentioned this yet.. Installing my X2 Balljoints was the MOST MISERABLE thing I've ever done on my car

 

[95Vert383AOD]

Buy 03 Cobra Control Arms.. I don't know how no one has mentioned this yet.. Installing my X2 Balljoints was the MOST MISERABLE thing I've ever done on my car

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com...gle-shopping&gclid=CJDW2tuL07ICFWHZQgodolMASw

^^Not worth it in my opinion. Only real benefit over stock is a slightly improved steering radius. (10%) The most important parts of the arm (Bushings and Ball joint) are OEM grade. No Urethane bushings? No greasable larger ball joint?

But if you do spend $460 on those arms then take one to your local parts store and ask them to grab a "Moog" ball joint for your car to compare to the one pre-installed on the arm. I bet you'll return those OEM cobra arms when you physically see what i'm talking about.

 

[90lxwhite]

yeah I think Im gonna go the rockauto route. Thanks for the help boys

 

[psychorugby]

Here's what I did:

'03 Cobra control arms off eBay for $35 shipped, paid $60 to have the bushings and ball joints pressed out (pretty sure I got take here but whatever)
MOOG ball joints for $110 at Advance Auto Parts (came with $25 coupon that I used on tie rods so I didn't get too taken)
Prothane bushings for $40

Total after I get the ball joints pressed back in and the control arms powdercoated will be around $275 and it's not aftermarket Chinese stuff.

 

[95Vert383AOD]

Here's what I did:

'03 Cobra control arms off eBay for $35 shipped, paid $60 to have the bushings and ball joints pressed out (pretty sure I got take here but whatever)
MOOG ball joints for $110 at Advance Auto Parts (came with $25 coupon that I used on tie rods so I didn't get too taken)
Prothane bushings for $40

Total after I get the ball joints pressed back in and the control arms powdercoated will be around $275 and it's not aftermarket Chinese stuff.

Thats not bad either if you want the better designed arm with the 10% better steering radius. Benefit of doing it this way is that you can have everything assembled and good to go without disabling your car. After everything is pressed in you could do this in your driveway almost.

 

[psychorugby]

Thats not bad either if you want the better designed arm with the 10% better steering radius. Benefit of doing it this way is that you can have everything assembled and good to go without disabling your car. After everything is pressed in you could do this in your driveway almost.

That's the plan. I have a full suspension sitting in my garage waiting for the car to start so I can move it into the garage.

 

[turbogt]

http://www.latemodelrestoration.com...gle-shopping&gclid=CJDW2tuL07ICFWHZQgodolMASw

^^Not worth it in my opinion. Only real benefit over stock is a slightly improved steering radius. (10%) The most important parts of the arm (Bushings and Ball joint) are OEM grade. No Urethane bushings? No greasable larger ball joint?

But if you do spend $460 on those arms then take one to your local parts store and ask them to grab a "Moog" ball joint for your car to compare to the one pre-installed on the arm. I bet you'll return those OEM cobra arms when you physically see what i'm talking about.

No one in their right mind would pay that sort of money for them. There are lots of good deals on 03's out there.

 

[95Vert383AOD]

If its not a Daily driver and you're just itching to see new looking stuff under your car you can always send yours or even the new used ones out to be powder coated before pressing the new bushings and ball joint in. My rusty A arms add character

 

[90lxwhite]

Unless you want to drop weight there is nothing wrong with the Arms. What i did was Installed urethane bushings and a Moog ball joint.

Hey man I just talked to a shop and they gave me an estimate of $632 just to replace the bushings in the control arms, I think I told em lower control arms but I'm not sure, (on phone) are these upper or lower http://www.latemodelrestoration.com...ld-Steel-Tubular-Control-Arms-With-Spring-Cup Another questions I have is which ball joints are most likely to wear up, upper or lower. The more I read on front suspension the more confused I get

 

[95Vert383AOD]

On a 90 Mustang there is only a lower arm. Their price is insane. Find another shop or take them off at home and bring them somewhere to press the new stuff in.

 

[50 Proof]

For 632 dollars he better give you a tube of vasoline too. Or you can go to harbor freight and buy your own press for a fraction of the cost.

All 1979-2004 mustang have only a lower a arm. Pressing out the old bushings and pressing in new ones isn't difficult. Shouldn't cost you more than $60 at a shop.

 

[90lxwhite]

For 632 dollars he better give you a tube of vasoline too. Or you can go to harbor freight and buy your own press for a fraction of the cost.

All 1979-2004 mustang have only a lower a arm. Pressing out the old bushings and pressing in new ones isn't difficult. Shouldn't cost you more than $60 at a shop.

$60 if I already have the arms off and bring them to be pressed?

 

[50 Proof]

That's about what I paid to have mine done.

 

[psychorugby]

$60 if I already have the arms off and bring them to be pressed?

That's exactly what I paid to have mine done. $10 per bushing and ball joint.

 

[ChuckStyles]

Yes, $60 seems right