88 Mustang 5.0 GT lower ball joint

[earmuff]

Guys this has been one of those weeks. The stang was sick. I assisted my son-in-law via phone to replace the left front wheel bearings, rotor, caliper, and spindle. Believe it or not all work done, put back together, removed jack stand and let floor jack down. My daughter gets in, car barely turned steering wheel and be da---- same wheel's ball joint broke. No joke. Wish it was a joke but unfournately a fact. One thing for certain I sure thank God it happened right in my garage. I know mustangs pretty good but am not familiar with the mustang's lower ball joint. If this ball joint is the original installed at the factory is it pressed in or rivoted in? If original did factory also spot weld the original? I would appreciate if anyone who has replaced a lower ball joint would tell me what to do step by step. I plan on leaving the control arm on and renting a ball joint press to remove/install the ball joint and ball joint separator. Are all the replacement lower ball joints the press in type?? I know on some cars you can use a bolt in type replacement type ball joint. Is it possible to buy a bolt in type ball joint for the 1988 5.0 GT? I would appreciate all help I can get on this so hope you guys with the know how will help me out. After I hopefully finish up the nighmare left/driver's side we will replace the lower ball joint on the right side after we take a break for a day or two. I really encourage all stang older model owners to check your lower ball joints. Our stangs are old and I know most are well cared for but we were very fournate ours went bad in the garage. The ball joints were just about the only thing I did not replace/rebuilt when I first bought the stang 7 years ago. It has been a very reliable stang so time I do both lower ball joints. Also does the screw portion of the ball joint press go against the threaded shank or the flat end of the ball joint?

Take care guys and I hope I get input from a few of you guys that have replaced the original factory lowere ball joints yourself so I do not beat son and myself to get this work finished up. Icon is for safety caution on important part.

Tom1

 

[jwcma]

They are strictly press fit. There's no bolt on ball joint that I know of for our cars. There are no holes in the control arm to facilitate a bolt-on affair. I'd rather buy a cheap Harbor Freight bj press than have to drill holes in the arm. Some replacement ball joints have a zerk fitting, which the factory ones do not have, so that's something you might want to get. I can't remember the brand of ball joint I used, but the boot was an extremely tight fit - in fact, I never could get it to mount and seal completely. I saw another ball joint that had the boot pre-mounted, so I recommend that style.

 

[TheUser]

sorry I can't be of more help; I haven't done much in the way of ball joints. I glanced through my Ford service manual and it doesn't look too bad. I could type out the steps, but you wouldn't have pictures. Somoene else on here might have a better way although I would assume Ford would know how to work on their cars better than the likes of Chiltons/Haynes.

:OT:
I just bought my Ford Service manual off ebay in used but really good condition for like $25 shipped - which is an extremely good deal. I would recommend buying one to anyone who does much work on the stang and wants a good manual. New ones go for around $100 I believe and I found one on ebay for $69.95 - shop around and watch ebay for a while and you can prob. find a good deal like I did.

Here's one for a 92 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1992-FORD-MUSTANG-SHOP-SERVICE-MANUAL-NICE-ORIGINAL_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ34220QQitemZ7993960619QQrdZ1, but I assume they're all mostly similar from 89-93 - I would guess the speed density portion would be one of the only major changes in the 87-88 manuals.

Good luck on your ball joint install

 

[tunedin302]

Here is the balljoint press that I used:

In that pic I am pressing the new balljoint into place. I got the press from Autozone (Part# 27023) as a rental with a $100 deposit. There are instructions on the box and it is really simple to do. The fox ball joints are NOT welded or rivited in, just make sure you grease the new balljoint and lower control arm when installing. I also grabbed a pickle fork (Part# 27020) to seperate the spindle from the balljoint. Again, Autozone rental with a $15 deposit. Make sure you get new ball joints with zerk fittings!! Good luck.

 

[HISSIN50]

Tom, I have replaced the lower ball joints. The press you mention does work (looks like a Big C-clamp with some adapter bushings). BUT:

I can see safety is a huge concern (I am putting myself in your shoes, as best I can). I would get new arms. You can get two new loaded arms for 180 bucks or so. THey will have new control arm bushings and ball joints. Money well spent if you ask me (for the very safety reason you posted about).

Had I known about the loaded arms when I did mine, I would have used them instead of doing new ball joints and poly bushings.

If not, most aftermarket ball joints are oversized a hair, since the boss that the ball joint presses into (in the control arm) tends to enlarge (hog-out, would be an appropriate description IMHO). Moog is good quality as far as I know (a few folks have reported issues with their components, but they have done fine by me, and are well regarded in general, AFAIK).

Good luck with it.

Oh yeah, most bolt-in ball joints are for cars which originally had riveted-in ball joints (grinding/drilling those rivets out is fun).

 

[txstang84]

i was lazy and paid sears $400 to do it...hindsight is always 20/20 though-i'm with HISSIN on this one, if one of the ball joints just spontaneously broke, then chances are good that there's more wear in the bushings...

Jegs and Summit both retail them I believe-amongst others-for the aforementioned $180 or so. The new ones come with the low friction joints, and fresh bushings. Well worth the cost IMO...careful with the springs though, they can pop out without warning!

 

[Mavrick]

Here is a GREAT, detailed (with pictures) article on how to replace your balljoint. It's not bad with the right c-clamp tool.

Thanks to 88POSLX, here it is..

http://members.shaw.ca/Notchmustang/Balljoint.html

 

[Aaron]

Here is a GREAT, detailed (with pictures) article on how to replace your balljoint. It's not bad with the right c-clamp tool.

Thanks to 88POSLX, here it is..

http://members.shaw.ca/Notchmustang/Balljoint.html

Yes - that is the same webpage I used when replacing mine. Excellent step by step instructions. I went to 94-95 ball joints when I did my 5 lug conversion.The instructions that came with the Autozone rental seemed backwards, but I was able to do it, and I am no master mechanic by far. I say you should just replace the ball joint. I don't think you need to replace the whole control arm. It's an individual opinion though...

 

[earmuff]

Earmuff Special Thank You

>Guys,
>
>I thank you all for all the help you gave me to help me and my son-in-law to >replace the lower ball joint in my daughter's stang. You guys sure came through >for me. Now days seems like people do not want to take time to help each >other. My son-in-law never worked on cars till he married my daughter. I am >not worlds smartest teacher but I always taught and encouraged my kids to >use their God given abilities to do all they can for themselves and friends. Well I >will not go further but I truly believe God will bless guys like you guys. You are >special, talented, caring, and make time to help others. I even noticed some of >you guys took time at odark thirty in the mornig to get help to me. I really >appreciate each of you helping me out.
>
>We have rounded up parts and tools needed to do job and soon as I finish this >we will be starting. I did find a ball joint that already has the ball joint installed. >I am an old fart and I honestly still wish all ball joints would be installed on all >cars via ribots or automotive grade bolts even more. I am not an engineer but >strength/safety and peoples lives come first before all else to me. Heaven >forbide ball joint breaking at highway speed. Well guys I need to stop. I just >wanted to thank you and not bore you guys. You guys take care. Believe me I >to help both young and old folliges like myself from cutting grass, doing electrical
>work, fix lawn mowers that do not start, etc anything I can. I will check back in >when fininshed and try to make it a short thank you and earmuff sermon.
>
>Best Regards
>
>Tom 1/ earmuff

 

[Limp Fox]

I was thinking about just replacing the front lower control arms all together with a FRPP product. There over $300 and ball joints are obviously a lot cheaper. Would you all agree and say might has well replace the control arms with stronger updated 96+ style or would I be wasting some extra coin and going with just new 96+ ball joints be just has good.

Car will be lowered on Koni Yellow SA's with H&R Race (Red spring)

Thanks

 

[Mustang5L5]

I am an old fart and I honestly still wish all ball joints would be installed on all >cars via ribots or automotive grade bolts even more. I am not an engineer but >strength/safety and peoples lives come first before all else to me.

That;s just it. The Mustang's BJ is actually a fairly safe design. For it to completely pull through the A-arm takes a LOT of force, That suggests to me that the Balljoint may have been replaced in the past and incorrectly installed deforming the metal in the a-arm, or when your son-in-law installed the spindle, something was not done correctly.

I don't mean to point fingers at the cause, but i'd be interested in seeing the point-of-failure because if it did pull through the A-arm, you NEED a new A-arm now. Have you see the failure? Do you have pics?

 

[HISSIN50]

Mike, check the dates. That guy hasn't posted in years.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Dammit

 

[Limp Fox]

I seen that my self but thought I'd add to the post instead of making a new one

 

[Mustang5L5]

You can't use SN95 a-arms in a Fox...gotta stick with Fox-specific arms

 

[HISSIN50]

I think we're lost here. SN95 arms can certainly be used on a fox. Making them work requires other parts and making sure current parts will play nicely in concert.

LF, I'd have started a new thread since this was a question specific to you and your combo (it doesn't really piggyback onto someone else's thread, like it might if you both had a no spark-condition or something along those lines).
The new thread saves people from reading all the old posts (and not realizing they were old), and gives your issue the attention it deserves.

It's tough to stomach 300 beans for arm. Swapping BJ's isn't too bad but finding good ones is tough (there seems to be some difference in the amount that they're oversized, as the hole in the LCA tends to kind of hog out). I personally feel more confident with the new arms for this reason. Just MHO.

Good luck.