Okay, lets try this again. Power went out right when I was going to hit the submit button.
Since the weather has been so bad lately, I just took the car in to a shop to get it checked out (clunking) and get an estimate done. Found the lower ball joints bad (exactly what I thought) but went ahead with some nice estimates. $240 for replacement balljoints and $440 labor? As far as I know, these things shouldn't cost more than $50, right? That and they're much less than $400 worth of labor to do them. Hard to believe this place gets such good reviews when they have estimates like that.
So what are the good and the bad branded balljoints available/What should I go with? Easiest way to remove the things without the special tool? Or should I just find one to use?
Then there's always the rear struts and shocks they found bad...and its sure felt like they are for the last few months. Those have to wait though, since I've been stuck going paycheck to paycheck since November.
Yeahhhh that's a little steep to replace ball joints...especially when you can get brand new control arms with ball joints for a lot less than that.
I don't think the brand of ball joints matters so much, just make sure they are greasable! The sealed units (like the original Ford ones) just aren't that great.
As for replacement I don't know. When I had a ball joint go bad on my Mustang, I took it down to this local guy who works on people's cars at his house. We just left him the car and the balljoint, he pulled the control arm off the car, replaced the joint & put it all back together for like $40.
its not that hard, but you will need an alingment after more likely then not. the "special' tool is just basically a fork shapped wedge.
Oh, yeah. Alignment is fine. Sure beats paying $700 to get something weighing a pound replaced
Surprisingly, Autozone's balljoints are priced lower than other parts stores in the area (for the Rare Parts one they all seem to have). Should I go with, say, the Duralast ($35)? Just don't want to have to replace the thing again in a year.
Cost around here is about $60-75 US each for Moog. My mechanic pounds them out with a big hammer. On install he does use clamps to get them initially seated, then the air tools do the rest when they're all back together. You can do it yourself but it's not fun. Definitely shop around man, that's a major gouge job.
Do these $240 balljoints cook your dinner and wash your clothes? Jeez
A pair of
new control arms is <$200.
Les Schwab is half the price...and wanted to see the quote so they can laugh at the other place
That price you got was probably from them quoting the replacement of both the control arms. Before I got my car from my brother he had it in at Firestone and that's about what they charged for those parts and the labor. I think that may have also included an alignment as well. So While it may seem high, it's possibly not too far off.
Man you can rent the ball joint press at autozone. I've used it numerous times and it works great. I would red lx is pretty much right. but dont go with the valucraft at autozone! Get the duralast!
Yeah, the special tool is like an over sized C-clamp, I definately suggest using one as it makes the job so much easier, you jast have to remember to have a jack under the a arm so the spring doesnt pop out. Too bad you dont live in central FL. I own one of those tools, and would certainly do that job for a hell of a lot less than $440!! Even at our shop rate of $68, they were going to charge you over 6 hours!! I can do that job in less than 2, on the ground with nothing but a jack and a jack stand.
Its fine, just going to go ahead and have a place replace the control arms and bushings on both the front and rear, repack the bearings, and do an alignment for a fair $400. Some things aren't worth my time during this season, and this can't wait until nicer weather. The thunking has gotten really bad
Actually, I forgot about that...I read somewhere that Ford says you have to replace the entire control arm, you can't just replace the ball joint. Obviously that's not true...
That's probably what they quoted you.
Yeah, that is how Ford still likes to sell ball joints for some vehicles. It really sucks when the vehicle is still under warranty, and we have to do a whole control arm for one stupid bad ball joint. But then again, if we didnt have to do it that way, I wouldnt have gotten a couple of extra sets of arms, and then swapped out new aftermarket ball joints for about $75!
If old bushings are worn, then the new bushings will present a pleasant sense of tightness in steering and handling.
If you want to keep the car I highly suggest moog or TRW lifetime warrenty ball joints. They essentailly the same thing (both made by federal mogul) and last forever. The Ford sealed ones fail in about five years / 60,000mi. The really cheep autopartstore replacements can wearout within a year.
As for the shop. Many places mark up parts about 10% - 15%. Most shops charge $60 to $80 for labor, per hour. And, according to mitchell, ball joints are 1 1/2 to 2 hours per side.
To replace the ball joints you do not need the pickle fork (yes, thats what they are called) but the c-clamp to press them in is essential.
Or else you can just replace the control arms. But seized bolts may present a problem their.
Several places may be willing to do it cheeper.
I'm picking the car up in 15 minutes. Will soon see if the clunking is gone
edit:
Its still there. What the hell could it be? I heard control arms from one place, ball joints from another, ...did the entire control arms/bushings and wheel bearings, yet its still doing it. Transmission's solid (according to 2 places) and the motor doesn't really move when revving the car so I doubt its mounts. So annoying
So anyone have any other ideas?
Rarely happens more than just when giving it gas from idle when in drive or reverse (I think reverse clunks harder). It usually does it when going over bumps in the road. It does NOT do it first thing when started (after having sat), but after I've been driving it for a couple minutes it starts. U-Joints were replaced 4 months ago and the problem never went away. Obviously it isn't the balljoints, control arms/bushings, or the wheel bearings.
what all have you had done?
Is one of your springs broken?
My car makes this REALLY annoying squeaking/clunking sound from the front end, and I'm convinced it's coming from the driver's side spring because it has about half a coil broke off the bottom of it.
When you say the clunk happens going from stop to forward or even louder stop to reverse.... it makes me suspect something in the drive line. Maybe transmission mount? Manual explains how to pry up on the mount to see if it is torn. Also, the entire rear end is supported by control arms too. Ask someone to lie down next to car while you drop in to reverse, then switch places. It is (fantastic though it might be!) only a machine. Think, buttstuffyze. I have so often had the experience of going to a shop and saying what I thought was wrong and getting no argument and an excellent job of what never needed doing that I (if I succumb to a repair shop at all) realize that if I tell them what is wrong they are not pr0ne to argue with me - they have no liability either. However, get them to say what is wrong and ask them about how they intend to back up their opinion.
This is the first suspension and drivetrain work I've done to the thing. Basically thought it was the U-Joints due to how the thunking acts, so I replaced those last August or September (don't remember). Car changed but the sound/feel didn't go away. My next guess was balljoints. I let it go for a few months because it didn't seem to be getting any worse for a couple months, then something changed and it began happening more frequently and louder. During this same time period the car began to have a pretty rough ride (compared to a year or two ago). I figure(d) the struts or shocks were nearly shot.
I started working at a new job last May and the street just off the offramp is really torn up from trucks and it just seemed like it was unavoidable to have my suspension worn quicker than usual. I just took it in to a place to get it checked out for free. They're the ones with the huge costs. They said the balljoints were worn and the wheel barings needed to be repacked. A second estimate was printed out for me since supposedly the shocks are shot, but the front look fine.
Took it to another place, who quoted me half the cost and suggested replacing the whole front control arms/bushings, the rear bushings, and having the bearings repacked. I figured since the balljoints are part of the front control arms, replacing the whole arm would fix both of these places' diagnostics. Of course, the problem's still there but I no longer have to worry about the balljoints failing on the freeway or something.
I'm thinking about taking it to a third place tomorrow to see what they say, then try taking it back to the first since what they found wrong wasn't the fix.
I don't remember, but I think when I tried giving it gas while holding the brakes, it didn't clunk. Seems to only happen when the car goes into motion or is already moving. I'd really love to throw the front end up on jackstands and take a look at it myself but its raining for the THIRD WEEK STRAIGHT. Springs seem good but I'm not so sure about the front struts, even if the places do say they're fine.
To me, it really seems like it should be fixed, a mount is bad, or its a bad strut
Struts were last replaced 42,400 miles ago
You gotta jack the car up and take a really good look at the springs to see if one is broken or not. Last year I was like you, convinced that one or both of my balljoints was bad, but they didn't LOOK bad. I had the front end of the car jacked up, examining the ball joints, and that's when I noticed that way down in the pocket on the control arm, the driver's side front spring had the piece broke off it.
Yeah, but I can't do that...its winter in the Northwest. Rain until mid-late spring. Now if I had a garage to work in, thats a different story.
I'll try having them look over the springs tomorrow, but thats all I can do for awhile - rely on other people
Check the top mounts of all your shocks and struts. Is your avitar a pic of your car? If it is, then 87-88, and a couple before that I think, had those py round engine mounts that will allow your engine to rock back and forth when changing back and forth from drive to reverse. They will also allow the engine to bounce when you go over bumps.
I'm experianced with funny noises. I got no good springs on my car right now... it had some Hydro's on it when it was pimped out! But they caught on fire and left me with broken springs and struts all around. I got new shocks/struts but springs are gone. I got like 3 packs of helpers in each one! That's where my noise comes from. And plus check your exhaust hangers. I got a pipe that makes a clunk... and i use to have a popping sound from my stabilizer link kits. That was usually a sound when it turns though. And last but not least, when i put my car in gear it makes a clunk and that's cause of a broken tranny mount. Just a few more ideas i guess.
Yeah, all the ideas help. I never want to TOUCH suspension, because its so hard to pinpoint where the problem lies (such as this one). Every other part of the car, its pretty easy to know exactly what needs to be replaced.
Yeah, I have the 88 Sport which is in primer right now (thank god - otherwise getting the car fixed from the break in Sunday night/Monday morning would be a lot more difficult). 198k on the entire car now, so things are bound to be breaking, but which is it at this point.
Last August we tried rocking the engine around and it didn't budge, which is why we initially threw out the idea of engine mounts. Now that it has gotten worse, it may be worth looking at again. I'll get out there and try to see more of when it DOES happen and when it doesn't.
Had Midas look at it and actually SAW how they were testing things through the huge windows/small bay. Not sure what these other 2 places were doing to test, but Midas actually took a bar to pry at the transmission (like you're supposed to)...and the transmission mount IS bad. Engine mounts are getting there but not yet. I'll replace them all as soon as I can afford to (Emissions testing is this month so I'll soon see whether I have to blow more money on emissions-related parts). If it wasn't for vet bills and Christmas happening the last 2 months, I'd have so much spare cash :disappoin
Well the balll joints aren't hard to replace at all. No need to pull the controll arm off just use a jack to hold the arm up while you disconect the spindle. Make sure you use the C-clamp tool. You can rent them at most part stores. The springs are also a good thing to check. But from my experence most of the time the sway bar end link turns out to be the problem when I got a knocking noise. The bottom nut comes off of it and then it makes a loud knocking sound when the rest of it slaps into the A-arm. As for checking the ball joints you need to put the car up on stands then jack up the A-arm just a hair. Next grab the wheel at the top and bottom. wiggle it to see if there is any play.
Seek i had a strut lose its oil on my drivers side. That thing would make the loudest clank when you hit even the slightest bump. I replaced it and all is well.