Lower Ball joint question. April 23, 2010, 11:20:33 PM I have an 87 mercury cougar 5.0.... Can the ball joints be replaced, with out replacing the whole lower a-arm? I have one book that says no... and one book say only on certain year models.... Which is it? Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #1 – April 24, 2010, 01:36:33 AM Quote from: odie12372;319456I have an 87 mercury cougar 5.0.... Can the ball joints be replaced, with out replacing the whole lower a-arm? I have one book that says no... and one book say only on certain year models.... Which is it?Yes, they can be replaced w/o changing control arms.I'd find some better books..You *MAY* have to take said control arm off, bot sure as hell it wont need replacing...just depends on your skill, and whether you can get a ball joint tool or not...cough cough O'reilly's coughcough Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #2 – April 24, 2010, 12:37:38 PM Actually, I went to autozone and rented their ball joint press, and, at least for my 83, the C-clamp they provide(Basically what it is) was not large enough to fit over the ball joint and the receiver cup. Now, maybe I was a little brain dead at that point, but I stuck it in a hydraulic press using the supplied receiver cup to get it out. (I already had the arms off the car though). Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #3 – April 24, 2010, 12:50:05 PM Another vote for the cough cough OReilly's cough cough tool. Oh, and they have good ball joints too.Darren Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #4 – April 24, 2010, 05:44:07 PM Haynes said they couldn't be replaced.... Chiltons said certain model couldn't be replaced...Anyways thanks Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #5 – April 24, 2010, 10:54:02 PM You can pop em out. Just make sure you get MOOG ball joints. Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #6 – April 25, 2010, 12:10:59 AM I replaced mine with no issues at all. Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #7 – April 25, 2010, 09:59:22 AM I know the uppers in the MN12 'birds can't be replaced, and I don't think you can replace the lowers in the SVO Mustangs, maybe that's why they had it written the way they did. I don't know about MN12 lowers...Any way, Fox 'bird lowers are replaceable with no problem as far as I know.Shiny Side Up!Bill Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #8 – May 04, 2010, 05:53:46 PM Thanks guys... Gottem done... had to rent the tool from autozone.. But got it done.. Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #9 – May 04, 2010, 07:51:44 PM I rented the tool from Autozone and got 'em out OK, but the tool keeps trying to install them pen 15eyed. I'm trying to install their standard ball joint, not the Moogs. Its the standard C type of installer and has all the correct sized rings.Any thoughts? Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #10 – May 04, 2010, 08:45:17 PM I used a hammer and a whole lot of cursing-took me about 2 hours to do both of them. Def get the moog ball joints if you can. Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #11 – May 04, 2010, 09:25:03 PM well I thought that too.. so I kept taking them back out..... but, when I got to looking at the a-arm... the lip the ball joint rests against isn't level... once I seen that... I installed them and they seem fine... Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #12 – May 04, 2010, 10:48:58 PM Quote from: odie12372;320700well I thought that too.. so I kept taking them back out..... but, when I got to looking at the a-arm... the lip the ball joint rests against isn't level... once I seen that... I installed them and they seem fine...You mean you just kept installing them even though it looked pen 15eyed? Maybe I should just put the impact gun on it.What's the diff in ball joints? both should be tight, right? Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #13 – May 05, 2010, 07:41:32 AM Quote from: xjeffs;320687I rented the tool from Autozone and got 'em out OK, but the tool keeps trying to install them pen 15eyed. I'm trying to install their standard ball joint, not the Moogs. Its the standard C type of installer and has all the correct sized rings.Any thoughts?You may have a burr on the ball joint or in the arm. Dress both with a file to ensure they are clean and free of burrs, then try again.Shiny Side Up!Bill Quote Selected
Lower Ball joint question. Reply #14 – May 05, 2010, 09:35:04 PM Quote from: ProTouring442;320760You may have a burr on the ball joint or in the arm. Dress both with a file to ensure they are clean and free of burrs, then try again.Shiny Side Up!BillI've done a little of that on the arm. I do recall it hitting in two spots more than all the way around. I'll try that approach. Good idea Quote Selected
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