[sixxxshoooter]

How much would I be looking at for a Ball Joint repair. I think mine may be going bad. I am hearing some clicking and knocking when I turn the wheel. Mostly when backing out and pulling in. I guess extreme turns. What do you guys think. I researched the part and its only $63. But I know labor usually rapes you and then takes your first born. lol

[03_StangGuy]

Well ball joints arent that hard to replace. It could be a wheel bearing though.

[goren813]

As long as you have a Ball Joint press (auto store will loan you one, it's almost like a spring compressor) It's pretty simple, I just replaced mine recently.

[sixxxshoooter]

Ok Cool. If its a bearing, what dp you think that would cost?

[03_StangGuy]

Not sure of the price of the bearing but you can save alot by removin the housing urself and having a shop press it for you. cost me $30 last time i had it dont on my VW.

[sixxxshoooter]

OK. I will look into that. I am going to have a local mechanic take a look at it. I will let you guys know what he says. Thanks

[stephen]

On later model Mustangs neither the ball joint or front wheel bearing are replaceable by themselves. For the wheel bearing you need a new hub assembly with the bearing and for the lower ball joint it comes as part of a lower control arm. You should check parts availability before you take it apart, so you can estimate the costs.

[goren813]

Later model as in 2005+?? 99-04 comes out of the control arm with a press easily.

[stephen]

Originally Posted by goren420 Later model as in 2005+?? 99-04 comes out of the control arm with a press easily.

That's useful information. I thought you had to replace the whole control arm.

[sixxxshoooter]

Thanks fellas.

[NinetySixVert]

Just replaced mine too. Wasn't easy at all. I replaced the control arm bushings as well, so when the driver side ball joint actually broke my ball jint press, I took the control arm to Ford and had some guy knock it out for me (free). They were terrible to take out; you would almost think they were part of the control arm on my car anyways haha.

Jack up your car and try to rock/wobble your wheels side to side & up and down. If there is any play in the wheel, it's your ball joint.

[stephen]

I've never replaced a ball joint myself, but have taken the associated parts out and had a machinist replace them. I have heard that a ball joint press usually isn't strong enough.

[NinetySixVert]

Originally Posted by stephen I've never replaced a ball joint myself, but have taken the associated parts out and had a machinist replace them. I have heard that a ball joint press usually isn't strong enough.

Haha you don't even know. I used one for the passenger side, but when I used it on the driver side the threads on the actual bolt from the press started to compress instead of the ball joint moving at all. Yeah, broke the press, POS rental tools.

[goren813]

That's crazy, my friend actually had a press so I didn't have to rent one. If you take your wheel off you can tell if the Ball Joint is done, if all the rubber bushing is torn up, it won't be able to hold grease, thus the noises occuring from metal on metal. I guess some cars are easier than others, the job wasn't long nor too tedious when I did it.

[ebalderas]

hey whats up man. if your ball joint are bad that is a fairly easy repair. i just replace mine on my 98 about 4 months ago. the hardest thing to do is taking apart the suspension to where the A arm is free from everything else. You dont need to remove the springs. I only removed the brakes and spindle, and sway bar endlinks to get the A arm to move up and down by hand. Go to autozone and rent their ball joint press and use that to remove and install the new ball joints, make sure you grease them up after you install them if they are the regreaseable type. if you have any question just ask.