how to replace lower ball joint

On 19-Nov-2003, Ariel wrote:

I,ve done more than one in the driveway, but check first on what replacement parts are available and their prices. You may find that Ford only offers a complete lower control arm, and that aftermarket makers offer the same. Individual ball joints are generally available aftermarket. If the difference in price isn't too great, get the complete control arm. The original balljoints are pressed in pretty tight (read LARGE hammer) and the new ones will probably be bolted in (requires drilling holes in lower control arm for the bolts). Although I'm not familiar with a Taurus, basic procedure is jack up car and put on jackstands, remove wheel, place jack under lower control arm next to ball joint, undo nut on top of ball joint, but leave it on by a couple of threads, separate balljoint from spindle (a picklefork will work, as will specific tools for the purpose). Now look carefully at the coil spring and determine where you need to put the jack to prevent it from coming all the way down (if it comes free it can be a bugger to get back in place) With the coil spring WELL supported finish separating the ball joint from the spindle. You now have to finish removing the lower control arm to remove the ball joint from it. This is where replacing the whole control arm makes sense if it isn't prohibitively expensive compared to the price of just a ball joint. If you don't have a press, you'll have to remove the ball joint by brute force (read VERY LARGE hammer). After putting it all back together get it aligned. You don't want to hear this, but you might as well do both sides at the same time. If one is shot, the other isn't far behind it. This is a generic description. Someone in the group may have specific info for your car.

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