'97 Taurus GL 147k: Suspension Q's

[Colt Hero]

Looks like I have a bad ball joint on the lower control arm/knuckle on my passenger side. While hoisted, I can actually yank the wheel in and out about 3/4" while lying on the ground!

Ford manual says " Lower ball joint and ball joint seal are not replaceable. If damaged, the front wheel knuckle (3K185) must be replaced".

However, AutoZone and Advanced both stock replacement ball joints. Is it possible to separate the ball joint from the knuckle, avoiding knuckle replacement? It seems ridiculous to replace the entire knuckle for just this little joint! Also, I know I've been driving on this bad ball joint for a while. The car would make a "clunk" noise every time I drove over a slightly uneven surface - like the soft curb at the lip of my driveway, for example, or a bump in the road. But it drove OK otherwise, and the tires only wore slightly unevenly on the inner edges. Not too bad. Is it possible that any of the other components now need replacement? They all LOOK OK - except for the rubber dust covers which all seem to be dried out and cracked everywhere I look (except for the tie rod on the other side).

[shorod]

It is possible to replace just the ball joint if you've found one. The ball joint is held in to the knuckle with a snap ring. You'll probably also need a ball joint press to get the old ond one out and the new one in.

Once you get the worn ball joint replaced, you really should get an alignment just to be sure. If you still have the noise, look into worn anti-sway bar end links and subframe bushings.

-Rod

[Colt Hero]

shorod,

Thanks for your reply. You're the first person to respond to my post with direct answer regarding removal of the ball joint from the knuckle. So I'll have to get a hold of a ball joint separator (to separate the ball joint from the control arm), and a ball joint press to remove the old joint from, and install the new joint into, the knuckle. Is that correct?

Now, here's the next question: can this joint be replaced without completely detaching the knuckle? Because if it cannot, that changes everything. I might want to replace everything if I have to disconnect everything because, as I said, all the rubber dust covers are cracked with joints exposed (presumably), and every component is original (since I bought the car new in '98). Maybe this is really why Ford says install a new knuckle with pre-installed joint: they know everything has to be pulled apart anyway.

Brake rotors/discs are original also. Can I trust AutoZone for replacement discs. I see a lot of people complaining about new warped rotors...

As far as still having the noise afterwards, I guess it's possible but I really think this is the problem. I can actually create the "clunk" manually by moving the wheel while lying on the ground - and I can see the joint making the "clunk". There IS, however, a fair amount of carriage-like creaking noise from the front suspension that has existed now for several years. My Colt developed the same "problem". I attribute this to worn out bushings, or dried out components. Could be coming from the struts, too, I suppose. Maybe if I replace the tie rod, stabilizer link, and ball joint, some of this noise will go away. I don't know if I want to get into pulling out the stabilizer bar. But then again, I probably will end up disconnecting it and the bushings it passes through could be creating some of the noise...

[TaurusKing]

As far as the disc rotors. both my 94 and 99 have the cheap Autozone Valuecraft rotors front and rear, so far no problems. Been over a year on each.

[tripletdaddy]

I own and am familiar with my 95 taurus and some prior years and I gather that the front suspension has some if not all of the same components. If yours has its lower ball joint as part of a lower control arm, then Ford is correct that the ball joint alone cannot be replaced alone but as an entire unit and is no big deal to replace. However, I will defer to the expertise and the owner of the 97, Sir Shorod. Either way, you will only be able to answer your questions yourself once you get into things. I would not be surprised as Shorod said that your stabilizer bar link is worn in its ball joints, also a relatively simple repair. If you need to you can go on the cheap, doing one part at a time and testing things for sounds and play, but when you take it in for an alignment, they will point out a bad tie rod component and won't finish the alignment until all worn parts are repaired. At that point they kind of got you. Because of the amount of excessive play you have( you're lucky that thing didn't jump out hitting a monster pot hole?!) it probably would be pointless to wobble the tire to check for tie rod play until it's fixed. Your choice, but I'd wait until you have everything else fixed first with the ball joint and whatever else, put the tire back on and then try wobbling it in and out left to right gabbing the tire like you did top to bottom to feel the play in your ball joint. If you have play, then you will need a helper to either work the tire or check for the play on the inner or outer tie rod end. It can be really hard to detect, but those laser, digital alignment machines can detect it. Also make sure your steering wheel is locked and the other tire isn't off the ground so it won't move. Ford makes their ball joints without grease fittings, so after time they can make an awful creaking squeaking noise. Maybe all of that will go away when you replace everything else but the rubber bushings. Good luck! Hope I was of wome help.

[cufarley]

I have replaced the ball joints on my '97 Taurus wagon, so I assure you they are replaceable. But you might want to learn from my mistake. First, make sure to use high quality ball joints, and not some el cheapo ones.

Second, I thought I was being very clever by using the ones with the grease fittings (the originals do not have grease fittings). But it was pointed out to me that I'd have a hell of a time using them. The clearance is minimal, at best, between the ball joint and the hub/axle. I didn't use a right angle fitting, so greasing them is impossible. I would advise to buy the Motorcraft or suitable high quality replacement without fittings.

[shorod]

I believe you'll have to take, at a minimum, the halfshaft out of the hub in order to replace the ball joints. Cufarley, any clarification on this? When I needed new ball joints on my '98 SHO, I went the route of entire new front hub/knuckles.

If you go the route of a new knuckle with the ball joint already installed, you'll also get new wheel bearings and hubs. You'll probably need to transfer over the brake rotor heat shield. I'd suggest you start with the ball joint and see if your other noise goes away. If not, other than removing the wheel, you're not looking at much duplicate labor to later replace the sway bar end link.

-Rod

[cufarley]

To answer your question, I don't think you can remove the ball joints with the axle still in. There is just no room.

I dissasembled my entire suspension. I replaced the struts, hubs, ball joints, and sway bar links. If the struts are marginal, it is just easier to do it when the whole thing is apart. Strut replacement at a shop is expensive and after you've done this once, you'll know why.

This is what I did. This is from memory, so I may not have the steps in exact order.

After jacking up the vehicle, removing the tire, brake caliber, and brake rotor:

1. Remove the axle nut and washer (throw away and use a new one)
2. Use a pickle fork and a 3 lb hammer to seperate the ball joint from the control arm.
3. Use a three jaw puller to press the axle out of the hub. Support the axle with wire and not let it drop. I don't think the axle will press completely out of the hub with the ball joint still in the control arm.
4. Pickle fork on the outer tie rod and steering knuckle.
5. Loosen the strut binder bolt from the steering knuckle.

The steering knuckle should be free and clear now. The hub and ball joints will still be attatched. Then I removed the bolts securing the hub, removed the hub and took the whole knuckle to a shop to have them remove and press in new ball joints. At this point you could change the struts, tie rod ends, sway bar links.

I didn't have the ball joint C-press tool and the OTC 8032 taurus ball joint adapter tool.

[Colt Hero]

TaurusKing:

Thanks for the Autozone OK on the brake rotors. Wonder if I can buy their ball joint. It's a Duralast for $42, which is mid-priced. Moog replacement runs around $70.

Tripletdaddy:

The ball joint is integral to the knuckle on my '97. Apparently it was pressed into the control arm on earlier models.

Cufarley:

Hadn't thought about fittings, but it sounds like it wouldn't have worked anyway. Thanks for that insight. Also, thanks for the procedure.

Shorod:

Hadn't considered what I'd get with a new knuckle from Ford. They gave me a price of almost $400, which made me quickly discount it, but if it comes with additional parts, maybe it's worth it.

------
I guess I'm leaning toward replacing everything in sight (now). The car has 147k, was bought new, and is in very good shape. I'd like to see it go as far as my favorite car ('89 Colt) so that my American vs. Japanese experiment will be complete and I'll be able to say that American is just as good as Japanese. So if the intent is to drive it another 100k, might as well replace everything right now ...

[shorod]

I picked up both OEM front knuckles, new, off of eBay for my '98 SHO for $110. That was a few years ago, so I don't know if they're still available for that price. These came with new hubs, new wheel bearings, new ball joints, and the knuckle. They didn't have the dust shield, I had to drill the rivets and transfer the old one to the new knuckle.

-Rod

[Colt Hero]

Shorod,

Wow - that's a good deal!!! No, make that an amazing deal! $55 per??? How could that whole assembly sell for $55?? That barely covers the cost of the ball joint alone!!! Must've been stolen. I remember seeing a 60minutes piece last year about stolen items for sale on Ebay. The CEO admitted that stolen items were being sold on Ebay and that they were in the midst of trying to shutdown these people. Wonder how much success they had - or how hard they tried considering they stood to profit themselves from the sale of stolen items...

I'll take a look, but I can never seem to find anything on Ebay when I really need it...

[shorod]

I have the following bookmarked in my eBay account as a source for "SHO and Maxima ball joints." However, I don't see in my feedback where I've left feedback for them, so they may just be an alternate source that I stumbled across. The bookmark was dated back in 2004, my memory won't let me recall my thinking at the time.

http://search.stores.ebay.com/Arm-Ca...067246QQsofpZ0

-Rod

[cufarley]

Colt Hero: The MOOG ball joints are $39.79 from rockauto.com

I changed by ball joints, control arms, struts, and tie rod ends this weekend. I had forgotten what a horrible job it is, but I can recommend some short cuts, if you don't mind being abusive to your tools (like me).

Special tools needed:

30mm impact socket,
long (2 ft) 1/2 socket breaker bar,
hub removal kit (Checker Auto rental, kit #4),
a decent tie rod seperater (pickle fork),
1 1/4 SAE socket, 1 3/8 SAE might also be useful,
three pound hammer,
one oven (yes, oven) and one freezer,
15mm impact socket (optional)

Checker will rent all the tools above. I believe the 30mm socket is a "axle removal kit". The pickle fork is $11 to buy, but they also rent. The hub removal kit is pretty much required. I broke my three jaw puller.

Tips:
1. Remove the axle nut with the 30mm socket and 2 ft. breaker bar. I used a jack stand under a lug w/ nut to minimize pressure on the transaxle.

2. When pressing out the axle, attach the hub puller tool loosely with lug nuts (about a 1/4 inch gap), and tighten the screw. When the tool is tight, tap on the screw. Repeat. If you try to force it, you will strip out the tool. Also, make sure the rental isn't already stripped out when picking up from the store.

3. Get the pickle fork size with just less than an inch clearance between the tines. The tines will bind on the shaft of the ball joint and allow you to twist them, freeing them much easier. Bigger is not better. Don't use a Harbor Freight fork (I broke two). This method will probably ruin the joint shaft, but you are replacing it anyway.

4. Unscrew the three bolts securing the hub, but leave them in a few turns. Use the 15mm impact socket as a hammering point to tap the hub out (only if the hub is froze in the knuckle).

5. When you have the bare knuckle with ball joint still installed. Flip the knuckle and set the top (the strut binder hole) on a block of wood taller than the brake shield. This is to protect the brake shield from bending. The shaft of the ball joint should be pointing up, towards you. You should have removed the cir-clip already. Place your foot on the knuckle. Use the 30mm impact socket and the 3lb hammer to hammer the joint flush with the knuckle. Take care not to damage the knuckle. Use the 1 1/4 SAE socket to finish the removal.

6. Put the bare knuckle in a pre-heated 400 degree oven. Cleaning it first is optional depending on marital status (my wife was gone for the day, so cleaning was superficial). Bake for 1/2 - 1 hour. You should have put the ball joints in the freezer a couple hours ago. The new ball joint shafts should be pointing straight. It will be a lot harder to realign them cold.

7. Wearing gloves (and it will be hot!) remove the knuckle, grab the ball joint, and insert. It should drop pretty much in. Take care not to melt the boot (hence the stright angle of the shaft). Put a socket (maybe the 1 1/4 SAE, depends what works best) on the breaker bar insert through the strut hole and tap on the end of the bar. When it is flush you are done. Attach cir-clip.

The oven trick is compliments of www.v8sho.com. You can check out their maintenance page. I have no idea what happens when you put the knuckle in the oven with the ball joint installed. I do know grease smokes, so I shudder to think what your kitchen smells like after that fun. The bare knuckle is pretty clean, but it will stink some.

Good luck!