• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Upper Ball Joints on 1998 2wd - must replace control arm??!!


Armatron

New Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
My upper and lower ball joints are just about completely worn out. Most of the boots are missing and they're squeeking - I squirted some chain lube in to get me through until the weekend.

I went to autozone last night and bought the upper and lower ball joints. I'm now reading that on a 98 the upper control arms MUST be replaced with the ball joints

Is that true?? The guy at autozone sold me individual ball joints.. I searched on the forums and most people complaining about it are 4wd, I wasn't able to determine if it applies to us 2wd as well.

Thanks all!
 


Armatron

New Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
I found this thread where 4x4rangerguy says that the 98+ 2wd have seperate ball joints!! Good news for me unless someone can tell me otherwise!
 

kossdust

New Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
150
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Mazda
Transmission
Manual
I think the 2wd ranger uppers do come with a control arm. I believe there is an article someplace on someone that replaced the upper without replacing the control arm but it required a hydraulic press with a lot of pressure.
 

exbass94

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
3,340
Reaction score
39
Points
48
Age
35
Location
Guilford, CT
Vehicle Year
2006, 1994
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC, 4.0 OHV
Transmission
Automatic
If the 2wd has torsion bars, the whole arm gets replaced. With coil springs just the ball joint is replaced.
 

Dshwopper10

New Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2010
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
This is actually not true. I'm glad you posted this, I read this last night when I had to do my 1998 Ford Ranger 2wd upper ball joint. I bought the upper and lower, I looked at the upper one and it looked impossible to take out. I tried for a bit didn't work so I looked it up. You don't need a hydrolic lift. You don't NEED to buy the control arm that comes with the ball joint, witch by the way costs $114 at Autozone. My ball joint costed me 29 I believe. I used my Ball Joint kit actually. I paid $50 for it awhile ago. It worked out perfectly getting it off and on.
 

Ranger Sport Honduras

Zoom Zoom
OTOTM Winner
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
15,061
Reaction score
197
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Honduras
Vehicle Year
2003
Make / Model
Mitsubishi/Ford
Engine Size
3.0/2.3
My credo
Fortune Favors the Brave
98-00 u can replace the ball joint without the A arm. 01+ u have to replace the whole thing.
thats for 2wd normal height trucks, with A arm suspension, not the ones with torsion bars.

i think u could swap the 01+ arm with some 98-00 so u can just replace the ball joint, but im not sure if it works.
 

RustRanger

New Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
2000
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
Upper Ball Joint From Control Arm

So good to see some serious information on taking the joint from the control arm. I've been looking for something like this. So tired of watching videos of people showing how to jack your truck up and take the wheel off. Non of the videos I watched even had anything about the cam bolts. Seems everyone just changes the whole thing. Thanks to the man who made the original ( http://www.cfht.hawaii.edu/~grant/ra...t/install.html ) . Thanks to Kossdust for finding it
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Members online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top