Ball joints on 2000 off road 4x4

[jim eb]

I have a 2000 Ford Ranger off road 4x4. It came out sitting a little higher, with Ford factory 16" aluminum wheels , the brakes are a little bigger than most . I need to replace ball joints after hitting a pothole. Mine has a rebuilt title so i can't be sure the cab is original to the truck. Was going to buy the the whole control arm with the upper ball joint pressed in then and the lower ball joint. My question is will a regular 4x4 control arm parts fit the truck or will it be like brakes and returning parts ? Somewhere i read there were different sizes in ball joints in the 2000 model. Thank guys, I fixed my post and appreciate your help. Have done many things to restore this old truck from clutch to license plate lights. Now to order the parts and watch the ball joint replacment video again.

 

[sgtsandman]

I'm a bit confused on what you envision you are doing. The torsion bar has nothing to do with the ball joints. and is installed in the lower control arms, not the upper control arms.

The upper ball joints are usually not replaceable by them selves. So the whole upper control arm needs to be changed.

The lower ball joints are replaceable separate from the control arm.

As far as what fits, 1998 and up parts are all the same when it comes to the suspension on a 4X4.

 

[gw33gp]

I think he is calling the upper control arm a torsion bar.

I recommend replacing the lower control arm with the ball joint already pressed in. I replaced just the ball joint and found out it is difficult to do. I had to make a special tools for pressing in and out. It is hard to get it straight in there too. If I ever do it again, I will buy the control arms with the ball joints and bushings already in place.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I'm a bit confused on what you envision you are doing. The torsion bar has nothing to do with the ball joints. and is installed in the lower control arms, not the upper control arms.

The upper ball joints are usually not replaceable by them selves. So the whole upper control arm needs to be changed.

*MOOG does make a "problem solver" upper control arm with a replaceable balljoint.

I am hardly an expert on the SLA trucks but I think aside from torsion bar and coil spring it is pretty cut and dry.

 

[sgtsandman]

*MOOG does make a "problem solver" upper control arm with a replaceable balljoint.

I am hardly an expert on the SLA trucks but I think aside from torsion bar and coil spring it is pretty cut and dry.

You are correct and I think there is another brand or two that has that as well. Thus, the "usually" part of the reply. In order to have that, one still needs to replace the upper control arms with an arm that has ball joints that are removable. So, unless they have that part installed already, they will need to replace the upper control arm(s).

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You are correct and I think there is another brand or two that has that as well. Thus, the "usually" part of the reply. In order to have that, one still needs to replace the upper control arms with an arm that has ball joints that are removable. So, unless they have that part installed already, they will need to replace the upper control arm(s).

20 year old truck... who knows.

 

[sgtsandman]

20 year old truck... who knows.

You're a 20 year truck!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You're a 20 year truck!

There are times I feel like one...

 

[sgtsandman]

There are times I feel like one...

Same here. LOL

 

[jim eb]

I'm a bit confused on what you envision you are doing. The torsion bar has nothing to do with the ball joints. and is installed in the lower control arms, not the upper control arms.

The upper ball joints are usually not replaceable by them selves. So the whole upper control arm needs to be changed.

The lower ball joints are replaceable separate from the control arm.

As far as what fits, 1998 and up parts are all the same when it comes to the suspension on a 4X4.

Thank you, i meant control arms. Was looking at Rock Auto and e bay to purchase he parts. My rear brakes were a inch bigger than what the parts store sold me before and it has 16" factory ford aluminum wheels which it doesn't seem like many had in 1998 to 2000. Was worried they may of had different size control arms, somewhere i read ball joins were 1"7/8 and some 2 ".

 

[sgtsandman]

To be honest, I never paid attention the the ball joint dimensions. I just ordered the ones that the site or parts store said fit and never had a problem. I suppose the difference could be the ball in the socket of the joint. The socket has to stay the same size in order for it to fit the hole in the control arm and the pin has to fit in the hole of the knuckle. But this is purely speculation on my part.

When I ordered replacement control arms and ball joints for my 2011, I just looked up the parts listed as heavy duty and has grease fittings. Visually, the difference between the stock lower ball joints and the replacements was that the flange was thicker. The base may be thicker as well but I'm not sure. Now with the upper control arms, there was a big difference in the amount of metal the OEM arms had and the current upper control arms I have now.