92 4x4 Ball Joints

[sumncguy]

Hey guys ..

I found this https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/ford-ranger-ball-joint-replacement/ but it really doesn't tell me how to remove and replace the ball joints itself/themselves.

Additionally, I checked out https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/dana_28_35.shtml in attempt to id my front axle. I believe its a Dana 28 according to the pics. My shocks mount at the side behind the spring if facing the front end.

I also downloaded https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/pdf_documents/Dana_Ford_28.pdf. None of the diagrams I find show the type of ball joint I have. Actually, I think its a King Pin.

Im trying to order parts to get the rebuild going. Not sure what I should be ordering here ..

My questions are :

Does anyone know of a video or write up on how to remove and replace these ?
Which is the correct to order https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/ford,1992,ranger,4.0l+v6,1137855,suspension,ball+joint,10070 ..I dont see an option for a pinch bolt for a Dana 28.

thanks for the help !!!

 

[Shran]

First, you do not have a Dana 28... you have a Dana 35. The article showing shocks in front of the axle is quite misleading - BOTH D28 and D35 have shocks mounted behind the springs in the exact same place

Second, you do not have king pins. That is a stud/pinch bolt style upper ball joint.

Third, the first link you posted does have a pretty decent description of how to replace them. Haynes/Chilton books are a good resource as well and I am sure there are YouTube videos showing the procedure as well. The main thing is that you need a ball joint tool (big silver C clamp looking thing in that article.) Then it's just a matter of assembling it correctly to push the old ball joints out and pressing the new ones in. I have the HF ball joint tool and it works great but it is missing a piece - I use a Ranger wheel bearing race.

It may help to have someone help you that has done ball joints before. It's not a difficult task once you've done it a time or two but there are a lot of little tricks that make it easier.

 

[SenorNoob]

Don't even consider trying to do it without the tool. O'Reilly's will loan it to you for a sizable deposit. (Fully refundable within 48 hours.)

I managed to get one joint out in 6 hours without the tool. With it had all 4 changed in an hour.

 

[RonD]

Yes, +1 ^^^^

Get the tool, period, rent it or buy it, or built-it, but don't waste your time trying to do it without it

 

[sumncguy]

First, you do not have a Dana 28... you have a Dana 35. The article showing shocks in front of the axle is quite misleading - BOTH D28 and D35 have shocks mounted behind the springs in the exact same place

Second, you do not have king pins. That is a stud/pinch bolt style upper ball joint.

Third, the first link you posted does have a pretty decent description of how to replace them. Haynes/Chilton books are a good resource as well and I am sure there are YouTube videos showing the procedure as well. The main thing is that you need a ball joint tool (big silver C clamp looking thing in that article.) Then it's just a matter of assembling it correctly to push the old ball joints out and pressing the new ones in. I have the HF ball joint tool and it works great but it is missing a piece - I use a Ranger wheel bearing race.

It may help to have someone help you that has done ball joints before. It's not a difficult task once you've done it a time or two but there are a lot of little tricks that make it easier.

Well thanks .. that sure clears things up ... thank you.

Some commentary so you know where I'm at.

I have done a bunch of ball joints on my jalopy's .. I'm an old guy .. 57 .. problem is trying to identify some of these things is not easy.
I agree .. you can attempt this kind of job with a c-clamp .. but it will make things tough. Ill just borrow my buddies ball joint press kit and let my impact gun do most of the hard work for the ball joints, tie rods and bushings. Ive already started wetting down all the bolts and bushings that are 'sleeved'. Basically dropping one side at a time .. replacing bushings and everything else on the way out. Radius arm bushing should be very easy as the truck is jacked up and the cross member can be removed. I beams / Pivot arms will probably be a pain. Hopefully PB Blast will do its job. Alignment to get the bolt back in is always fun. Will need to get someone to pack the bearings for me .. never really got the hang of that .. I know ... just jam grease in there .. maybe find a Chris Fix video on that.

I go after everything I can that is available in print or electronically before jumping in to anything. I obtained a copy of the OEM owners manual and the Haynes manual. I do have a video list, parts list ( where I could determine what I needed), special tools list .. right now just the Spindle Socket already picked up from Harbor Freight.

I haven't found (yet) a single video that 'details' how to service those type of ball joints specifically on a early model Ranger. .. I have found a few that detail the process on the F150s (et al) The Haynes manual page 10-2, section 4 Ball Joint - removal and Installation 4wd Models, step 13 says "Remove the cotter pin from the upper balljoint, then remove the nut." No cotter pin. No nut. You can see from the pic I shared, the first thing that has to come off is the top snap ring. I just reread the first link I shared. It makes no mention of the removal of the ball joints ... my flavor or the threaded flavor. Says "Now you need to use a pickle fork for the ball joint, or a lot of hammering. Take your pick. " then something about where does the wheel go. .. am I missing something. Its certainly a possibility.

So you can see that I do go out and try to find the information I need on my own before posting asking for help. I'm a Sr Network Engineer. Wont "go in" until I feel confident. Before I even open the garage door, I will know that I have the correct procedure (including torque specs), tools and parts. Sometime you got to ask though. I wouldn't have known that I had a Dana 35. But now knowing explains a few things. The only markings on the front axle are 1513 under that P 130 4 under that 46285 A. Labels are all gone. On the rear axle RF-F072-AA.

On the rear axle RF-F072-AA. Off to look for the axle ratio so that I can determine which rotors I need to buy ! Might have to resort to the turn one wheel / watch the other method.

Thanks for all the info !!! I really appreciate your help !!
Regards
Chris

 

[Shran]

Ha. Good deal that your buddy has a ball joint tool.

Here's the removal order for parts that need to come off -

Tire, lockout hub (slides off,) brake caliper and pads, axle shaft C clip, washer, outer wheel bearing locknut, washer w/ holes, inner nut, rotor slides off. 3x little bolts for the rotor dust shield, 5x nuts for the spindle, spindle itself, then the axle shaft pulls out of the hole where the spindle was.

Now you are down to a bare knuckle. Remove the steering linkage, remove the top pinch bolt, leave snap ring in place, remove bottom nut. Turn knuckle so that you can beat the bottom ball joint stud with a sledge hammer, hit it until it is loose and the knuckle drops down a bit. Then remove the upper snap ring and slide the knuckle out. Remove the big snap ring on the bottom ball joint and you are ready to start pressing them out.

Reassembly is pretty much the reverse of what I described... slide knuckle into both tapered holes, thread the bottom ball joint nut on and tighten to spec, then tighten the pinch bolt and put everything else back where it was.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[4x4junkie]

Off to look for the axle ratio so that I can determine which rotors I need to buy !

Don't even worry about that (infact, that can lead to problems with getting wrong parts if you have a 3.45:1 or 4.10:1 ratio since the parts store computers have been jacked up with incorrect information for three decades now and no one seems to give a isht. 3.45 actually isn't possible with a D35, but 4.10 is).

I always tell them I have an Explorer of the same year when buying front axle parts which avoids all these errors (the axle itself, brakes, ball joints, etc. are all the same throughout between a '92 Ranger front axle for example, and '92 Explorer).

 

[scotts90ranger]

I do that a lot, but my '90 is made up of a lot of vehicles... so I just pick and choose depending on what I'm looking for, I should make a list and keep it in the glove box someday...

Yes, '91-94 Explorer almost guarantees you get the correct front end parts, although I've ordered Ranger and Explorer D35 brake pads of the same part number and ended up with different prices once... same order...

 

[sumncguy]

Thanks for the tips fellas !!

 

[sumncguy]

Hey guys ... pull off a rotor .. the new looks different.

 

[Shran]

That old rotor has a tone ring for an ABS sensor. Your 92 would not have ABS - looks to me like someone used a rotor for a newer truck last time they did the brakes. The new one you got will be fine.

 

[scotts90ranger]

There for a while, no matter what you ordered you got a tone ring if memory serves.

 

[sumncguy]

Ok .. thanks gents. Yep no ABS.

Update on the drop ...

Taking it slow .. the first side was a real pita .. up and down to get the wrenches that fit and would work. Opposite side took 1/3 the time.

Only thing holding the front end in right now is the steering link .. loosened Radius arm bolts, a loosened radius arm bracket bolt and TTB bolts to mounting brackets. .. and ofcourse jack stands supporting the front end on each side. I bought 2 $10 dollys from Harbor Freight .. will drop down each side onto the dolly and roll it right into the garage. One man band. I'm expecting to need at least another set of hands to raise it back into place. .. but Ill give it a shot on my own first.

I did find some slop. On the passenger side the outer spindle nut was just hand tight and chewed up a little. Looks like they tried the hammer and screw driver thing. On the drivers side and more eye widening was the lack of the outer spindle nut or c clip. That wheel could have come off. Got 2 sets on the way from Torq king .. who coincidentally loves their spindle nuts $$$$.

Barring any real problems it should be out tonight. Ill spend some time on cleaning up what I can reach on the truck since the front end will be out. Ill probably bite the bullet and also replace the steering gear. Again, doesn't make sense to me not to do it while I have lots of room. The springs look ok. Will do the shocks front and rear later.

I decided not to paint. Just too time consuming. But Ill wire wheel excessive rust; well excessive rust for down here, and clean everything. Ill take before and after pics.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[sumncguy]

It is incredible what I am finding. There are pieces missing and the state of things is eye widening.

On one side the inner bearing was stuck on.
I cut the bearing cage off with a dremel leaving the stuck race in place. I used a bearing splitter to create a gap between the flange of the spindle and the race. I then used a slide hammer to pull the race off. I asked myself "why did this happen .." the spindle has some slight grooves but nothing out of the ordinary for 30 years. It does have this kind of hard black coating ... "oh well .. I dont know .. keep going" I took the spindle off and then found out why ..

The entire spindle bearing was gone. Only the race and a few remnants of the bearing cage were left. The spindle was probably wobbling around on the inner bearing.

 

[Shran]

Looks about like most of the D35s I've torn down. One was so bad that the rollers fell out of the inner bearing cage and got ground up... the wheel had several inches of movement in every direction and the guy was still driving it like that. It's kinda scary how many of these rigs I've worked on that were missing wheel bearing lock nuts! You REALLY have to be proactive and keep the bearings tight and packed with good grease... and start with quality parts!

I usually replace spindles if they have grooves on them. Small grooves can sometimes be cleaned up with some emery cloth... using your judgement... those ridges and grooves make it very difficult to seat the bearings and even harder to get them off as you found out.

Definitely need spindle bearings there too! Those often get overlooked. You can get a kit from Dana that includes the bearing and the wiper seal that goes on the axle shaft.