Took my truck to get an alignment today and they said that my lower ball joints need to be replaced. Has anyone had to do this or know if this is an easy job to do in the garage? Also I have 95K miles on my L so should they be needing to be replace? Thanks in advance for any help.

Later
Damon

 

lower ball joints? where are these located?

 

They are built into the lower control arms, and require complete replacement of lower control arms. You can't just replace the ball joints.

 

Mine are gone at 116,500 miles. I did the tie rod ends last weekend at home (the left one was too bad to let go any longer).

Ball joints are sold seperately, and my brother sez he can do them on the truck (without removing the lower control arms), but he helped me replace the strut bearings on my son's Volvo this weekend (which was a b!tch), so I'll have to wait on my truck until he owes me again.

Once they're on, I'll get it aligned to 'Lightning Owner Prefered Specfications' again.

 

My lowers were gone at 30,000 ... Maybe I just
corner a bit harder than normal, huh?

 

Any tell tale signs the ball joints are going bad?

 

Two wheel drive '97 and up F150s are notorious for ball joint wear. Heavy trucks with light action front end components. Add the stress of the wide rolling stock on the Lightnings and it exacerbates the problem.

 

Any part numbers?

 

So what should I expect money wise on parts and labor?

Later
Damon

 

ttt

 

Anyone, Anyone??

 

Not on a Lightning, only on 97-up F150 Lightning Lower control arms are different, no ball joint part #.