getting really confused on suspension parts!

[marco93L]

Ok, I have called in some parts for the Ls to get them here. It honestly seems that everyone I talk to on the phone has something different to say.
One company says I have to order the whole lower control arms assembly (they said that you can not jsut replace the ball joint lower), the other just wants to sell the just the lower ball joint.
One company says that I have to buy the whole lower control arm to replace the bushings, another company says they have a universal bushing kit that will work. I call Ford about it and they say to replace the whole thing, but that is great, it is almost 700 there.

I am just confused. I have called federal-mogul, auto-parts warehouse, and Rockauto and Ford Motor Comp.

Everyone has a different view on what to order.

Oh, do the control arms differ from a 03 to my 02?
I thought that they were different, but one place told me that they were all the same.



Thanks for all the help guys, I am getting antsy to get the car running again, getting tired of putting gas in the lightning again.

 

[milehighmikey]

The ball joints (lower) are part of the steering knuckle, not the lower control arm. As far as I know, the bushings for any control arms on our cars are part of the next higher assembly, or, the control arms. And if you want upper ball joints, they ARE part of the upper control arm. As far as I know, the lower control arms are different at around that 2003 point, due to the ball joints having a larger bolt diameter on the newer models.

 

[2002_lincolnLS]

yeah i have to replace the lower control arm and everywhere i went gave me a different story as far as price and availability

 

[jt351]

Buy the lower just "balljoints" off of ebay for around a 100$ for a pair, and have a reputable shop install them, they press in like any other balljoint, its just FORD does not see that way and only sells the spindle assembly with it. there are tons and tons of threads on here about it.