Installed EUROMARQUE's aftermarket ball-joints and...*PICS*

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lexdiamondz10304

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:D Saved :D over $375. Each knucle was 260. Labor would be free since I do the work my self. I purchased a set of ball joints from euromarque on ebay for $120 (mention lvc and get free shipping!).Then I removed each knuckle assemby and took them to a local mechanic, and charged me a whooping $40 bucks to press in the pair :D . Came back home, installed them, and the LS felt as soft as a cloud.

Knuckles: $120
Labor: $40
TOTAL: $160;)

Dealer parts: $610
Dealer Labor:$450???
TOTAL: $1000+:eek:

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Good deal though. I just crawled under my '02 with 95k miles over the weekend to inspect. My originals are still solid as a rock, with no torn boots. So far. And just like last year, whatever clunking/knocking I get from my front suspension during the first few driving miles in cold weather, has now disappeared altogether with the warmer temps.
 
Im doing mine today. I am also replacing both of my wheel bearings today. should be fun. How long did your take to do???
 
Any special tools?

I also purchased a set of these ball joints for my 2000 LS V-8. I was going to take them to the local tire shop/mechanic, but was thinking about doing it myself (and also thinking about painting calipers)

Any special tools needed for this job besides a press for the knuckle/ball joint?
 
I didn't really use a press. I used a ball join remover its like a c-clamp. I first cut the threads off with a cold saw. Then I stuck it in the oven for like 10 minutes at 450 then. Pulled it out and presed it out. Put it back in the oven for 5 minutes then I had the new ball joint sitting in the frezzer. Dropped the new one in. Took less then 5 hrs to do it all.
 
fonsito - here is the information. Just give Ed a call and make sure and tell him you belong to LVC so you get free shipping. I've had no problems with mine.
Euromarque
Contact: Ed
281-656-2553
 
I just tossed these on my car on monday. What a great deal. $120 is way better then the $520 the dealer wanted for them. Two Thumbs up. Just a couple weeks ago I put new wheels and tires on the car.

Do I need an alignment after putting the lower ball joints on?

I don't want to chew up the brand new tires.

On a side note. My stock michelins went 77k miles. I think that is a record for the mileage I have driven a single set of tires.
 
crab daddy said:
I just tossed these on my car on monday. What a great deal. $120 is way better then the $520 the dealer wanted for them. Two Thumbs up. Just a couple weeks ago I put new wheels and tires on the car.

Do I need an alignment after putting the lower ball joints on?

I don't want to chew up the brand new tires.

On a side note. My stock michelins went 77k miles. I think that is a record for the mileage I have driven a single set of tires.
Click to expand...

You have to always re-align when the front suspension is disturbed. Rear suspension also, for that matter, on this platform.
 
crab daddy said:
I just tossed these on my car on monday. What a great deal. $120 is way better then the $520 the dealer wanted for them. Two Thumbs up. Just a couple weeks ago I put new wheels and tires on the car.

Do I need an alignment after putting the lower ball joints on?

I don't want to chew up the brand new tires.

On a side note. My stock michelins went 77k miles. I think that is a record for the mileage I have driven a single set of tires.
Click to expand...

Crab Daddy, when you installed the Euromarque ball joints did you use a press or the oven/freezer method LS Monk mentioned?
 
lseguy said:
Good deal though. I just crawled under my '02 with 95k miles over the weekend to inspect. My originals are still solid as a rock, with no torn boots. So far. And just like last year, whatever clunking/knocking I get from my front suspension during the first few driving miles in cold weather, has now disappeared altogether with the warmer temps.
Click to expand...

Isn't that f'ing annoying? I went through the same last winter really thinking there was something up with my car. Now that it's warmed back up, no knocking sounds. :D
 
Are you sure it's not the common sway bar bushings? Have they been changed?
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mharrison said:
Crab Daddy, when you installed the Euromarque ball joints did you use a press or the oven/freezer method LS Monk mentioned?
Click to expand...

Well, the oven/Freezer method got my new ball joint 1/2 way in! :mad:
So, it's at the machine shop today to get pressed in.

Just for the record, I cooked it at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Froze the ball joint for 20 minutes as well. Apparently that wasn't long enough!
 
Creaking and clunking CAN be the ball joint, but it can also be the sway bar. Mine was creaking VERY loud while turning the wheel. If it does this while you aren't moving, it's the ball joints, not the sway bar. (Which doesn't mean the sway bar bushings aren't bad too!) ;) FWIW, my car has 158,000 miles on it.

The black rubber boots were torn on my ball joints, so I knew it needed to be replaced. The severe creaking is gone now, but the clunk while moving is obviously the sway bar! :(

I haven't seen a how-to, but it is really a pretty easy job. (Aside from needing a press to press the old out and new in.)

  1. Take wheel off.
  2. Take brake caliper off and suspend from spring with a hanger.
  3. Remove the brake rotor.
  4. Remove the hub. (You have to undo your fender liner to get to the plug for the speed sensor)
  5. Undo tie rod end nut.
  6. Undo lower ball joint nut.
  7. Undo upper ball joint nut.
  8. Remove large C-shaped assembly that has lower ball joint in it. (Pictured below)

Installation is the reverse.

ksmca443186003.jpg
 
Nice how-to, mharrison.

I'll add, "use new Nylok nuts for everything you disturb, or at least, use Loctite hard thread lock compound." My local NAPA store has all of the Nylok fasteners for a fraction of the Ford parts cost, never mind the time you wait for the order to arrive. If you have the time, you could order through five star ford. My local dealers do not stock these things.
 
mharrison said:
[*]Remove the hub. (You have to undo your fender liner to get to the plug for the speed sensor)
[/IMG]
Click to expand...


Great write up. I got some good printed information from Eric at Euromarque. I may have misunderstood the above writeup, however I unplugged the speed sensors at the hub, slide off the keeper clip and the plug slides right out.

s.
 
swdobbs said:
Great write up. I got some good printed information from Eric at Euromarque. I may have misunderstood the above writeup, however I unplugged the speed sensors at the hub, slide off the keeper clip and the plug slides right out.

s.
Click to expand...

I actually removed the wheel well liner fasteners so I could pull part of the liner back and undo a connector for the speed sensor up behind the wheel well liner. So, the hub came off with about 2 feet of wire connected to it. I thought that is what the instructions from Eric said to do. (I may have misunderstood that!)

milehighmikey said:
I'll add, "use new Nylok nuts for everything you disturb, or at least, use Loctite hard thread lock compound." My local NAPA store has all of the Nylok fasteners for a fraction of the Ford parts cost, never mind the time you wait for the order to arrive. If you have the time, you could order through five star ford. My local dealers do not stock these things.
Click to expand...

Also a good call on replacing the nylocs. I replaced mine and used blue loc-tite on all the fasteners. I got mine from a local "fastener" store much cheaper than from Ford (and they were in stock!)
 
Sorry to bring this back from the dead but I can't get the hub out of the steering knuckle assembly to save my life. I took the four bolts out of the back and the ford instructions for removal state that it's not pressed in but it definetly dosent seem like they wanna budge anybody else have a simmilar issue? I also live in Massachusetts so I'm sure the salt from 9 years of winter diddnt help the situation any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated
 
what I did was soak it in PB blaster, then put the bolts back in half way, then place a socket onto the bolts, and then hit the socket with a hammer.
 
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