sable/taurus ball joints

[88Nightmare]

So I'm about to attempt to change the ball joint on our 1993 Merc. Sable tomorrow. Right side. Anyone have experience with these? Is it something I can do in my driveway then take in for an alignment? I never replaced ball joints on anything before.

[michelle]

It actually isn't that bad. Rent the ball joint remover from Advanced. You'll just be more aggravated with the rust built up on everything.

Just not the Advance on Bluemound. The tool kit is currently in my garage. (:

[88Nightmare]

well, what I bought appears to be a lower control arm with the ball joint already on it. Are you saying I need the ball joint remover to seperate the old one?

[michelle]

well, what I bought appears to be a lower control arm with the ball joint already on it. Are you saying I need the ball joint remover to seperate the old one?

Well no, not if you bought the whole thing. I thought you would just replace the ball joint itself.

[88Nightmare]

I went to my local napa, I asked for a ball joint for a 93 sable, and they handed me a new (lower I think) control arm with the ball joint already in it.

[michelle]

Oh, 1993. That's why. It's all integrated in that generation. I did mine on my '01 and they are separate.

[88Nightmare]

I even put 1993 in the original post :D


anyway, is this going to be a big pain in the ass, or is it relatively straight-forward?

[Car Guy]

If you just bought the whole lower control arm then you just won't have to worry about replacing the ball joint because it's already pressed in.....

Pop the nut holding the ball joint into the spindle, the nut for the strut rod, and the bolt holding the control arm onto the subframe.....






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[michelle]

I even put 1993 in the original post :D


anyway, is this going to be a big pain in the ass, or is it relatively straight-forward?

I got all excited seeing someone type Taurus besides me that I couldn't even read the whole thing. (:

[88Nightmare]

If you just bought the whole lower control arm then you just won't have to worry about replacing the ball joint because it's already pressed in.....

Pop the nut holding the ball joint into the spindle, the nut for the strut rod, and the bolt holding the control arm onto the subframe.....






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thats it? think it can be done without air tools? :durr



also, im doing a right rear wheel bearing on the same car. Its an entire hub assembly. This seems simple, but I could be wrong.... any experience with one of those?

[Car Guy]

thats it? think it can be done without air tools? :durr

Anything can be done withOUT air tools but air tools make it 1,000,000 times easier, especially if it's been driven through our wonderful winters which = RUST!.....:rolleyes:



also, im doing a right rear wheel bearing on the same car. Its an entire hub assembly. This seems simple, but I could be wrong.... any experience with one of those?

If it's an entire hub assembly your Sable should have rear disc brakes, correct...??? If so it's a 'bolt-in' unit, nothing to where you'd have to press it in.....






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[88Nightmare]

yup, 4 wheel disc with ABS.

Also, don't these generation of taurus/sable require a 4 wheel alignment? It needs one anyway, but I'm guessing it will definitely need one after doing the ball joint....

[GRAMPS SS]

sell the car bubba...the ROUSH had all that...i let the new owner worry about it....get something newer.....you know you want to buddy...

[88Nightmare]

i do, but no one can afford to get something newer right now. This thing has just a hair over 100k miles, it should have plenty of more life left in it. I can't see ditching a car just because it needs a few minor things. I already bought the parts, it wasnt too expensive at all.

[GRAMPS SS]

i'm sorry...i ditched mine...forgive me bubba....

[Car Guy]

yup, 4 wheel disc with ABS.

Also, don't these generation of taurus/sable require a 4 wheel alignment? It needs one anyway, but I'm guessing it will definitely need one after doing the ball joint....


You’re not going to change the alignment by replacing the control arm or wheel bearing, so technically no alignment is needed UNLESS it was out of spec already. However, if you want it 'done right' an alignment (or at least a check) is the way to go REGARDLESS.....






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[05caddyext]

You can bet if you take it to anywhere to get a "free" inspection they will recommend an alignment. I performed an experiment one time at the goodyear in waukesha. I took my brand new cavalier there, had it for about 2 weeks. I had just installed a lowering kit so I knew I would need an alignment obviously. So I had it done. I waited 1 week exactly, called and asked if so and so who did the original work-order was working. They said nope, hes off today, is there any reason you needed him? I brought the car there, and hey guess what - "you need an alignment, something camber this blah blah caster, that." I pulled out the paperwork and said you just did this a week ago, ive put 100 miles on the car. So did you do it or not? Finally ended up taking it to another shop and they said there was no way they ever touched the car, everything was factory clean.

[Car Guy]

That's why it's important to take your vehicle to an honest shop that will NOT d!ck you around.....:thumbsup






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[WickedSix]

Take it in for an alignment after Bubba. Just from doing chassis components and alignments for years there can be alot of variables that change when you replace suspension parts. Rather an alignment than a rapidly wearing tire.

[88Nightmare]

well I know its already out of spec, it drifts to the left, im guessing the ball joint is to blame.... so now the question is.... where to go for an alignment?

[Slow Joe]

You could always visit the Turtle... That way you know it's done right...

[88Nightmare]

too far to go. im on the southside, not lookin to drive cross country for an alignment

[Car Guy]

I've taken a few cars to where sloLs1 works and have had good results, and it's not too far from you. Just make sure everything else is tight because nobody will do an alignment if something else is loose.....:thumbsup






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[88Nightmare]

where exactly is that location?

Everything else on the car should be tight. Only thing I am touching is the right front ball joint and the rear wheel bearing. Is it true these generation of taurus/sable require a 4 wheel alignment?

[Car Guy]

Is it true these generation of taurus/sable require a 4 wheel alignment?

http://www.jimsautocenter.biz/

EVERY car should have a 4-wheel alignment, but every car doesn't have the ability for that to be done because of the way it was made. The only thing that's a adjustable on your Sable will be the front toe adjustment, I think.....

But still, the toe adjustment is VERY important and you should still have it done.....






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[88Nightmare]

well, the two front tires that were replaced on the front yesterday, were cupped EXTREMELY bad on the inside tread. Granted this problem has existed for a long time, we are finally fixing it.

[Waver]

cupping on the front is usualy because of a bad strut, tire wear on the outer edges is because of alignment being off.....sounds to me like you had a combination of both....any leaking on the strut? Even if the struts are bad, provided wverything else is tight you should be able to get it aligned. On the sables/taurus like car guy said, there isnt much they can do for the rear, if anything.

[88Nightmare]

on my neighbors F250, when his ball joints are going bad, he gets cupping on the inside of his tires.....

[GRAMPS SS]

^^^^^^^^bubba is right,.,,,my struts were good on the wagon....but the two front tires were cupping...but the lower ball joints were shot and was told that was why they cupped....

[88Nightmare]

yup. oddly enough, the two rear tires are also cupped, so there must be some sort of adjustment back there when its undergoing an alignment

[WickedSix]

if the rears are cupped u best check the rear links and the shocks....bounce on the ole girl and look for weirdness

[Car Guy]

I'm not sure if we're on the same page with the definition of 'cupped' but I'm guessing sagging springs are the culprit if they haven’t' been replaced already.....






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[WickedSix]

there is only one definition of cupped...the tire looks like a damn serrated knife

[Car Guy]

there is only one definition of CHOPPED...the tire looks like a damn serrated knife

Fixed...!!! :thumbsup






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[WickedSix]

cupped, scalloped, but never heard chopped before :rolf

[Car Guy]

cupped, scalloped, but never heard chopped before :rolf

Well regardless I know what you're referring to, and it's probably the struts then.....






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[WickedSix]

i've seen it happen with really bad inner and outer tie rods b4 but yea a #1 culprit is always shocks/struts

[88Nightmare]

struts have been done within 50k miles. when it was on the lift yesterdya at boucher for tires, they immediately noticed the ball joint on the right side is bad. So we'll start with that

[Car Guy]

struts have been done within 50k miles. when it was on the lift yesterdya at boucher for tires, they immediately noticed the ball joint on the right side is bad. So we'll start with that

What kind of struts, and were all 4 replaced...???





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[88Nightmare]

idk if they were all replaced, but I know for sure the fronts were. Here is whats happening with the tires:

http://www.microlsaipan.com/Images%5CTire%20Info%20D-Cupping.jpg
But its not on the outside of the tread, its on the inside. On all 4. The front FAR worse then the rear, but the rears are cupping very noticeably.

[Car Guy]

idk if they were all replaced, but I know for sure the fronts were. Here is whats happening with the tires:

But its not on the outside of the tread, its on the inside. On all 4. The front FAR worse then the rear, but the rears are cupping very noticeably.


Well the bad ball joint has to be contributing to the tire weat but I'm suspecting that the springs are also the culprit, it's very common on Ford Taurus'/Sables.....






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[88Nightmare]

even though the ones on there are less then 50k miles old?

[Car Guy]

even though the ones on there are less then 50k miles old?

I said the SPRINGS could be the culprit, you said the STRUTS were replaced 50k ago.....:confused






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[88Nightmare]

springs were too, because when we bought the car at 47k miles, the front springs were broken

[Car Guy]

springs were too, because when we bought the car at 47k miles, the front springs were broken

Hmmm, well then the struts could be wearing/worn out or possibly something else, it's really hard to say without looking at it in person.....

When you get the alignment looked at that should tell you a lot.....






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[Waver]

Hmmm, well then the struts could be wearing/worn out or possibly something else, it's really hard to say without looking at it in person.....

When you get the alignment looked at that should tell you a lot.....






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agreed....you said that the fronts were replaced, not the rears, so chances are the rears are weak....Remember Muddrunners old sable (I think you saw it over at myles place)....all four of his were broken and that is common for them...ford couldnt make a spring to save their asses in the late 80's early 90's.

[88Nightmare]

come to think of it, ford cant make anything to save their asses pretty much after the early 70's :D