99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke Engine and DrivetrainDiscussion of the 99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke diesel engine and drivetrain in the 1999-Up Super Duty trucks and Excursions. No gas engine discussion allowed except on transmissions and drivetrain that pertain to all models. Please confine discussion of topics in this forum to those items that are specific to the 7.3L Power Stroke engine.
I’m going through replacing all four ball joints and the tie-rods right now. My research has led me to believe that the average life expectancy for ball joints is around 60K, for stock ones. I’m putting in ones made by Moog. They have the grease fittings and are said to last significantly longer with regular servicing. I bought a complete ball joint kit from Powerstroke.com.
I suspect the lack of lubrication and being cheaply manufactured are the cause of failure. I just changed mine at 62k; they have been bad for at least 20k. Find a good alignment shop and have joints installed that have lube fittings.
At around 127k, I took my F-350 dually into the shop I use to check the ball joints. The mechanic called me in and said the ball joints were fine and proceeded to grab them with a huge set of channellocks to demonstrate it.
However, he said I did need new shocks and I put on Monroe Gas magnums. Been fine since.
2001 7.3 F-350 Dually Lariat CC LWB 4X2 Dark Green 4.10 4R100 5'ver Hauler (32' Montana 2 slides 10,500# - 2,000# tongue weight), 106 gal aux tank, 159K miles, nephews arguing over who will inherit it 'cause I'm gonna' drive it 'til I die. Bone stock.
2001 5.4 Gasser F-250 XLT Crewcab SWB 4X2 3.73 4R100 98K miles headed to 150K stock as the day it was made
Before these: '00 F-250 CC PSD, '97 F-250 CC PSD, '94 Ford F-150, '91 Ford E-250, '81 Ford E-150, '66 Ford F-100 (cars not included)
I'm sittin' at 86,000 miles +, with NO problems. Ran 35" BFG KM's for 75,000 miles and 37" BFG KM2's for the last 11,000+ miles. No play, No creaking, smooth operation, good so far............KNOCK ON WOOD!!!
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2003 F250 XLT 7.3L, Auto, FX4, Crew Cab, Long Bed, 6.5" Pro-Comp all spring lift & Firestone HD Rear Air Bags, BFG KM2 37x12.50x17 tires on Eagle 17x10 Rims, 4" Turbo Back Exhaust & muffler delete, Bully Dog Programmer @ 120 Hp setting ALWAYS, Machined & Bellowed International Up-Pipe Kit, Autometer Overhead Gauges (Boost, Pyrometer, Trans. Temp), Custom Pre-Filter Ram-Air with K&N filter, "John Wood" Custom Stage I Transmission, 6.0 Billet 3 Disk T/C, External T/C Lock-up switch, 6.0 Trans Cooler, Hughes Racing Deep Structural Pan, and a few more goodies. Now spinnin' AAM Rear & Dana Spicer Front 4.30:1 Gears with Warn Premium Locking Hubs.......I do a lot of towing.(13,000 lb 33' Toyhauler & 21' Ski Boat). 84,568 miles as of 11/09
How about this for longevity, original ball joints made it to 222K. Replaced with Moog greaseables, and are still on the truck with 844K. I must have the best set of Moog ball joints they made. I wish, I could say the same for front wheel bearings.
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Sold 02 F350 Lariat CrewCab Toreador Red/ Silver DRW LB AT 4X4 4.10 gears, BTS custom chip, and tranny. built BTS and Ford Tough! 859,532 miles
SOLD: 02 F350 Lariat CC Toreador Red, DRW AT 4.10 gears, BTS custom chip, and Tranny 214,550 miles,Built BTS, and Ford Tough!
Sold 94 F350 XLT SC DI DRW 5Speed 314,000
Lifetime Member "BTS BUBBA" Association
"Ain't no feelin like BTS mobilin"
SLAPS Member
Sold 62 Corvair 95 Bus
92 Buick deuce and a quarter
03 Ford Windstar- Granny Hauler
How about this for longevity, original ball joints made it to 222K. Replaced with Moog greaseables, and are still on the truck with 844K. I must have the best set of Moog ball joints they made. I wish, I could say the same for front wheel bearings.
SOLD!!! Guess I'll be goin' to Moog when the time arises..... Jus hope I get that kinda life outa my factory ball joints. Seems like the last production run of the 7.3's were a little less problematic though. I seem to have less problems than average (Not Complaining), and the truck just hauls ass, runs great, and very few issues. I bought in the last "Lot" production run of 7.3's for a 2003 F250. The following month, 6.0's showed up. Maybe some of the components were ironed out by then???? Dunno!!!!! Love my truck though.
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2003 F250 XLT 7.3L, Auto, FX4, Crew Cab, Long Bed, 6.5" Pro-Comp all spring lift & Firestone HD Rear Air Bags, BFG KM2 37x12.50x17 tires on Eagle 17x10 Rims, 4" Turbo Back Exhaust & muffler delete, Bully Dog Programmer @ 120 Hp setting ALWAYS, Machined & Bellowed International Up-Pipe Kit, Autometer Overhead Gauges (Boost, Pyrometer, Trans. Temp), Custom Pre-Filter Ram-Air with K&N filter, "John Wood" Custom Stage I Transmission, 6.0 Billet 3 Disk T/C, External T/C Lock-up switch, 6.0 Trans Cooler, Hughes Racing Deep Structural Pan, and a few more goodies. Now spinnin' AAM Rear & Dana Spicer Front 4.30:1 Gears with Warn Premium Locking Hubs.......I do a lot of towing.(13,000 lb 33' Toyhauler & 21' Ski Boat). 84,568 miles as of 11/09
I have been told, the new Ford replacement ball joints have grease fittings, and should be ok. I would look at the cost comparison with Moog. I presume, quality is about the same.
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Sold 02 F350 Lariat CrewCab Toreador Red/ Silver DRW LB AT 4X4 4.10 gears, BTS custom chip, and tranny. built BTS and Ford Tough! 859,532 miles
SOLD: 02 F350 Lariat CC Toreador Red, DRW AT 4.10 gears, BTS custom chip, and Tranny 214,550 miles,Built BTS, and Ford Tough!
Sold 94 F350 XLT SC DI DRW 5Speed 314,000
Lifetime Member "BTS BUBBA" Association
"Ain't no feelin like BTS mobilin"
SLAPS Member
Sold 62 Corvair 95 Bus
92 Buick deuce and a quarter
03 Ford Windstar- Granny Hauler
I have 80k on my original ball joints and brakes too. I will replace with moog though when its time but I think I'll go with brake pads from ford. Been happy with them.
1973 K5 Blazer 383stroker,TrickFlow alum.heads,Crower forged rods-roller lifter cam-roller rockers,Keith Black10.5:1,Doug Thorley tri-y,MSD,ARP,Q-jet,on 1 ton axles,1991 front clip,3K miles on FULL body off rebuild
I have been told, the new Ford replacement ball joints have grease fittings, and should be ok. I would look at the cost comparison with Moog. I presume, quality is about the same.
1973 K5 Blazer 383stroker,TrickFlow alum.heads,Crower forged rods-roller lifter cam-roller rockers,Keith Black10.5:1,Doug Thorley tri-y,MSD,ARP,Q-jet,on 1 ton axles,1991 front clip,3K miles on FULL body off rebuild
Wouldn't be the first time an auto manufacturer used after market parts in their box. Hell, the 2000 Ford Mustang Cobra R has lots of after market items on it right out of the factory. Cadi CTS-V & Brembo Brakes, Harley Davidson & Brembo Brakes, makes sense..... Maybe I'll have to dig around at the Ford dealer and scope out the part numbers, I know a guy!!!
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2003 F250 XLT 7.3L, Auto, FX4, Crew Cab, Long Bed, 6.5" Pro-Comp all spring lift & Firestone HD Rear Air Bags, BFG KM2 37x12.50x17 tires on Eagle 17x10 Rims, 4" Turbo Back Exhaust & muffler delete, Bully Dog Programmer @ 120 Hp setting ALWAYS, Machined & Bellowed International Up-Pipe Kit, Autometer Overhead Gauges (Boost, Pyrometer, Trans. Temp), Custom Pre-Filter Ram-Air with K&N filter, "John Wood" Custom Stage I Transmission, 6.0 Billet 3 Disk T/C, External T/C Lock-up switch, 6.0 Trans Cooler, Hughes Racing Deep Structural Pan, and a few more goodies. Now spinnin' AAM Rear & Dana Spicer Front 4.30:1 Gears with Warn Premium Locking Hubs.......I do a lot of towing.(13,000 lb 33' Toyhauler & 21' Ski Boat). 84,568 miles as of 11/09
Thinking of having them do them for quote of $750.
edit: What causes ball joint failure? What can be done to extend joint life...........on not greasable joints
750 clams sounds like a fair price to pay if the shop knows what they’re doing and is using quality parts. I hit all the shops in town, (that I trust), and had quotes from 800-1,200. In the end I used the minimum 500 I would have paid in labor to buy all the proper tooling to do it myself.
I should explain the shorter life expectancy I quoted above. It is for trucks similar to mine that’s used in the same manner. I know several lifted f-350 crew cabs with 300lb brush guards, and other goodies, towing up and down dirt roads here in Colorado. Without greasable ball joints, that are serviced regularly, they have a shorter life expextancy.
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2002 F-350, 4X4, LONG BED, CREW CAB, LARIAT (7.3 POWERSTROKE OBVIOUSLY)
GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
Make sure they grease the upper joints after they(Moog) are put in. Mine were not and about 5kmiles later had steering/brake problems that getting them greased fixed. Need to do it again, but working outside in the winter in Colorado at 8000 ft can be tough.
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Late 99 Dp tuner E80,T60,T40. JW trans. Rancho 9000xl, Helwig Sway bar, 2004 Rad w/AT cooler, 08 diff cover
Replaced my factory ball joints at 75k.......looked like the seals went bad on them and cuased the to get contaminated with dirt/water and fail
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2000 Limited, 118K, 7.3L, 285 Cooper ATR's, super chips 1705 on tow/performance, Bilsteins, Isspro EGT/Boost/ Trans temp.
1997 4runner,5spd,TRD supercharged,Bilsteins,H&R coil springs front and rear
1968 roadrunner,383,4spd
1970 roadrunner,383,4spd,pistol grip,58k 0riginal miles
1970 Charger,383,4spd,pistol grip,my first car
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Bus
I will replace with moog though when its time but I think I'll go with brake pads from ford. Been happy with them.
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