Tight Ball Joints? - Diesel Forum

md18 · 04-28-2009, 10:53 PM

Anybody ever have balljoints be too tight? I had NAPA ones installed in my 2001 F250 V10 that were getting progressivly tighter. I just got new ones under warranty from NAPA and when i install them they still seem too tight. The last time i did them i didn't remove the sleeve on the upper joint, this time i removed it, cleaned it, and greased it. Tightened the lower one up, them tightened the upper ball joint to 100 ft lbs.

What else could i be doing wrong? This just seems like its gonna be a repeat of the last time around, although this time i did find that both u-joints were binding and i will be replacing them in the morning.

Sorry for the long post, I'm just out of ideas and need some help!
THANK YOU!

**Jinco** · 04-28-2009, 11:00 PM

I do not know if this is your problem but the ball joints must be torqued in sequence.

It is ball joint manufacturer specific and must be done in sequentially in steps upper/lower.

Per the Ford manuals, for my 2000 4x4, it goes like this.

1st- Bottom Joint: 35 lb/ft
2nd-Top Joint: 69 lb/ft
3rd and final- Bottom Joint: 150 lb/ft

This sequence is also correct for Moogs. Different ball joint manufacturer's may or may not have a specs different than this.

**Kanman** · 04-28-2009, 11:13 PM

Per the Ford manuals, for my 2000 4x4, it goes like this.

1st- Bottom Joint: 35 lb/ft
2nd-Top Joint: 69 lb/ft
3rd and final- Bottom Joint: 150 lb/ft

There ya go md18, if you dont follow the proper torque sequence you can end up with one swinging in the breeze and the other still as a board.

md18 · 04-28-2009, 11:18 PM

Well i'll take it back apart in the morning then... Only have the knuckles on as of now.
The directions that came with them just said to tighten the bottom up to 75 then tighten the top to 100. I'm really starting to hate NAPA crap now....
I'll let you know how it goes!
Thanks for the help!

md18 · 04-29-2009, 07:25 PM

Well, I did as suggested and cleaned up the little collars on the top balljoint, greased them, and reinstalled them. Torqued to the specification given here and it is definitly looser, but still seems tight.
It does pass the 100ft lb to turn test though now.
I'm guessing they will break in over time...I guess we'll see.
Thanks for the help!

FMTRVT · 04-29-2009, 10:39 PM

Those little collars on the top balljoint. Did you take the time to make absolutely sure that they went back in exactly as to the same point as they were before? Like they are not turned 2° more clockwise or such?

md18 · 04-29-2009, 10:56 PM

Hmm, I had thought that the flat they had in them was to take care of that. I was planning on an alignment in the next few days anyways, I'll let them take care of that then. Wish i had known that they were installed that precise.

- On second thought... that would explain why they say 0.0 then a 0.5, that is the range of adjustment isn't it?