Need someone to converse with with respect to changing out the lower ball joints on my 2001 Ranger 2wd pickup. Please email me at slrassoc@yahoo.com and I will give phone number. Have a few questions. Someone that has actually does this before please.

 

2wd with coil springs or torsion bars?

 

It has coil spring suspension.

 

It's pretty straightforward. You will need the C-clamp style ball joint press available as a free loaner (when you leave a security deposit) at most chain stores (autozone, advance, etc.). Once tire's off, undue the cotter pin and retaining nut. Use a ball joint separater (pickle Fork) to pop apart. Pop out the retainer ring on the bottom. Follow instructions to use the clamp press, and press the old one out. Reverse for install.

 

We got that far but the problem is that once the castle nut is off the ball joint, the bottom part of the steering nuckle...the part where the ball joint stem mounted into...is right under the control arm and it is in the way so there is not enough room to press the ball joint down and out. How do you move that bottom part of the steering nuckle out of the way???

 

BJs are one weekend deal on 2wd ranger. I advice you to be carefull eith springs uscrewing lower BJ, because spring extracts with dangerouse for your hand force. Use small additional hydravric jack.... Nock lower BJ out with hummer.....

 

If I remember correctly I popped off the Tie rod end, and Sway bar end link. This allowed the whole spindle assembly to swing forward, hanging from the upper ball joint. For the price, it's a good time to just replace the sway bar links, and even the tie rod ends. Links are about $18 per side with urethane bushings. Tie rod end I wanna say was under $30. Finish all, and get it aligned one time.

 

That did it. Poping out the tie rod end gave me the room to press out the ball joint. Now everything is tight. No side play or top to bottom play in the tire. There is just a slight amount of play on the other tire so I think I will replace that lower ball joint also. The top ball joints feel just fine. That's good cause I can't for the life of me figure out how they are held onto the upper control arm. There is no keeper ring. No bolts. No welds etc.

 

I dont remember which years but some you need to buy the whole control arm for the uppers.

 

Glad it worked out for ya! I hate to see people pay full price for things like that, That they can handle themselves. It might not be a bad Idea to do that other lower now, if you are able. I like to do them in pairs. Especially if you already have the press borrowed/rented. But I know not everyone has the $$$ around.

As for the uppers, my 99 I had to do control arms. They cost $67 each, but it made them sooooooo easy to replace. Just the main nut and cotter pin on the ball joint to spindle, and the 2 bolts on the frame. No special tools needed.

 

The '98-up 2WDs with coils have replacable upper ball joints, torsion bar Rangers need the whole arm replaced.

 

Yes you can buy the upper ball joints for my 2001 Ranger and don't have to replace the control arms. You can also buy the control arm with the ball joint already installed in the control arm. That might be the easier way to go. Was wondering...if you remove the bolt and nut on the ball joint and remove the two bolts on the control arm, will the whole assembly just lift out or do you need to dissconnect the lower ball joint in order to have room to pull off the upper control arm and ball joint? I don't think it woul make any difference if I changed the uppers cause after I changed the lowers there is no play in any direction on the tires. Everythinh is tight.

 

I had to wait for one to get ordered, so the uppers got installed a week later than my lowers. and I did not have to take off the lower at all to do the upper.

I know on my uppers, the bushings in the control arm were creaking and the tires definately cambered in at top. Went the whole control arm route because it fixed it all at once.

Twice I got ball joints listed as replacements for the uppers. and they looked way different, and when I went back it was because they were for different setup. Whether 4x4, torsion. I don't know.

 

Dont forget to get an alignment if you move the top one

 

X2. I think it was mentioned earlier, but def. don't forget it within a few days or so after finishing.