'04 Suspension upgrade/replacement update/question

[rgorke]

Post Alignment Update...

What an amazing difference!!! Until I started getting this slight wander/driving on ice feeling (and yes, even though I live in SoCal I know what driving on ice feels like. I lived in DC for 15 years! LOL!)

I thought it might be my power steering leak and rack failing and/or my parents had an issue of the arm bolts not being torqued when they had it aligned a decade ago. I get the car home and up on the ramps and see that the left ball joint nut is loose/not tight. EEEK! not sure if that was me not tightening it or not putting thread lock on it. I got it tightened up just as the rain started again. I took it for a test drive and all is well. I will order some new nyloc bolts and more thread lock!!!

Now, the only part of the suspension I haven't replaced is the rear uppers and the aforementioned ball joints/knuckle. Seeing that the knuckles are nearly $500 each, is there a Motorcraft 16mm ball joint that I could press into the existing knuckle?

 

[04_Sport_LS]

Moog "K" series ball joints are what I used.

Warning: Replacing ball joints in the knuckle can be tricky.

There are a few threads on here from people who have replaced (or tried to replace) ball joints... using supposed proper tools designed for the job... that didn't quite work as intended on the LS.

I suggest searching the forum and doing some reading... just to see what worked... and what didn't.

 

[milehighmikey]

Loose ball joint nylock nuts are usually caused by a badly seized ball joint internals. It makes it easier to undo the nut than to turn the ball joint internally, so the steering rack provides that amount of torque to the knuckle to loosen that nut. If it happens again with a new nylok nut installed, you have a bad ball joint.

 

[rgorke]

Loose ball joint nylock nuts are usually caused by a badly seized ball joint internals. It makes it easier to undo the nut than to turn the ball joint internally, so the steering rack provides that amount of torque to the knuckle to loosen that nut. If it happens again with a new nylok nut installed, you have a bad ball joint.

Thanks, I'll definitely keep and eye on it...