Can you replace lower ball joint on a 1993 ford explorer?

Answer 1

Yes, you can. But first and foremost, you need ALL of the following:

1> Set of safety goggles.

2> 3+ ton, roll around floor jack with 360 degree handle.

3> 1/2" drive ratchet, with set of 5-point, deep well, METRIC sockets 1/2"

drive.

4> 2 - 3 ton, jack stands.

5> Metric-nut SPRING compressors. You can buy SAE "nut" compressors, but

you must have the deep-well, 1/2" drive socket to fit the compressor's nut.

6> 1 ton hydraulic jack .

7> $15-20 work gloves (leather/neoprene combo are ideal).

You first need to have the front end of your vehicle, on a level, hard surface: contrete driveway (preferably shaded), carport - even IF just the front end of your vehicle can only fit, but the rear can't, due to a low roof.

Chock the rear wheels of your SUV [use wedges, cut from a 2"x4", 2 red bricks; anything that will keep your SUV from accidentially rolling backwards].

SET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE OF YOUR SUV - added safety never hurt anyone!

PREPARE TO REPLACE BOTH SIDES (lower ball jointS), not just the one. Why? Because study after study has shown, especially with automotive joints and light bulbs that, when one goes, the matching bulb or joint, will fail within 5K miles! Ignore this advice; perform the job, as outlined below; look at all YOUR TIME you invested in replacing just ONE lower ball joint. WRITE THESE THINGS DOWN, that way, when your other lower ball joint fails, you can look at the piece of paper, just to remind yourself that you could have SAVED YOUR TIME (and probably money, as auto parts keep going up, as petroleum and the value of the US dollar yo-yo.)

Ever had to replace a rear brake and/or running light bulb (an 1157, for example)? Ever wonder WHY these are sold in PAIRS? Because you are to replace BOTH sides, not just one. I have worked on autos for over two decades, so take what I wrote above as IMHO.

Okay, let's move-on to what lies ahead. BTW: Do you won a Hayes or Chilton's Reapir Manual, for your make/year/model SUV? IF not, go to Auto Zone or Advanced (for Hayes); Books A Million or Barnes & Noble, for Chilton's (better reading and illustrations).

Remove your front tire(sset them aside, where they are out-of-the-way, placing the lug nuts, one the inside of the rim for the tire the came off of. Why? Because IF your mix-up your lugs, assuming you have BOTH front tires off, you may have to have the tire(s) rebalanced!

Next, slide the hydraulic jack, underneath the lower control arm. IF you cannot fit this jack, underneath the lower control arm, which is what you LOWER BALL JOINT is attached to, then jack-up your vehiclle with your floor hydraulic jack until you can slide you 1-ton hydraulic jack under the aforementioned.

Next, take your JACK STANDS, from the rear most, wheel well (half-round shaped part of the body of your SUV, where the tire is normally mounted (recessed in), measure toward the BACK OF YOUR VEHICLE, about 18-20", find a flat spot underneath your SUV - usually the outside of your frame, known as the frame rail, is a good place. Jack up the post of your jack stand, until it meets the frame of your SUV; do EXACTLY THE SAME, on the OPPOSITE SIDE of your SUV. Be sure that your jacks stand's post snaps into place with the lock. IF you have to lower this post, say no more than 1", to get it to lock, then do so - on BOTH SIDES!

Next, slowly lower your floor hydraulic jack. Check your jack stands to make sure all three "feet" of the stands are in 100% contact with the ground; that the stand's posts are LOCKED IN PLACE; that the top end of the stand's support post is in 100% contact with the frame of your vehicle. Not a bad idea to check your REAR WHEEL "chocks", ensuring they have not shifted and/or moved. IF so, relocate your chocks, so that BOTH chocks are 100% in contact with the ground, as well as the surfaces of the rear tires.