WindyMustang89

i have been told that i can replace the lower ball joint on my driver side without replacing the arm. then i have been told i have to replace the whole control arm ... i have no idea which is true. my mustang is a 2007 deluxe convertible plus i need to know if i need a compressor to do it or not. the garage i go to wants 312 for the replace with labor which is 100 an hour here in fl..plus 89 for the alignment. im looking to do it myself so a little info would save big bucks..thanks

Kevin509

I had the lower ball joints replaced on my car when I bought it, it's the upper ones I believe that are non replaceable and you have to replace the whole arm.

I had the shop do it though so I'm no help on how to do it. You might look into getting a Haynes manual or something like that for the car and see if there are instructions there.

TTS197

The ball joints for the front control arms are replaceable.
You can go with some aftermarket ones from steeda.
I don't think you need an alignment please correct me if I'm wrong any one.
http://www.steeda.com/store/steeda-x...d-mustang.html

or a cheaper alternative. each
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mo...tang/year/2007

or the whole unit can be replaced.

http://www.stage3motorsports.com/pro...FQGvnQodg1YATg

Here's a how to on replacing them.
http://www.steeda.com/store/uploads/...-mustang-1.pdf

Cavero

I've had the uh...experience of replacing my ball joints myself. Let's just say that if you can afford to replace the entire arm you should seriously consider doing. It will be a lot easier IMHO. If you want to replace just the ball joint you will need a pickle fork (to pry the ball joint stem out of the wheel hub), as well as a ball joint press (to first extract the original ball joint out of the control arm and then to press the new one in). You can get both from the local parts store , the fork is fairly cheap. The press is one of those things you can rent. This work would only take an experienced shop a couple hours. It will probably take you 4 or more. The hugest pain in the **** is extracting the old joint and pressing the new one in --straight and undamaged.

And most time you take the front suspension apart you'll need an alignment. I needed one because my new ball joints were Steeda x5's which have a longer stem that changed the geometry of the front suspension.

TTS197

Thanks for clarifying that Cavero,That makes sense. I've replaced my end links and needed an alignment but wasn't sure about the ball joint since I haven't had the need to do so yet.
It does seem to be and easier job to just replace the whole unit.

Cavero

Np. I should mention that to replace the whole control arm you'll still need the pickle fork to separate the ball joint from the wheel (after taking out the pinch bolt first). You'll also need to unbolt the steering rack from the frame (DON'T disconnect any hydraulic lines) so you can get access to the front control arm bolt on each arm.

The rear bolts will have somewhat limited access between the arm and the underside of the chassis, and will be HUGE, like 22 or 24mm. But not bad to get at. They will require a lot of torque, so I'd get a fairly long handled box wrench.

On a side note, there's something to keep in mind with the steering rack. To move it enough out of the way, you may have to disconnect the steering shaft. If you do, make sure you secure the steering wheel first because it will freely rotate when you disconnect the shaft. Inside the steering wheel is a wire wrap module called a clock spring, which is basically a coiled up ribbon cable that allows your steering wheel controls (rotates with the steering wheel obviously) to connect with the rest of the vehicle's wiring harness (stationary). The clock spring has enough slack to allow full lock-to-lock turns of the steering wheel. But if you allow the steering wheel to spin when the steering shaft is diconnected then you could end up with less slack on one side than the other and you could snap the ribbon cable. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. You can align the clock spring back up if this happens but its easier not to let it move in the first place. You could tie the steering wheel spokes to the shifter or the pedals.

If this sounds way more complicated than replacing just the ball joint, it does have more steps. But is it easier? HELL YES.

By the way, stay away from Steeda X5 ball joints unless you've put on lowering springs. They have a longer stem than a normal ball joint, meant to correct steering geometry on lowered cars. If you install them on a car with stock ride height, you will make the car handle worse.

908ssp

You don't need to remove the bolts for the steering rack. Just turn the steering wheel all the way to the drivers side for the drivers arm and all they to the passenger side for the passenger side arm. I've done it four times that way it works just be careful you don't rip the boot over the rack tie rod.

Cavero

**** never thought of that

Cavero

I think we scared her away