Ball joints

[Sherpa]

I have a 1997 F150 4wd. Getting new tires put on as I type. The shop tells me I need new ball joints. all four. They said around $800 for the job. Mostly I'm wondering if this price sounds right. Also how bad will this mess my tires up if I let it go for a couple thousand miles? Thanks in advance.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

If your ball joints are loose, It will wear the tires abnormally, without knowing how "loose" they are it is hard to tell. .

It is a possibility in a few hundred miles your tires could be shot, It is hard to tell over the internet.

I would suggest that you have the shop install camber caster alignment cams, if they have not been installed already, and have them check the alignment.

[K_Josh87]

good chance of wearing the tires quickly... did ball joints and upper control arms on my nephews 2000 150 this summer, same thing, he was told to do them when he put the tires on, let them go, tires that where on the front for only a few thousand miles where basically shot... it was an easy job to do though...

[Sherpa]

Thanks guys. I'll get it done soon. I do not want to ruin new tires. I've already found the parts for way less than the tire place charged for them. I might try to do it myself but not sure yet. It didn't look too hard in the Hanes manual. I don't own a puller though.

Johnbigdog can you elaborate anymore on the cams? Is that something a shop normally doesn't do when replacing ball joints?

[Jeremy airjer W]

Parts for less and cheap parts are typically not the same. Install the cheap stuff and you will be doing the job again in a short time.

The upper control arms are used to adjust camber and caster. From the factory there is a metal plate on the nut side of each cam bolt that prevents adjustment. These need to be removed and the cams need to be installed if adjustments need to be made.

I prefer to leave them alone and more often than not camber and caster will be just fine with the new parts. If adjustments are needed then the alignment shop will charge you for the parts and labor to install them.

[Scott K]

I would suggest having them re looked at and make sure they are all bad.

[MuleShack]

I have a 1997 F150 4wd. Getting new tires put on as I type. The shop tells me I need new ball joints. all four. They said around $800 for the job. Mostly I'm wondering if this price sounds right. Also how bad will this mess my tires up if I let it go for a couple thousand miles? Thanks in advance.

Were you noticing any abnormal wear before going into get new tires?

I knew mine were getting bad because I had outside wear on my front tires...this was going on all summer but it was minimal so I let it go until this fall when I was going to get new tires anyway. with in the last month, the passenger side got really bad and wore about 1/8" off in a month so I knew I had to get in soon. It was around $800 for a 2500

[K_Josh87]

I am A LOT better carpenter than I am mechanic, And I was able to do the ball joints and upper control arms very easily, If i remember right, I did the lower ball joints, upper control arms, rear pads, and all 4 shocks for around 300 or 400 bucks in parts... I cannot remember exactly off the top of my head. I went through advanced auto, and if you buy the parts through them they will rent you the tools for free, they charge you full price for the tools, and once they are returned they return the full amount. There where a couple you tube videos that where very helpful with the tricks to use... after I was done they had to take it in for a final alignment, which was less than a hundred bucks, and they where good to go...

[Sherpa]

The prices were both for moog parts. The tire shop and the auto parts store told me they were the higher quality ones they sold. I think they are what I will probably go with. After reading a bit more and watching a video on how to do it I think I'm just going to bring it in. I think it's a little over my head unfortunately. I have a regular shop that I go to so I think I'll be more comfortable with them looking at it than the tire place. My tires did have a little uneven wear and some cupping but they also had very little tread depth left. Probably still a sign something is wrong with my front end though. Thanks again guys for the responses.