Re-using ball joints - Page 2

ScrapIron · 05-09-2023, 08:00 PM

EMF offers non-knurled OEM size joints or you can order the knurled over size joints for knuckles that are excessively worn. These are the non-knurled OEM joints.

Im certain EMF will say dont transfer them to different knuckles. Primarily because they are in the business of selling parts.

boywonder · 05-10-2023, 07:16 AM

Since they are rebuildable......EMF must sell replacement parts.

Any chance you can buy just the press-in bodies and then transfer the rest of the parts over? .......it's likely the one component not available as a part....

...just a thought.....

ScrapIron · 05-10-2023, 03:24 PM

Good idea, i will give them a call tomorrow and see if thats an option.

arctictraveller · 05-13-2023, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScrapIron

Good idea, i will give them a call tomorrow and see if thats an option.

I’d be willing to bet that if you measured the OD of the new and old one they would be nearly identical unless the old one showed signs of scoring or damage from the installation and removal process.

boywonder · 05-13-2023, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

I’d be willing to bet that if you measured the OD of the new and old one they would be nearly identical unless the old one showed signs of scoring or damage from the installation and removal process.

That may be tricky....the press fit may be .0005"-.001"....it's not much. Calipers won't get you there. You'd really need giant gage pins.

ScrapIron · 05-13-2023, 02:05 PM

Thats my primary concern. How many thousandths or fractions there of is required to cause the balljoints to start spinning in the knuckle. If i was installing a used set of OEM knuckles i wouldnt be concerned. At $600 each plus tax for these high steer knuckles i dont really want to play trial and error to find out.

Highly likely that i could press them out and put them in the new knuckles and never have an issue, but there is that possibility. That said, If personal experience has taught me anything over the years its that if something can go wrong it usually will in my case. I kinda give new meaning to the phrase, "luck of the Irish" when it comes to working on my truck.

boywonder · 05-13-2023, 02:14 PM

Scrapiron: Have you reached out to EMF for buying just the press-in bodies? If they sell 'em that's got to be cheaper than another $700...

ScrapIron · 05-13-2023, 02:47 PM

Not yet Boywonder, so much happend this last week i havent taken the time. It will have to wait until first of the week.

My father got dizzy standing at the toilet and fell into the bathtub and hit his head. He spent most of the week in the hospital and now he is in a rehab facility. Im also waiting on some new parts from Timberline to showup, new style tracbar, shorter spring perches, and some other items. I picked up 16 new lugnuts from ford and some new no squeek OEM ford coil spring isolators.

I want to do all of this at the same time when i do the balljoints and knuckles so i have some time. Tim said he now has pitman arms available that have been tapered for the F350 drag link as well as a sleeve and goodies to allow using the F350 drag link on the vans so i will likely order that next week as well.

arctictraveller · 05-13-2023, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boywonder

That may be tricky....the press fit may be .0005"-.001"....it's not much. Calipers won't get you there. You'd really need giant gage pins.

I agree, but as a machinist I have tools to easily measure them that most folks don’t. If I wanted to be 100% as sure as possible, I’d buy new, but if, based on the removed condition and, I would be satisfied with a 99.999% chance it would be fine, I would use them, but that’s just me, I’m a bit of a risk taker and most times it works out but it occasionally it doesn’t.

ScrapIron · 05-13-2023, 08:33 PM

Arctic, i tend to agree. I think what i will do is take it apart, then press out the balljoints and see how things look. Then i will press them into the new knuckles and just pay attention to how they feel going in. Worse case, i lose a couple days with one side sitting on jack stands waiting for parts.

I have so many parts here and parts still on order, plus rear hubs that are going to cost a small fortune. I need to pinch as many pennies as possible. I really need to be done with the front end of this thing so i can move onto the rear axle.