95 Bronco Ball Joint ??

[silicon_bronco]

Hello To all,

I am new to the list and a new owner of a 95 full size Bronco.

So, my ? is :

I have this shake when I get up to about 65 - 70 mph so I take it to a local shop to have a aliment put on it. The shop tech says that it needs new upper and lower Ball Joints. So I say how much the tech comes back with :

2 upper BJ @ 64.99 x 2 = 129.88

2 lower BJ @ 55.96 x 2 = 111.92

2 4WD CAMS O/S @ 35.00 x 2 =70.00

So I do some web searching and find Bronco Graveyard.

BGY has Dana OEM 44 - Ball Joints, 1 upper & 1 lower ( pair ) @ 45.00 x 2 = 90.00

so i say sweet!! got to like that. Now what is the 4WD CAMS O/S all about?

The tech says not to use the 4WD as of now or I will F*ck it up.

Do the 4WD cams have anything to do with this?

As you can see the shop is also trying to I feel ripe me off with the cost of parts as well.

What do any of you think about this, if anything...

And boy do i have many more thing i want to talk about with the reconditioning of this Bad Boy truck of mine.. Like Detroit Lockers, Trans rebuild, custom Dash consoles, etc.

Thank for all the help..

HB

 

[rubberdust]

My guess is they are talking about the cams for setting the alignment? Other wise your basicly getting the toe set & that's it on an alignment.

As for not using the 4WD depending on how far gone everything is they maybe just trying to reduce your shaking, but the basic function of the system shouldn't prevent you from putting it in 4WD.

Parts prices vary greatly & when you are buying online or even at a variety of the replacement parts stores you'll certainly pay less. They are selling them to people that will do it themselves. Every shop I've ever worked at, ran or deal with today marks up the parts they buy for repairs.

No offense but thats how these places stay in business it's kind of the capitalist way things work. If you've got the tools & the time you'll save a bundle but it is not a job I'd jump into without looking at what it will take.

I'm as anxious to save a dollar as anybody but some days I've learned it is alot better in the long run to get it done by a shop that KNOWS what they are doing & stands behind their work. I've got a degree in Automotive Technology & there is a bunch of jobs I started & wished I'd just grabbed the credit card & had it done.

Beyond the front end alignment & parts having the tires dynamicly balanced is a good idea to start with until you get the rest done. With larger wheels & tires you may need to add a steering stablizer as well basicly a horizontal shock to dampen front end shake.

 

[Seabronc]

Couldn't have said it better than Rubberdust. Parts markup and labor is what makes it possible for the shop to exist. A man is worth his labor and even though some of the guys/gals on this forum may be able to do the job themselves there is no one to go to if it brakes a month later ( .

If you have the skills and tools go for it, if not let you local friendly shop have all the fun /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> .

Good luck,

>-

 

[silicon_bronco]

Thanks for all the advice.

I will most likely take it to a shop as i do not have the tools and or the time as of now. I would love to be able to do the work my self but as I don't know how and i am getting to old to go to school to learn i will pay some one to do it for me.

Now this brings me to another ???? I will be moving from Michigan to NC July 9th and I would like to get the work done before that but reading what you all have said maybe i should wait and get down to NC and have someone do the work there as if anything does go wrong I'll be able to go to the shop and have some words.. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I just don't like the shaking I get when I get up to 65mph but all this said I will save a little on gas keeping it a 55mph..

thanks for all the help..

 

[rubberdust]

Wow tough call on, to fix it now or wait, I'd likely attempt to get to NC & look for a shop down there so I'd have somebody to deal with if there is any issues, not that there should be this is pretty straight forward job. You didn't mention the radius arm bushings before but unless they have been replaced I'd expect you'll be needing them as well.

I'd probably invest in getting the wheels balanced before I left though.

I know the guys at Clemson 4X4 in SC & they do good work, but maybe somebody on here can get you pointed in the right direction where your moving to.

Shopping for a good shop is always an adventure, but a delight when you find a good one.

 

[silicon_bronco]

The radius arm bushings have been replaced. I am taking the 95 to the shop today as my wife had one of her tires knifed on her truck by one of her little f*cking students that she held back. So I fig. that i'll have the 95 tires balanced as well..

little sh*ts, need to stuffed in a bag.. >

oh did I say that..

thanks all..

 

[silicon_bronco]

Well I just got the front tires balanced and they where off by 3oz. each. After all was done I took the 95 on the hi-way and let me say this helped out a LOT!!! Now I feel that my teeth will not fall out if I go 70-mph and all.

Now let me ask this. What is a good manufacturer for ball joints?

thanks..

 

[Seabronc]

A man is worth his labor and even though some of the guys/gals on this forum may be able to do the job themselves there is no one to go to if it brakes a month later  ( . 
If you have the skills and tools go for it, if not let you local friendly shop have all the fun  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> .

Good luck,

>-

23931[/snapback]

​

Didn't mean to scare you with that statement, just making a point. The possibility of breaking a ball joint is pretty remote, but you never know what you are getting into when you start a job on an older vehicle. for ex. I started by just replacing front bearings on my truck last year and then found several things that needed to be done. Ended up doing everything from the differential out.

>-

 

[rubberdust]

Can't say I have a favorite brand of ball joints I think the last ones I replaced were TRW & they were just fine

 

[texan79&96]

i did my own and saved $600 of labor from a respectable shop here. the special tools you need are a d44 socket, tourqe wrench, 33mm deep socket (i think its 33 anyway) and a balljoint press. i got my press from harbor freight for $40 and used lifetime waranty moog balljoints from oreilys. get a repair manual and a cheater pipe to press those things in there. with the camber cams get them from superlift they have 2 3/4 degrees instead of the usual alignment shop 2 degree cams in case you ever wanna level the truck 2".