Front suspension, rotors, brakes

[lonestarjeff]

Got around to replacing ball joints, upper control arms, rotors, bearings, & pads this week. 163k on all parts except pads. I went with Moog for suspension parts, Raybestos rotors & pads, Timken bearings. As
usual, I didn't think to take pics of the process, but here's the old parts laying in the trailer....

The pads & rotors were well past expiration, & the lower ball joints were both wiggly. All parts came from Rockauto...about $300.

I did the right side 1st, had some trouble separating the old ball joints using hammers, but they both finally let go....that's when I remembered I had fork in the tool box. :-/

The left side went way faster. Both sides the old lower ball joints were still very tight in the knuckle, but the new lower ball joints were not that tight a fit. Moog makes a slightly oversize version, but I didn't want to wait so I used a cold chisel on the knuckle holes to get a press fit.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Only 163k on a first gen?!?! Has it been in quarantine for a decade?

 

[lonestarjeff]

Bought it in '05 with 11k on the clock. Actually bought it for my daughter when she was in college to haul her big dog around. After a summer of putting gas in it she gave it back to me. It's never been a daily driver for me, but too useful to let it go.

 

[lancastor]

did you do wheel bearings because you heard something or, proactively, just because you were in there?

i've done everything else you're doing aside from the bearings and i'm wondering if that's the binding/knocking noise i'm hearing in my wheel right now.

 

[lonestarjeff]

A preventative on this truck, but my F150 of the same model started making the noises you describe well before 100k miles(the left side outer bearing came out in pieces). I guess I felt like the Expedition set were on borrowed time. Have to admit though the old sets I pulled off the Expy still looked good.