Ball joint questions

ShaneM · 11-01-2009, 10:12 PM

so when i had my car at the shop a few week sago for the brakes and springs/shocks to be installed they told my I needed new ball joints. i have searched around on the forums a bit, but wanted to get some fresh opinions most of the threads i found were old.

I lowered the car with the eiback pro kit FWIW. Question is this, do you have to buy the front a-arms or can you just have any shop put in the steeda ball joints i the stock parts or are the steeda offerings even a good choice. The reason i ask is the only ball joints I come across are steeda's offering other than some ford racing a-arms i found that stated in the description you had to buy the arms to get the joints. I don't want to add lots of NVH, but I wouldn't mind using some perforance parts. The car is a DD and I would like to get back into my (poorly driven) autocross and maybe do a coupel track days next year.

Also when i lowered the car i had them install some new GT500 spring mounts so that shodl not be the source, but the right front wheel seems to click every now and again. Is that a symptom of a bad ball joint?

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Garyalpusa · 11-02-2009, 02:24 PM

The stock ball joints are kinda weak....I upgraded to the GT500 front Arms which have a stronger ball joint. You might be able to find a replacement GT500 ball joint and have them installed. The ford dealer or maybe NAPA. Tell them its an 07 GT500. They will press into the stock arms. I got the whole assemblies for 250 on Ebay. Installed them myself so I saved there. It may be less expensive to buy those and have them installed than all the labor to remove the old joints and have the new ones pressed in. Ask your shop for an estimate both ways....GA

ShaneM · 11-02-2009, 03:39 PM

I ran across some bmi front control arms. Can someone tell me the benefit of the bmi parts compared to the stock or gt 500 parts? Price diff isn't that much really. Curious if there is any need in parts like that for a street car.

RodeoFlyer · 11-02-2009, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaneM

I ran across some bmi front control arms. Can someone tell me the benefit of the bmi parts compared to the stock or gt 500 parts? Price diff isn't that much really. Curious if there is any need in parts like that for a street car.

I'm guessing you mean BMR. If so, they would not be a benefit. Their have been several design changes and failures. They are better suited to drag racing.

If you have the scratch to throw at the car, the GT500 arms are the way to go, but really not necessary.

ShaneM · 11-02-2009, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RodeoFlyer

I'm guessing you mean BMR. If so, they would not be a benefit. Their have been several design changes and failures. They are better suited to drag racing.

If you have the scratch to throw at the car, the GT500 arms are the way to go, but really not necessary.

lol yeah that is what i meant. thks fro the info, I'll go with the GT500 ones. Thanks all.

Rubrignitz · 11-02-2009, 04:40 PM

I purchased the GT500 arms and had the local machine shop press in my Steeda X5 joints. Cost me $42 to have the stock joints pushed out and the steeda's in.

I was nervous about being halfway through the project of swapping old/new control arms and not being able to get the old joints out and X5's in with the press I rented from autozone. Glad I had the machine shop do it...from what they told me it would have been really tough to get them in/out with that manual press.

Rubrignitz · 11-02-2009, 06:47 PM

As for the Steeda being good parts, check the pic below. You can see the difference in the stock GT500 and steedas x5. Comparing them in person the steeda is a much sturdier piece with a locking ring wheras the stock 500 joint is only pressed in. I'd recommend replacing them with the X5's since you're lowered.

Sleeper_08 · 11-03-2009, 08:45 AM

I'm running the Steeda X5 balljoints in GT500 control arms and after 15 track days everything is still good.

Note that per the Steeda web site the X5 ball joints require 18 inch rims to clear.

Import_Slaya · 11-04-2009, 12:04 AM

Quick question for everyone running the X5's--assuming you installed the bump steer kit at the same time, did you go through the full process of dialing in/out bump steer, or did you just eyeball it in relation to the control arm?

Rubrignitz · 11-04-2009, 07:20 PM

Good question and what I considered when installing the bumpsteer kit. Right now mine is near stock setting and ok for the street but I plan to purchase the MM kit for adjusting the bumpsteer properly in my garage with the gauge kit and hydraulic jack. The kit is basically useless until you either take it to a suspension shop with a come-along that can pull the suspension through its range or purchase this gauge kit and do it at home with a jack. This is my next project....

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/in...roducts_id=193