95mustang302

my cars front suspension squeaks when i turn the wheel or go over bumps. I believe it is my lower ball joints messing up. If i wanted to change them myself, would it be at all possible? If I had to get it done at a shop how much would I be looking at?

P Zero

Your ball joints are bad. Mustang ball joints will NEVER get loose like other cars. They have a wear indicator on the bottom of them to let you know when they need replacing. When they squeak like yours are doing, theyre very close to breaking on you. The PROPER repair as stated by the Ford service manual is to replace the whole lower control arm. You might as well do that and get the Ford Racing lower control arms, they have improved geometry and better bushings/heavier duty ball joints, theyre well worth the $$$ IMO.
-P.

primetime5.0

you can replace just the ball joint you can rent the tool at auto zone, or like me I just took both a arms off and had someone press in new ones

CarJway

Yes you can do it your self. It may take you a better part of your day if it's your first time. Nothing hard, just time consuming. You can either buy the tool at Harbor Frieght or just rent one at your local parts store.

Hawk

P Zero, I don't think you and I will ever see eye to eye on this. You DO NOT need to replace the entire lower control arm, and most shops would agree, unless they are trying to rip you off for some more money. You just need to replace the lower ball joints. ($32.00/ball joint). Unless something else is worn out and needs to be replaced, this is the only thing you will need to buy and yes, this is a driveway install for someone with mechanical ability.

In regards to the proper way to do things. In the early years of mustangs, the coil spring was mounted against the upper control arm. With those models, yes you did replace the entire lower control arm, but that was seldom done because that was the follower ball joint, which very seldom needed to be replaced. The upper ball joint was the load carrying ball joint, and the one that would usually go bad. But now adays, the spring is mounted against the lower control arm, and the lower ball joint is the load carrying ball joint. And by no means is it necessary to replace the enitre control arm when the ball joint is worn.

If you want to replace the stock control arms with a better performance part, by all means go for it and you will see a suspension improvement. But it is not necessary.

Here are some past threads regarding ball joints:
https://mustangforums.com/m_1671318/tm.htm
https://mustangforums.com/m_1890815/tm.htm

OnyxCobra

any chance you could post a part number for that part? I'm planning on replacing my whole control arm. It makes more sense then putting new hardware in an old part, its only a matter of time for the CA to become worn as well IMO.

7upedition

replace the lower control arm... ford states it for a reason.... jmo though

dillon1340

replace the whole arm is my opinion too. if the ball joints are bad there's a good chance the bushings are bad also. the new arms have improved geometry also. i found it to be a pain in the butt to do though.

OJMiles

If you're going through the trouble of replacing the whole arm, just get an aftermarket one like AJE, they make them with the spring perches and are supposed to be quite a bit lighter also.... Not to mention this is coming off your unspring weight, and they say 1lbs off unsprung weight is like 10lbs off of sprung weight...

ckyguy68

this is true