I need to replace my lower. Ball joints I bought the ones that everyone in parts store was calling for and my son works at auto value ad manager I had him check out the part # make sure I have the one I need.it all checked out I pulled the ball joint out ready to put new ones in and yeps! Wrong ones????? I checked with other parts stores and came up with the same part #.went to ford they came up with the same part # as before?? They tell me for the 2004. I have to replace the whole arm???? What's up with that I tryed to find replacement but keep coming up with the same part # as all the other parts stores.the original ball joints have a splined outside and are or look different bigger!.the. Fit is 16 thousands of an inch to small on the new ones with not splined.

 

The splines are intended to "bite" deeply into the control arm, press-fitted, to prevent loosening in service. Years ago, ALL ball joints were riveted in place in the arms, and the rivets had to be either ground off or drilled out. Some guys air-chiseled the heads off. Replacement joints came mounting bolts. No luck today. imp

 

It sounds like you just need some oversize ball-joints. That's what I had to use last time I changed mine. The regular ones were too small, so I had to take my new ball-joints (Raybestos 505-1223) back to the store and get oversize ones (Raybestos 505-1223OS) instead.

I just now confirmed the part numbers on my old receipts, but a quick online search and I'm not sure if they're available anymore... I guess you could try adding "OS" to the end of other brand part numbers and see if anything comes up. Otherwise, yeah you may just have to buy whole new control arms.

Edit: Apparently ACDelco has an oversize version, part number 45D2223OS. Looks identical to the Raybestos one, might even be out of the same factory.

 

Besides what is stated (you need over-sized ball joints), I would instead consider just replacing the whole control arm with the ballpoint already installed, why? Because your control arm bushings are probably just as shot, or if they are not, they will be and then you'll be doing this again in 6 months or a year.