How to: Ford Ranger 2wd Upper Control Arm Replacement
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ค. 2018
- How to change the upper control arms on a Ford Ranger. The truck I’m working with here today is a 1998 Ranger 2wd equipped with front coil spring suspension. The same procedure can also be applied to the Mazda B series trucks. The upper control arms on this truck has an alignment adjustment that affects the camber. I would highly recommend having your taken in for an alignment. If the alignment is incorrect, this can affect the handling and also cause excessive wear on your tires. The control arms can fail in a couple ways, one is through the ball joint and the other is through the bushings. When worn you may notice clunking, irregular handling, or uneven wear on your tires. In an extreme situation, the steering knuckle can separate from the upper control arm at the ball joint. #fordranger #ford #mazdabseries
Right control arm (Canada): bit.ly/2upQZ9C
Left control arm (Canada): bit.ly/2zGTHwp
Right control arm (USA): bit.ly/2unDC9O
Left control arm (USA): bit.ly/2KYaa4G
US website: www.autopartsway.com
Canadian website: www.autopartsway.ca
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Tools/Supplies Needed:
-15mm socket
-16mm socket
-3/8” drive ratchet
-1/2” drive ratchet
-1/2” breaker bar
-wire brush
-new control arms
-spray paint or a paint marker
-hammer
-sandpaper
-jack and stands
-punch
Procedure:
-safety elevate the front of the truck, use jack stands, and then remove the wheels
-remove the rubber barrier which is held on with plastic clips
-use a wire brush to clean up the threads and camber adjustment plates
-mark the camber plates using a paint marker or spray paint
-remove the 15mm pinch bolt which connects to the steering knuckle
-using a hammer, knock out the pinch bolt and then tap the control arm out of it’s location
-to remove the control arm bushing bolts, they require a 21mm socket and remove the bolts
-do not mix up the camber plates as they are different between each side
-pull out the control arm
-compare the old and new control arms to ensure they are the same
-there are different control arms for both the right and left sides of the truck
-using sandpaper, clean up the pinch clamp where the ball joint fits into place to remove any debris
-reinstall the new control arms, snug the arms in place but do not tighten them
-install the ball joint in the pinch connection and then install the pinch bolt
-you may need a hammer to help assist that bolt into place, be careful not to damage the threads
-the torque spec for this bolt is 35 to 46 ft lbs
-the same procedure applied to the opposite side
-using a wire brush, clean up the threads of the bolts and alignment areas so it can be easily marked
-remove the rubber barrier which is held into place with the plastic clips
-I used paint to mark the outline of the eccentrics, a paint marker can also be used to make lines instead
-using a 15mm socket and wrench, remove the pinch bolt
-then knock out the pinch bolt with a hammer
-use 21mm sockets to remove the control arm bushing bolts
-in order to break these bolts free, I used a breaker bar first
-remove the control arm
-clean up the spot where the ball joint fastens into the steering knuckle using sandpaper
-install the new control arm, you may need a hammer to gently tap it into place
-install the bushing bolts and snug everything into place, but don’t fully tighten them just yet
-install the ball joint into the steering knuckle
-install the pinch bolt and then tighten, the torque spec for this bolt is 35 to 46 ft lbs
-reinstall the wheels on both sides, the vehicle should be on responsibly level ground to do the bushing preload
-tighten the control arm bushings, the torque specs for these bolts are 83 to 113 ft lbs
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Your tutorials are the BEST EVER! THANK YOU!
Hey man, I'm doing front end work on my Mazda b2500, I'm a 28 year old just getting into doing my own repair work on my vehicle because I'm not going to a shop anymore unless I have too. These videos are great. The ball joints upper and lower would be 1000+ plus fix. I already did the shocks absorbers, this is next on the list just waiting on the parts. This is very much appreciated thank you brother
Thank you so much for the feedback and kind words! Happy to hear I am able to help.
Clear instructions. Very helpful. Thank you.
Holy cow that control arm was knackered 😁. Another great video. Thanks 👍
Thank you! We did a huge load of gravel with this truck so it definitely finished off the suspension. Been sitting ever since until this is fully fixed.
Well Done, Thank You for making this video.
You're very welcome!
be careful buying them online my buddy got the 4wd set of upper control arms and the ball joints were too big for his 2wd. lol they looked identical and very easy to mistake them.
Good instruction and voice👍🏼 Thanks
You're welcome!
Thank you , very nice and complete video.
Thank you so much!
New to your channel, Cheers from Austin Texas.
Welcome and thank you for the support!
I cranked the bolt for the ball joint and steering knuckle, but it popped right out when I started moving. I'm loosening the control arm bolts to hopefully get it back into adjustment.
Hi nice video do you have any on front shocks changing same year rwd thanks
Nice. Good video.
Thank you!
Thanks.
Awesome video just about to do this
Thank you :)
Love those wheels
Thanks!
Your videos are super helpful and in an awesome format for people! Thanks for all your help, and not just this video! Keep it up, man. Thanks again.
Thank you, I really appreciate the kind words and support!
Nice Video, can the uppr cntrl arm make my ranger sit uneven on the front end?
Passenger side is 1” higher than drivers from top of tire to fender.
Thank you. You could have worn bushings, but they would have to be in rough shape for that much of a drop. It's most likely a coil spring issue, unless you have torsion bars, then the problem would be with that.
Does the entire control arm have to be replaced just to change the upper ball joint? Or can a new ball joint be pressed into the original control arm? Thanks!
I need a steering knuckle for my 1998 Mazda b3000 truck will one fit off of a 1998 Ford ranger
That is a rusty SOB. nice video
Por que, esta tan oxidada ?
You dont need a jack on the lower control arm when removing these? Or does the sway bar/shock keep the coil spring secure?
Coil is under pressure it won't slip, you need to push the lower control arm all the way down for it to come out I believe
@@tjsmith9449 also disconnect the tie rod end
What am I suppose to do if the new upper ball joint doesn't just pop in even after sanding and stretching
Use a ball joint separating tool.
Lol I just did this to my ranger yesterday.
I took it to an alignment shop, well a mechanic who does alignments, and he said the drivers side cam bolt was bent and he couldn't pry it out. So I go home, remove the tire l, jack up both control arms and all bolts came out easily and none of them were bent 🤔.
He also said the lower ball joints weren't pressed in all the way, I only pressed them until I could snap the snap ring on. Could he be wrong about that too? I'm thinking of hammering the ball joints in a little more and see if that helps. Im also considering taking it to a different alignment shop.
That would take a lot of force to bend those cam bolts. You can peak underneath the control arm to see if the ball joint is fully pressed in place. The seat of the ball joint would be flush with the lip on the control arm underneath. If you have a little space between the snap rings and the control arm, then they're most likely good. If that checks out fine, I'd be picking another shop. Some people aren't happy when you do the work yourself rather than paying them for the work.
4DIYers I checked the ball joints, here are some pictures, Ball joints imgur.com/gallery/jRBuvEX
Yep, they need to be pushed up further. You can see a space between the seat of the ball joint and control arm. If they're not fully pushed in and an alignment is done, over time they'll probably push back into the control arm and can throw off the alignment.
4DIYers thanks for the help! I'll be pushing them in tomorrow when I get the chance. Hopefully the knuckle isn't a b**** to take off this time lol
No problem. Shouldn't be terrible as they've been recently replacement. You can give the cast where the taper fits a smack with a hammer and the vibration will pop it out. You may need a little lifting pressure on the spindle so it's not pushing against the control arm.
hey if you could answer my comment that would be great. so this is my question. with stock spindles i replaced only the right upper control arm since it needed it. I torqued everything down to proper spec. the left was never replaced. the right side upper ball joint was now moving up and down on the pinch bolt. given the upper control arm was aftermarket and looked just like the ones you used in this video but were a different brand. i used the bolts it came with but still kept my original just in case. so eventually i said whatever and replaced both upper control arms. i used a different brand and now they both can move up and down within the spindle pinch bolt slot. the amount of movement they have isn't a lot but its enough to make a distinct sound when i hit certain bumps. do i just need a larger pinch bolt for it? As i said we are torquing these down to spec. thank you for any suggestions you may have for me.
Whitestboyevr I have the same issue with my ranger. There is an issue with New control arms. I purchased two different brands and issue is the same, i used master pro the first time and precision the second. The slot cut for the bolt it’s self it too low and much bigger than a Motorcraft part. I pulled out my measuring calipers and that’s what i found. I now will be taking back another set of a arms because they don’t fit. I’ve decided to pull a pair from a wrecked truck at a local pick and pull because Ford Parts apparently doesn’t have both sides of the vehicle in stock anymore. This is a really crappy situation for us owners. You can’t use a bigger bolt either, the hole in the steering knuckle is intended to run the same size no matter what and i don’t know if that would fix the issue either. The only brand i haven’t tried is moog and everyone is crazy about moog so i might give them a shot and see what happens. i hope this helps you even though i came across this a month later.
@@benprice9121 Weird i never saw this comment. Good job youtube notifications lol. Yes I have used 2 different brands now as well and same problem. I talked to a buddy about this a couple weeks ago and he said the same thing. The world is littered with ford rangers. So eventually when I get the time and money I too am gonna head down to pick a part and find 2 decent upper control arms. I really appreciate the time you took to read my comment and give me a little feedback with your own experience with this. Also if you have tried the moog ones, please let me know if they ended up working or not. Oh and 1 other thing just in case I can't find it on the internet. What year rangers share the exact same upper control arm as a 2wd 2000 ford ranger. Obviously the newest control arm I can find from a pick a part, the better off I will probably be. Thanks for your time and knowledge in advance.
Whitestboyevr You can use anything from 1998-2000. I have a 98 and i pulled some off of a 2000. Unfortunately they changed the design and we can’t use anything newer to my knowledge.
@@benprice9121 ok thanks man. And once again TH-cam isn't notifying me of comments lol. Had to come check this manually....
Is removal of brake caliber and the rotor is not necessary?
Not needed.
I purchased the upper lower control arm kit and the upper ball joint shaft was way too big for the spindle. I had to grind it down 3/16 of an inch for it to fit
I do not recommend doing that, you’ll jeopardize the integrity of the part along with your safety.
@@4DIYers thanks for the feedback
No problem, happy to help!
On mine I don't quite have enough room on the drivers side. No way the torque wrench and deep socket will fit. I'll have to remove (lots of tiny screws, lots of oddball sizes)or cut the rubber fender well behind that flap. Can't fit a torque wrench on the bolt side at all with the coil top in the way.
Can I do this on a 2004 2wd Mazda B3000?
Yes it should be the same.
You did both sides in 8.01 minutes your fast
Haha, thanks! Sadly I only get paid by the hour :P
... but what does "preloaded" mean?
My cam bolts look way different than yours.