Spartan Ball Joints - How to tell if they are dangerous

[dnkmcg1]

like the handle.

[mackwrench]

I'm now in the "new Ball joints" camp.... did it myself.

I thought I only had one upper joint that was super worn, but once I got it apart all 4 were very excessive worn, loose and sloppy.

Not really a bad job, not that I'd enjoy doing it, I hope these are the last ones.... ha-ha

I can see if done in a well equipped truck shop, I could knock them out in a day....at home it took me about 14 total hours, including taking them to school where I work to weld the nuts onto old joints.


I didn't take many pics, was too busy busting it out!

My only rant is no grease fitting on them. I'm gonna make spraying the boots with silicone spray part of my scheduled maintenance program.

[mackwrench]

Spindle

[Dale70]

Great job Todd --- I still do some wrenching -- -but not what you do.

We finished doing an engine swap in a Mazda 3 a month or so ago.
(sort of training course for grandson on his first car with son helping a bit)
We put a Ford 2.5L in place of a Mazda 2.3L. Takes a few tricks to make it happen, but like many things it has all been documented about a hundred times on the internet. You just have to sore though the obviously wrong and probably wrong stuff to determine what the correct stuff is.

take care -- now relax over a cup of coffee, and enjoy your soft plush quiet ride in the RV somewhere.

talk soon -- Dale

[idoxlr8]

Good job - saved some money and you have some peace of mind knowing those are all fresh now.

[dnkmcg1]

What about reinstallation, did you have to get special tool to torque it? also where and how much for them? contemplating same thing on 01 Mountain Aire.
Thanks, Donny

[mackwrench]

No I didn't use the spanner tool. After welding the nuts to joints and then running them out with impact wrench, it doesn't appear that they're super tight in the spindle.

Once joints were out of spindle, I used a wire brush to clean threads and areas where joints go. I then applied high temp red loctite thread locker to threads, the joints thread into spindle very easy and I was able to run them all the way in by hand.

I then used a big pouch/drift and placed on area where spanner tool would have been used, knocked them tight with a big hammer. Two or three hard hits and I couldn't get them to move any more.

Key is using the right size nut to weld on. I used a 1" ...and make sure you weld nut in center of joints, if it's off center then when you run the joints out, there may not be enough clearance for socket to pass through spindle.....(you'll have the impact set to "tight", or clockwise to remove the joints)

Next is take time to really clean the spindle threads, they are very fine threads and any rust, left over thread locker, etc...can make it hard to run the joints back in.

Total cost:
All 4 joints from Spartan- $1220 with shipping
2 new Stemco wheel seals & 2 new hub caps gasket- $95
1 quart of synthetic 75/90 gear lube- $13

Originally Posted by dnkmcg1

What about reinstallation, did you have to get special tool to torque it? also where and how much for them? contemplating same thing on 01 Mountain Aire.
Thanks, Donny

[mackwrench]

Here's link to another thread where a poster here jumped on this....he add several pictures

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...4&share_type=t

[Dav L]

mackwrench, other than time convenience, any reason you didn't borrow the special spanner tool instead of welding on the 1" nut?
The other advantage of welding on the nut is you used the heat as your friend.

Once the nut was welded, a 1/2" air impact was good enough to break the initial tightness of the ball joint?

What was the condition of the control arm bushings? I suspect mine are dry and what are squeeking when on dusty / dry days. Sounds fine when it's raining.

Did you do the work on a lift or on the ground? How far did you have to jack it up to get clearance?

I am prepping myself to do same. Thanx for the first hand insights.

In my research I did find Wunderlodge forum thread that gave me the ebay link to buy aftermarket replacement ball joint boots that are two pieces. They glue together to form the circle. Don't have the link handy. Next step would be to see if either the big or the small ball joint is same on the Spartan K2. They weren't cheap, but much less expensive than doing a ball joint replacement if the joints aren't toast already. I need to pull the wheels and get some more insight into mine.

[mackwrench]

Originally Posted by Dav L

mackwrench, other than time convenience, any reason you didn't borrow the special spanner tool instead of welding on the 1" nut?
The other advantage of welding on the nut is you used the heat as your friend.

Once the nut was welded, a 1/2" air impact was good enough to break the initial tightness of the ball joint?

What was the condition of the control arm bushings? I suspect mine are dry and what are squeeking when on dusty / dry days. Sounds fine when it's raining.

Did you do the work on a lift or on the ground? How far did you have to jack it up to get clearance?

I am prepping myself to do same. Thanx for the first hand insights.

In my research I did find Wunderlodge forum thread that gave me the ebay link to buy aftermarket replacement ball joint boots that are two pieces. They glue together to form the circle. Don't have the link handy. Next step would be to see if either the big or the small ball joint is same on the Spartan K2. They weren't cheap, but much less expensive than doing a ball joint replacement if the joints aren't toast already. I need to pull the wheels and get some more insight into mine.

....I never really thought about getting the tool. After searching here and talking to others that done it, the weld on nut is the best way to remove them.

Yes, I used a 1/2" Ingersoll Rand impact that I've had for years to remove. The smaller upper joints spun right out no sweat...the larger lower ones I had impact a while before they came out, a 3/4" impact would not have struggled.

As posted, I clean up threads and could run joints all the way in by hand. (I applied red loctite to threads 1st) then once ran all the way, I simply took a large punch and big a** hammer and knocked them as tight as I could.... about 3 or 4 hard hits. They didn't move any tighter ...

Nothing wrong with getting the tool, but only if you have a big enough bench vise or a way to hold the spindle with tighten them , could I see using it.


I did check the A arm bushings, all we're good...

I used a 20 ton bottle Jack under center cross member, placed jack stands on the brackets the steering "pivots" are on...the tires were about 2 or 3 inches of ground.

I've no experience with the boot repair kits you speak of...but I can say that my boots were gone, ....was making horrible noise. I also was suspect of control arm bushings.

After ball joint replacement I went on a 30 mile road test....no more noise! Not a peep from front end! Woo-hoo!

Go ahead and get your joints from Spartan, pm me if you have any questions or concerns....we walk you through it

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Dav L

mackwrench, other than time convenience, any reason you didn't borrow the special spanner tool instead of welding on the 1" nut?
The other advantage of welding on the nut is you used the heat as your friend.

Once the nut was welded, a 1/2" air impact was good enough to break the initial tightness of the ball joint?

What was the condition of the control arm bushings? I suspect mine are dry and what are squeeking when on dusty / dry days. Sounds fine when it's raining.

Did you do the work on a lift or on the ground? How far did you have to jack it up to get clearance?

I am prepping myself to do same. Thanx for the first hand insights.

In my research I did find Wunderlodge forum thread that gave me the ebay link to buy aftermarket replacement ball joint boots that are two pieces. They glue together to form the circle. Don't have the link handy. Next step would be to see if either the big or the small ball joint is same on the Spartan K2. They weren't cheap, but much less expensive than doing a ball joint replacement if the joints aren't toast already. I need to pull the wheels and get some more insight into mine.

Would you please share the link to these aftermarket boots?

[mackwrench]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

Would you please share the link to these aftermarket boots?

Not sure I understand....I replaced entire ball joint. I know of no aftermarket boot.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by mackwrench

Not sure I understand....I replaced entire ball joint. I know of no aftermarket boot.

re: DavL, post #65

[Dav L]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bluebird-Wa...-/292096210265

I haven't looked at all to see if these would fit a K2 chassis. But representative that the idea exists.