I can't get the uppers out. We tried everything from a big 18" cresson wrench, to an 36" pipe wrench, to a torch and chisel. Its down to taking them and getting them cut out and hoping we don't mess the CA's up or getting new ones. I got the BJ's I have now for about $25 apiece. I found new control arms, bushings, and ball joints for both sides for $100.

Are these the right ones?

 

sawzall or prota-band

 

I bought a $20 socket that fits the ball joints. They thread in and out. Someimtes I have to take an impact to them, but have never failed to get them out.

 

The guy that replaced my ball joints said that he had to weld a "cheater" bar about 4 feet long to the top ball joints just to get them out. My advice is to stay away from the cheap ball joints, and spend the extra cash on some Moog's. I had the $25 ball joints before, and the top passenger's side bj broke completely in half. Kinda scary. You can find good prices on Moog's at rockauto.com

 

ok I went against all of y'all and order this cheap set up. Well I hope this ordeal is over now. My new MOOG ball joints are being pressed in right now as well as my $30 a set of bushings. Ordered that cheap set on the 6th(Tue) and they charged me. waited and waited and no parts so Sunday sent an email asking for an tracking number. Sent me one on Monday(12th), that said the parts were shipped Monday(12th). I called and edit and asked why they wern't shipped that Wednesday(7th). They said they would get back to me and refund me part of my shipping. They never called or emailed. Got my parts today (15th) and out of the 6 parts I ordered, 3 were right. Im really tired of not driving my truck, waking my neighbors at 3 am when I leave for work, and blowing black smoke. So they had the CA's right so I went and found MOOG BJ's and NAPA was the only place close that even had the bushing ($27) after work today and hoping to have them in the truck tonight. Called them again today and they said sent back the parts that I couldn't used and they would refund part to me, also asked about my shipping refund and they said that they would take care of that too. 15 minuets later I had $20 for the shipping in my pay pal. I just want my truck back, this Explorer is slow. LOL

 

Is there a sticky for this type of wrenching???

 

Advance carries a loner tool kit for balljoints. I have seen uppers that I pulled the threads out of (only twice) but, never one that wouldn't come out with a short cheater pipe on a 30" 3/4 breaker bar.

 

Mine did me a favor by pressing out WHILE i was driving, SCARRY!!! The hard part for me was gettin them in, got them in with a new upper control arm and put a few tack welds on them to be sure that they wouldn't press out again