I know where it goes, but don't know the proper name for it. Will I need any special tools to put it on???

 

is a ball joint

 

Ball Joint.

 

You are going to need a press to install it.

Some people just use a BFH. I prefer to use a press though

 

What is a BFH???

 

Thanks...I'm trying to get this old clunker back on the road!!!

 

In case you haven't figured it out yet, it is a mechanic's SUPER SECRET all purpose handy dandy tool that he would never get caught without. It's also known as a BIG F***ING HAMMER. The BIGGER, THE BETTER.

 

LOL

 

I prefer the more technical term for a big hammer: "Ford wrench."

 

Never heard that one, thats good

 

The press is very handy for those and Autozone has them on the loner tool program. - as for the BFH, some one on the boards has a quote saying..."When the only tool you own is a BFH, everything begins to look like a nail after a while..."

 

i'd be careful using a hammer. you could end up messing up the balljoint. a friend at school did it and he got about a block fro mschool and the ball actually popped out of the part it rotates in. so then he had to replace a bent tie rod and the balljoint. luckily he was just creeping away from a stop sign when it happened

 

Not really related to the topic,but here goes.I heard this on an OLD 60s rerun of a nascar race on ESPN.Im mexican,but i still thinks its funny.Heres the scene 2 guys are pounding away at this chrome front bumper on some guys race car because its digging into the tire & the then the announcer says."Quote.....Theyre using a 20-lb sledge hammer to fix the damaged bumper or as i like to call it a mexican speed wrench....Unquote". Ahh the things you could say on TV before polictical correctness & janet jackson.

 

Personally, I'd use the press due to dangerous nature of this particular job. If you bang around too much, you could inadvertantly knock the spring loose, which is extremely bad. But hey, that's just me. And the only thing to do with but hey is mow it and bail it!

 

The BFH method didn't work for me, so I used a press from Autozone. Got it all back together and greased it and then noticed the rubber boot wasn't on there tight. I got to take it apart and do it again! Now if I could just hit the right bump to make the stock stereo come back on.