How to Install an Upper Ball Joint in an 88 Town Car

The Ford Motor Company recommends replacing the upper control arm and upper ball joint as a single assembly whenever you need to install a new ball joint in your 1988 Lincoln Town Car. However, you should be able to find an aftermarket ball joint that you can install yourself in your own garage using a few basic tools. You can save on repair costs and stretch your Town Car maintenance budget with this easy driveway weekend job.

Instructions

Removing the Old Upper Ball Joint

1

Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel and tire assembly with the upper ball joint you want to replace. Use a lug wrench.

2

Lift the wheel and tire assembly with a floor jack and support the vehicle with a jack stand under the frame so the front wheel is hanging free on the suspension.

3

Secure the rear wheels with a couple of chocks and remove the wheel and tire assembly.

4

Locate the upper ball joint. This is the component that secures the upper control arm (a large Y-shaped component) to the spindle, which holds the wheel hub and brake rotor.

5

Drill holes through the four rivets that secure the ball joint to the upper control arm using an electric drill with a 1/8-inch drill bit.

6

Cut off the heads of the rivets with a large chisel and a hammer. Remove the rivets with a scratch awl and the hammer.

7

Support the lower control arm with the floor jack just enough to compress the coil spring resting on the lower control arm 3 to 4 inches.

8

Remove the cotter pin from the castle nut that secures the upper ball joint stud to the spindle. Use a pair of needle-nose pliers.

9

Unfasten and remove the castle nut with a wrench.

10

Detach the upper ball joint from the spindle using a ball joint removal tool and remove the ball joint from the vehicle.

Installing the New Upper Ball Joint

11

Clean the upper control arm and spindle with brake parts cleaner and lint-free towels to remove any small pieces of metal left around the assembly when you removed the ball joint rivets.

12

Bolt the new upper ball joint to the upper control arm using the mounting hardware that came with the new part. Use a backup wrench, ratchet and socket.

13

Install the ball joint stud in place on the spindle. Fasten the new castle nut to the ball-joint stud and tighten the nut to 60 to 90 foot-pounds (81 to 122 Nm) using a torque wrench and a socket. If necessary, turn the castle nut clockwise to align one of the slots on the castle nut with the hole in the ball-joint stud.

14

Secure the castle nut to the ball-joint stud with a new cotter pin using the needle-nose pliers.

15

Remove the floor jack from under the lower control arm.

16

Replace the wheel and tire assembly.

17

Lower your Town Car off the jack stand using the floor jack and finish tightening the lug nuts with the lug wrench.

18

Remove the chocks from the rear wheels.