New Tires, Ball Joints, and Alignment

After our last trip to the ocean, I decided it was time for new tires on our F250 pickup which is our tow vehicle.  So I went to Les Schwab ( our regional tire dealer and got a new set of tires installed on some nicer rims that I had purchased several years ago.  

They couldn't check the alignment due to worn ball joints.  Their estimate was $800, which I passed on.  I watched a few You Tube videos and determined that I could do this repair.  So I ordered a set of Moog ball joints and a tie rod end off Amazon.  When the parts came in, I borrowed a bearing press from our local Oreillys auto parts store.  

I started with the right side and that one took about 8 hours spread over 2 days.  The left  side only took about 5 hours. This is a heavy job to do with heavy parts and high value torque settings. I don't think I'll do it ever again. Due to a sore back I waited a couple days before installing the tie rod end. While I was at it, I adjusted the play out of the steering box.  The result of these changes were dramatic and when I took the truck back for an alignment check, it was totally in spec!

So now we are ready for more travel trailer adventures.

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