Here is what I found out this week.


My upper ball joints were bad (squeeking noise, cracking noise when steering tight under load etc. etc.).


These models have 3 bolts which, if marked in their position, will keep the alignment (cast/camber) very close to the current setting (if the current alignment is correct of course).


Sears (my usual store) quoted $310.44 for the ball joints, and $70 for the alignment.


My Ford mechanic quoted $25 each for the top-of-the-line ball joints, and not more than $75 on labor to put them in.


We checked the manuals. At least on all models from '92 to '98, this procedure is the same.


Might help one some day. It saved me more than $250. Not bad.


Greetings!





Edited by: 92Mercury

I didn't take mine to a mechanic or ask around... except to see how much an alignment was.

My upper left ball joint on my 98 (with 90K) had been squeaking for over a year... I finally got off my hump and replaced it (@ 130K). Then I bought another car (06 GM) and my wife is driving the 98. Now I've noticed the right one is squeaking... guess it was a good thing I procrastinated on getting the alignment done.

It took me about an hour or so to swap out the left one. Nothing really difficult other than getting the new one to seat properly in the upright. I had replaced it with the "middle" grade one that autozone offered. They had 3 I believe. One for $25, $40, $70. I figured buying the one in the middle wouldn't be bad.

Now I just need to do the other side... then get an alignment and new tires... and take it in to get that stinking check engine light to shut off (ODBC says small vacuum leak).