Dana 44 Ball Joints | OEM Spicer, Upper & Lower | 71-79 Bronco, 66-79 Ford Truck SKU: 882300

Dana Spicer Upper & Lower Ball Joints | 1971-79 Ford Bronco Dana 44

When your steering starts feeling loose or your front end develops play, worn ball joints are often the culprit. These Dana Spicer Upper & Lower Ball Joints are built specifically for the 1971-79 Ford Bronco Dana 44 front axle, restoring tight steering and dependable handling on the road or out on the trail.

Dana Spicer engineered and manufactured the original Dana 44 front axle used in the Early Bronco, so these joints deliver the proper fit, strength, and long-term durability your suspension demands. Each side of the axle requires one upper and one lower ball joint.

Pro Tip: This listing now allows you to purchase the components to repair a single side or both sides, depending on what your Bronco needs. At WILD HORSES, we recommend replacing both sides when you do the job. Typically, if one side is failing, the other side isn't too far behind.

• Genuine Dana Spicer Components – OE manufacturer of the Dana 44 front axle with proven durability

• Fits Dana 44 Front Axle – Designed for the 1971-79 Ford Bronco front end

• Upper & Lower Ball Joints Included – Each side uses one upper and one lower joint

• Restores Steering Control – Eliminates front-end looseness and wandering caused by worn ball joints

• Built for Real Use – Designed to hold up to trail abuse and everyday driving

Testing Your Dana 44 for Bad Ball Joints

There’s a simple way to check if your ball joints are worn without tearing apart the front end. Set the parking brake and place the transmission in park (or first gear for a manual). Chock the rear wheels, then jack up the front end so the front tires are off the ground and the suspension is unloaded.

Grab the tire at the top and bottom and rock it inward and outward. If you feel movement or hear a clunk, worn ball joints are likely the cause. Excessive play means it's time to replace them before the problem worsens.

Ford Bronco Dana 44 Ball Joint Replacement

Replacing ball joints on a Dana 44 requires removing the front wheel, brake assembly, locking hub, spindle, and axle shaft so the steering knuckle can be separated from the axle housing. Once removed, the old upper and lower ball joints are pressed out of the knuckle using a ball joint press or hydraulic shop press.

After installing the new joints, reinstall the knuckle onto the axle C and torque the lower ball joint nut to 70–90 ft-lbs. Next, install the upper ball joint preload sleeve, which threads into the top of the inner C.

This sleeve sets the correct preload between the upper and lower ball joints and keeps the knuckle tight in the axle housing. Using a Dana 44 ball joint spanner socket, tighten the sleeve - typically to 40–50 ft-lbs. After tightening the preload sleeve and upper ball joint nut to spec, the steering knuckle should rotate smoothly by hand with slight resistance. There should be no vertical movement or play when lifting up on the knuckle, indicating the preload between the upper and lower ball joints is properly set.

Once the preload is set, install the upper ball joint nut and torque it to 100–120 ft-lbs to lock the assembly in place.

Proper preload is important—too loose can cause steering play, while too tight can cause binding. Once everything is torqued correctly, reassemble the remaining front-end components.

Worn ball joints make even a well-built Bronco feel loose and unpredictable. Use genuine Dana Spicer joints and bring your 71-79 Bronco Dana 44 back to OE spec.