What does a Ford ball joint have to do with your handling capabilities? Quite a bit, actually. Same with the Ford tie rod. You don't see a lot of information about the Ford tie rod and Ford ball joint in the performance catalogs, though, so you probably don't think about either of them much when you're planning a performance build on your Mustang or Focus SVT. The thing is, you can add the best shocks, springs, and bushings in the business to your ride but if your Ford ball joint or Ford tie rod is out of spec, you're not going to have a good handling vehicle. It's as simple as that. As with any mechanical upgrade, a good suspension build involves ensuring that the basics, like the Ford tie rod and Ford ball joint, are covered before you move into the high performance goodies. That means that you should replace the Ford tie rod and Ford ball joint on each side of your front end first, before you move on to more complex upgrades. A logical upgrade path would be to replace the Ford ball joint and Ford tie rod at the same time you install polyurethane bushings, for example. Even without high-end shocks and springs, you're bound to notice a huge difference, particularly if your car has some miles on it. The Ford tie rod will tighten up your steering feel, while the Ford ball joint will hold your steering knuckles in their proper alignment. In a nutshell, you wouldn't add a cold air intake to an engine that burns a quart of oil every 300 miles, right? Then don't waste your money on performance suspension goodies until you've installed a new Ford tie rod and Ford ball joint on each side of your front end. And the good news? A new Ford tie rod set and Ford ball joint set will probably cost you less than any other upgrade you make.