Bad ball joint?

[379redneck]

When I first got my truck about a year ago I noticed an occasional popping noise comming from the front left side of my truck when I would turn and I coud feel a pop in the flor when it did it. Now I noticed that it has gotten much worse and does it every time I turn and in both directons. My friend told me it sounds like the ball joint is bad but I want to make sure. What do bad ball joints usually sound like and how can I check it?

Thanks

[Altec]

This for your K25?

What hubs are on your front axle? Also, is your 203 converted to part-time?

My first guess when you say "pop" is that it is simply the axle shaft binding and popping. Turning on dry ground with a 203 can do this. The diff in it only does so much...

If you would like to check your front end though jack both front tires up at the same time, and put jack stands under the truck. Then pull, and push on the top of the tire. If the tire/wheel rocks then your joints need replaced. Then while you are at it grab ahold of the front of the tire and do the same thing. If it moves back, and forth then you need to take a closer look at three things. Your front tie rods, your drag link, and your steering box. One, or more has a worn tie rod end, or your steering box needs tightened.

[James McClure]

LOL, Been here ALOT. I'm laughing because I've been thru my K20 front end a couple of times and it's gotten to the point of doing stuff bassed on mileage. Before I get into this and forget, do away with the steering damper or replace it. Mine froze up solid and as a result I bent the tie rod trying to steer it.
OK, that being said, check front axel "U" joints. They are easy to check, do it while your checking the ball joints as stated above. Check 1 side at a time. With both hubs locked in try to roll the tire forward and back, watch the "U" joint for play and look for a rusty powder deposit inside the axel\hub housing. NAPA sells greasable replacements. With constant use, even the greasable ones will STB every 200,000 miles or so (STB= s*%t the bed) Next are the steering knuckles. This to is an easy check. With the wheels on the ground, have a buddy rock the steering wheel left and right just enough to take up the slop, watch each joint (2 on steering link short shaft over the left front tire and 2 on drag link) you will spot the bad one(s).
In my expirence during my 33 years as a GM mechanic and my own personal expirence with mine the service life of front end parts (4WD) follows.
Ball joints (even greasable ones), about 100,000 miles.
Steering short shaft knuckles, about 75,000 miles give or take
Steering drag link tie rod ends, I'm up to 470,000 and those are still good
4 WD "U" joints about 75,000 depending on use. My last set only made it 50,000 but I use the 4WD alot and heavily doing firewood.
Lastly and sometimes overlooked, are the front diff axel seals and the axel outer support bearing. This also depends on use and how much mud\water you get up the tubes. If you change them when you change the drive axel "U" joints you'll be good. They are a BEAR to change\get at. The outer support bearing inside the front axel hub takes a beating. It isn't very well protected from the elements and is not greasable unless you tear the hub appart. A failure here will destroy the hub and the outer end of the axel. Replace them with the front "U" joints and grease them as well as you can with a good synthetic grease. jim

[379redneck]

Thanks for the replies. I just replaced the axle seals, wheel seals, and wheel bearings a few weeks ago. My guess was that it is either the ball joints or u-joints. I think it might be the u-joints because there is also a wierd clunk/click/rattle comming from the same area when I hit bumps and once in a while when I'm making a sow right turn, but I was also told that could be a number of other things. If it matters the truck has 90,000 miles on it but has been used as a work truck all its life. There is also a lot of play in the steering if that matters. The stabilizer was replaced at some point but I dont know when. I was ging to take it off but the bolt set up on it confused me and I wasnt feeling that ambitious that night. Another thing that im not if it has much relevence is tht the truck has manual hubs on it, not lockouts. I dont know if it has the part time conversion but I dont think it does.
Thanks

[1tonchevy]

your steering box needs tightened.

Sorry to hijack.... but you can tighten it? mine is sloppy how do i "tighten it" ? thanks.

[motornut]

somebody put a NP203 in a 87?
sounds like front axle u joints

[379redneck]

Originally Posted by 1tonchevy

your steering box needs tightened.

Sorry to hijack.... but you can tighten it? mine is sloppy how do i "tighten it" ? thanks.

I would also like to know how to tighten it.

somebody put a NP203 in a 87?
sounds like front axle u joints

If you new the truck it wouldnt be much of a surprise. IT has been peiced together just so it would make a whole truck. It also could have been put in by the origional owner. He owns a quary so I would imagine it did a lot of work there and the full time probobly wasnt such a bad idea for him, then he backed a dozer into it and crushed the box.

I will check out the u-joints this weekend. How do you replace them and im guessing I shoul just do both if thats the problem?

[379redneck]

Originally Posted by Altec

This for your K25?

What hubs are on your front axle? Also, is your 203 converted to part-time?

My first guess when you say "pop" is that it is simply the axle shaft binding and popping. Turning on dry ground with a 203 can do this. The diff in it only does so much...

If you would like to check your front end though jack both front tires up at the same time, and put jack stands under the truck. Then pull, and push on the top of the tire. If the tire/wheel rocks then your joints need replaced. Then while you are at it grab ahold of the front of the tire and do the same thing. If it moves back, and forth then you need to take a closer look at three things. Your front tie rods, your drag link, and your steering box. One, or more has a worn tie rod end, or your steering box needs tightened.

Yes its for the k25. It has superwinch hubs on it that seem pretty old, I dont know about the conversion tho.

[Altec]

Originally Posted by 1tonchevy

your steering box needs tightened.

Sorry to hijack.... but you can tighten it? mine is sloppy how do i "tighten it" ? thanks.

For a Furd, but same thing...

http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1h/bl136h.htm

[379redneck]

Originally Posted by Altec

For a Furd, but same thing...

http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1h/bl136h.htm

I finnaly tried that and now my truck is realy annoying. I had a good amount of play in it befor and now its still there but its just harder to turn the wheel where the play usually is, then when it actually turns the wheels it goes back to being easy to turn.

[powerdriver 1958]

Look behind the steering box at the frame , some have been know to crack the frame and get a "pop" when turning .

[76stepsidechevy]

Mine does that too and the leaf spring bushings are gone so I had just assumed it was those. Have them in the garage waiting to go in.

[Altec]

Originally Posted by 379redneck

I finnaly tried that and now my truck is realy annoying. I had a good amount of play in it befor and now its still there but its just harder to turn the wheel where the play usually is, then when it actually turns the wheels it goes back to being easy to turn.

Most likely to far gone for adjustment. I would just loosen it back up slightly and enjoy. Cheaper then a new steering box. I use to drive a truck where a 1/4 turn on the wheel was needed just get the slack out.

[379redneck]

Originally Posted by Altec

Most likely to far gone for adjustment. I would just loosen it back up slightly and enjoy. Cheaper then a new steering box. I use to drive a truck where a 1/4 turn on the wheel was needed just get the slack out.

Mine is close to a 1/4 turn

Look behind the steering box at the frame , some have been know to crack the frame and get a "pop" when turning .

I have looked in there before and didnt see anything wrong with it.

I never checked the bushings on my leafs but I have a new lift kit waitin to go on with new ones anyway.

[379redneck]

I found the problem. Its the drag link. I was looking at it today and realized that the rubber grease thing(cant think of the name right now) looked like it blew up. I tried moving the drsg link and it moves. I can rotate it about 1/4 turn. Im getting new bushings tomarow for it. Anything else I shuld change while im in there and what else could have been damaged from this? Thanks

[Altec]

That is the dust boot. So is the drag link moving in a twisting motion, or a front-to-back motion? A little bit of twisting is fine, it is the other movement you gotta watch for. Anything that point to a worn joint. Most of the time I can pull, and push the ball joint itself toward, and away from the joint-socket-stud-thingy (Technical term) and see if it moves at all. If it does, then it is junk. I just replaced mine on the steering box side because it was a bit looser then I was happy with. I also replaced both tie rod dust boots with ones from Energy Suspension. A lack of fresh grease, and a torn dust boot can kill a tie rod QUICK.

[379redneck]

I didnt check back and forth. It will twist and move up and down, and I got it to make some noise when I punched the bottom of it so it would bounce, thats another reason I think its the problem.

[379redneck]

Good news. I fixed some of the problem. I replaced both ends and the sleeve for the drag link, so the hole thing, and now the popping is gone. As an added bonus the rediculous amount of play went away with it. The only bad thing is that now my steering wheel isnt straight, and I hit my knee pretty hard with the sledge hammer. The rattle is still there but not as bad.

[379redneck]

Im realy confused and frustratd now. I just got done replaceing the left u-joint and it still has the rattle. Its to the point now that every time I turn right at a slow speed it makes noise. Its also doing it when I let off the brakes when im still moving now. I realy need help this, its driving me crazy.

[motornut]

It's not your front hubs makin noises ,rattle ,does it happen worse going over bumps
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[379redneck]

Yes. It only happens when I hit bumps on the left side, turn right, or let off the brakes while Im still moving. The smallest bump will get it to do it.

[379redneck]

I definately found it this time. Its the passenger side ball joints. I can lift the tire up and down and see the play in the joints. Now how do I change them? I heard they are hard to change.
Thanks