What does a bad balljoint look like?

[smackmatic]

I had my front end apart when installing new spindles, and while inspecting the balljoints, I noticed that they would spin around. There was no up and down play. I was wondering how to tell if they are bad?

ps the truck is a 67 1/2 ton

[Brian L]

With the tire a few inches in the air and the lug nuts tight push the top outside of the tire with one hand, and pull the bottom inside of the tire with your other hand in a rocking motion back and forth. It might wiggle a little bit but if there is some play then the ball joints are bad. If so have an assistant look under the vehicle while you are rocking it to see which one is moving.
Hope that helps

[st1x10]

I use a pry bar under the tire with it in the air slightly.

[smackmatic]

I guess mine are good then. I have no play like that.

Thanks for the replies.

[RACINJASON22]

I agree gease em' and go. They will spin but, when the ball socket starts to get any movement its time to change.

RJ22

[lowdowndirtyshame67]

You have to jack the truck up from the lower control arm to unload the ball joint, and with the tire on, you have to use a pry bar under the tire pulling up. You have to consider the immense stress and load put on the ball joints between gravity pulling the truck down on the springs and the ground pushing the tires up. There is about 2500 of the 3800 pounds or so your truck weighs on the front tires when it is empty and sitting still! So even the slightest play you can induce with a pry bar is only showing a fractoin of deflection the ball and socket joint actually move under normal driving conditions.

[DennyB]

Originally Posted by lowdowndirtyshame67

You have to jack the truck up from the lower control arm to unload the ball joint, and with the tire on, you have to use a pry bar under the tire pulling up. You have to consider the immense stress and load put on the ball joints between gravity pulling the truck down on the springs and the ground pushing the tires up. There is about 2500 of the 3800 pounds or so your truck weighs on the front tires when it is empty and sitting still! So even the slightest play you can induce with a pry bar is only showing a fractoin of deflection the ball and socket joint actually move under normal driving conditions.

I agree. This is how to check ball joints.

[smackmatic]

I think they are bad, when I was greesing them up the whole spindle would move up when I pumped greese into the lower ball joint. I was using an air gresse gun.

[BACKYARD88]

Originally Posted by smackmatic

I think they are bad, when I was greesing them up the whole spindle would move up when I pumped greese into the lower ball joint. I was using an air gresse gun.

That doesn't sound very good

[st1x10]

Yup doesn't sound good. I just did the brakes on mine and I have a bad driver lower balljoint so time to use the shop press... I am really not look forward to it. Maybe time for bags??

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by smackmatic

I had my front end apart when installing new spindles, and while inspecting the balljoints, I noticed that they would spin around. There was no up and down play. I was wondering how to tell if they are bad?

ps the truck is a 67 1/2 ton

How easy was it to spin them? If it was real easy.... they're 'beyond their service life'.

[67Fleet]

Originally Posted by st1x10

Yup doesn't sound good. I just did the brakes on mine and I have a bad driver lower balljoint so time to use the shop press... I am really not look forward to it. Maybe time for bags??

changing to air bags will not have anything to do with having bad ball joints, nor will it fix the problem. But if that's the excuse you need to use to spend money for bags, more power to ya!