Ball Joints

[Elephanthead]

I am on tight budget, and I am repairing this truck 67 one ton, to just be used occasionally, anyway I either have the worst balanced tires ever, I already am planning on replacing them, or I have something bad on the suspension, anyway the tie rod ends seem good, there is little play, so I am suspecting ball joints are bad, what are the chances I can get by just changing the lower ball joint and not dealing with the uppers? I am already over budget on this thing, big shocker I know. Can I get the lower control arm to drop and leave the spindle attached to the upper? That would save me some work. I plan on borrowing a ball joint press from auto junk zone to get the lower out. The lowers are just pressed in correct? Thanks for any input. The symptom is severe shaking at about 20 mph. The truck visibly rocks back and forth. I am going to change the tires and see if it improves, I am also assuming the shocks are useless.

[tcb-1]

correct, the lowers are just pressed in, and with the proper tools, they come out fairly easy.

as for the uppers, you should feel a pronounced amount of slop if they are bad. however....... replacing the uppers isn't that tough and it will help with any slop you may have. they will take a little grinding and pounding to get them out, but it's worth the effort.

and yes, you can seperate the lower and leave the upper still attached, but like I said, replacing the uppers isn't that bad and they aren't that expensive.

other thoughts.......

have you had the frontend aligned? I know that's an elementary question, but thought I'd ask.

and does the severe shaking happen after you hit a bump?

lastly, sounds like the shocks could stand to be replaced in the future, when the money is available......

whatever you do or replace, be careful doing it. those coils are dangerous weapons!

[WorkinLonghorn]

My truck had been sitting in one spot for a couple years and the old bias-ply tires had major flat spots that shook the truck.
Check the steering by turning the steering wheel back and forth with the truck parked and see if there is excessive play.
Also look at the control arm pivot shaft bushings, my last truck had tons of play there.
Also raise one wheel and force it back and forth with your hands and see how much play is between the wheels. ANY play there will cause the wheels to shimmy at speed in my experience.Loose/worn wheel bearings won't help either.

[Elephanthead]

It shakes so bad, I am thinking it is not even ball joint related, it has to be a really bad tire. I tried shaking the hell out of the wheel with the truck up on a jack, and the whole truck shook, the wheels seemed firmly attached. I'm going to try new tires and have the alignment checked while it is in there. I'm putting two new ones in the front and 4 used but good tires in the back. I wouldn't doubt if the one front tire is severely out of round, flat, and that is causing issue, the truck drives like a clown bicycle with an oblong tire the more I think about it. I spun all four wheels, and they seemed to spin true, I didn't notice a wobble, I am hoping for a flat spot on the tire, I have no idea how old these tires are besides the dry rot.

[chev-obsession]

so do you have to take the lower control arm off of the truck to get the lower ball joint off? if so, could you give some advice on how to take it off?

[Elephanthead]

Ball joints were fine, the tires I bought on the truck were not round, 26 bucks and a trip to pull a part got me 2 sweet tires and wheels off of a c2500. They stick out a little to far, but they get the job done. Now time to wire some brake lights turn signals and headlights and I'm in business.