Ball Joint Play

[jeepcoma]

Inspection shop called me up today, they said that there's play in the driver's side ball joints. Boo hiss. So I rode over there at that instant to take a look while they had it up on the lift. I'm kinda leery of them BSing me, since they said all four ball joints needed to be replaced on my original axle, but when I took it off everything seems okay.

 

They had it up on the lift and then then jacked off the lift from the lower control arms. One of the guys took a bar and stuck it between the floor of the lift and the tire, and applied upper pressure. It did actually move, a fraction of a hair. Not even a millimeter, maybe half of one, you could barely see the rubber boot deflecting just a fraction. They said it's supposed to be a zero-spec ball joint and it needs to be replaced, so I didn't even get a measurement, just my eyeballs in a dark shop.

 

Is that right? When I bought the axle from Twisty he had put a few miles on the ball joints, replaced Oct 07 with Spicer units. They seemed fine to me, searching for play with a 4 foot prybar didn't show any wiggling when I had it still off the truck. I had the shop I'm friends with replace the driver's side axle seal and go over them, they said they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary either.

 

I was certain these guys were just trying to screw me over, I mean they didn't even notice that I had changed wheel, tires, and both axles since it was last inspected. I talked to several mechanics there and they all asked "what did you replace" and I said "the axle", "yeah but what part??" was the response. They didn't seem to believe that I had actually done anything "Well all I see if a few new shiny bolts" one of the guys actually said :mad: :mad:

 

I have no trust in these guys anymore, but I did see it with my own eyes. I tried looking up specs for ball joint play but just got home from work and haven't had a chance to find much yet. Some units did come up with no play, but most listed .01" or so. I found a neat PDF with a lot of specs but the only jeep they listed was "all models, 63-64" as .06" play. I'll see if I can cross reference another vehicle with the same joints and check the play.

 

Grrrr, not what I wanted to go wrong today... :fs1:

[ratrapp]

in va. there is a 0 deflection in ball joints for most vehicles.the exceptions are listed in our state rule book.when i check them for balljoints if they have only a few thousands of movement i let it go but do tell the customer that in the near future they'll have to be replaced.we ususally use spicer parts in our shop and it's odd to see ones with play with that little time having gone buy.you could try the old grease them right before you take it and get it inspected trick to try and tighten them up first.

[dasbulliwagen]

I think its time for you to go to a different inspection shop. If they are going to be concerned with .5mm of play then farg them. I'm a North Carolina inspector and while we do a safety check of those parts, as long as they arent slopping all over the place, it will pass, even with torn boots. The state book says it will allow 3" of free play in an 18" steering wheel and be able to pass. There is no specific mention of ball joints, but I guess you just have to use common sense when it comes to that. With the economy the way it is I'm sure that shop is trying to upsell as much as possible to get business and being sticklers about any possible thing they can try to sell. can't blame them, but at some point they are just going to drive customers away.

[mjeff87]

make sure you get them to give you a written estimate if you let them replace one.......

enjoy the read: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14356

 

Jeff

[jeepcoma]

Yeah I remember reading that post, it was great.

 

When I first had it inspected there, they wrote it up for, among other things, FOUR ball joints. I got an estimate then for them to do it, and decided to buy new axles instead. I was so pissed when they called up yesterday and said "it needs new ball joints, what did you change?", straight away I couldn't help but think they are just trying to screw me. They saw a dirty axle under there and thought I didn't do anything and they could just get away with easy money. The old ball joints I took off of there looked fine too, we've been carrying around these axles by picking up the rotors, prying against them with prybars, leveraging against them... they don't budge or flop around.

 

When I saw it in person though, well, they're technically right. If it's zero spec and it moved, even a little, I guess they can fail it. Regardless, I will be taking it to another shop for a second opinion. If if these guys are right and it needs to be replaced, they have not been friendly or helpful in any way, shape, or form throughout the entire process.

[Pete M]

I'm sooooo glad I live in a state where there aren't vehicular inspections. :clapping:

[bigd44889]

:agree: :cheers:

[FxRacing282]

side to side is fail. up movement is about .040''. if they have play you should replace them, its safety, they probabally won't break but thats my opinion. you can do it yourself, 36mm socket, 12 point 14mm and a ball-joint press all barrowed from the parts store and you can do it. ive done all 4 in just over 3 hours. (lift, air tools, proper lube and whatnot)

[aemsee]

A little up and down in a Dana is fine. They are trying to screw you.