a fewweeks agoi heard a pop/knock (which seemed to be coming from under my left foot on the firewall) while backing out of the driveway and turning the wheel.. it gradually got a little worse happening over the next day or so.. until driving on a dirt road one day and after hitting a small pothole or two i noticed the steering got stiff.. it seemed like i had to force the wheel to turn to the left.. which came and went over the last week.. i've also noticed a small clicking/squeak when turning hard turns for awhile now coming from what sounds like the steering column

brought it to my local mechanic and he said it was a balljoint starting to cease.. he also said everything seemed to be fine.. so i picked up 4 MOOG balljoints and he managed to replace the upper/lower drivers side last friday.. and said he'd do the other 2 this week (turns out he'll do it tommorrow lmao).. only thing is now it's 10x worse and now seems like it's coming from the passenger side too.. i get a knock/clicking whenever turning the wheel.. it sounds like a front side axle on it's way out.. but my mechanic said they rarely give out unless the boot is gone.. my dad says it's a wheel bearing.. because it happens when the wheel is cut and the truck is moving.. but that was replaced with the high end one a few months back.. same with the passenger side..

another thing is i noticed today that either the top of the driver's side wheel is tipped out or the bottom is tipped in.. or vice versa.. not sure which it is.. we checked all the front end components not to long ago.. greased everything and changed out the idler arm with a MOOG (it was shot).. and now i'm stumped.. any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated THX in advance

 

It may be due to the fact that only half of the balljoints got done. Hopefully after your other two go in this will go away.

 

well i got the 2 passenger side balljoints replaced yesterday.. the lower balljoint was pretty sloppy but the upper seemed descent.. and replaced both anyways.. but now it's even worse again with the popping cracking in the front.. most of the time it seems more from the driver side and other times the passenger side.. i also noticed she's slightly pulling to the right now but i'm waiting to fix the main problem here before i get a wheel alignment done..

my mechanic never even got the truck out of the driveway before he noticed the cracking/popping and was amazed.. he put it back on the lift and checked all the front end again and all he could find wrong was the drivers side side axle was a little wet closest to the front end.. checked it.. but it semmed fine without taking it apart.. he also noticed the front differential seal is leaking agian where the front driveshaft enters the front differential.. this was replaced a few months back along with all the universals under warranty.. but the seal along with the universals are all bad again lol..

now for the funny part of the story...

i watched my mechanics "sidekick"torquethelug nutsback on when they where done.. even re torqued em twice..and thenhe said to drop by Tuesday to fix the side axle.. i took the truck and noticed it now had a small pull in the steering wheel every couple of seconds almost like a thumping in the wheel.. and figured it was due to needing an alignment.. it also seemd like i had a bad belt in the tire with a small wobble feeling at low speeds.. then after picking up my girlfreind i noticed it was gone.. but there was a bad vibration.. whichwas only getting worsewith time.. taking the highway home i got ticked cuz it now seemed the passenger side wheel bearing was shot.. turn to the left it was gone.. turn to the right.. and holy crap what a vibration.. it seemed like the wheel bearing was gonna blow up.. itook the next off ramp and putted home and it seemed a little better.. when i got home i decided to check the passenger side tire and i saw the problem right away...half aturn with my hand on one lugnut.. and it came off.. 2 others took 3-4 turns and they came off.. it blew me away.. i watched the guy torque em and re torque em but my dad says aluminum wheels are known for that.. anyway all i can say is am i ever glad that the tire never came off on the highway while cutting the wheel back and forth at 110kmh.. we would've been toast..

anyway back to the topic.. does my problem sound like the side axle..?? i was thinking it might be the front differential or maybe the front differential mount..?? any thoughts..??

 

Id love to know what you figure out with all this mine is doing i think something similar. Mine kind of "clicks" and seems to stick a bit... similar to what youve said and I cant see anything thats really wrong. Sometimes its there sometimes not sometimes its really strong/loud sometimes on the left more or the right side of the car more. Anybody know???!?!?

 

well the warranty just had a pile of work done to the Blazer for me... 2 brand spanking new side axles, 2 new side axle seals, new front pinion seal, and 2 new universals in the rear shaft.. sound was gone so i brought it in for a wheel alignment but when i went to pick it up they never did it.. the showed me that you could take the bottom of the drivers side wheel and move it in and out.. it turned out the holes for the 3 bolts for the lower ball joint are worn and have play in them... [:@].. the guy he said he'd try and fix them and when i went back he said it was fine and that he used washers or somethingtightend up the ball joint and did the wheel alignment.. only now the tip is back in the wheel and a small knock again from time to time.. anyway just letting others now what their problem might be

another question.. i bought 4 moog ball joints.. could they be the wrong ones in the box.. the warranty garage said Moog have blue rubbers.. mine had black.. also my dad says maybe they were packaged with the wrong bolts..??? any ideas.. and also do you think it would work if we mig welded the bolt holes andre drilled them with adie grinder..???

THXto all again

 

check and see if you have a loose upper a frame and you did not lose the shims that adjust your camber and caster.

 

as far as the new ball joint having play where it mounts on Ive seen on ebay theres a ball joint specifically for worn out holes ...also ive never seen a moog ball joint with blue boots...