New ball joints fail after 50 miles
Starting Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 227
I am certainly not surprised that the Napa parts failed. Just be glad that yours did not fail as badly as mine did.
I had a napa ball joint put on my blazer about a month ago. A week after install I backed out of my parking space at work and heard an odd crunch thunk noise from the driver side tire area.
When I straightened the wheel to see if it happened again the entire truck suddenly dropped hard and fast. The brand new napa upper ball joint had shattered.
Naturally when I had straightened the wheel, having no upper ball joint to hold everything in place the tire flopped outward also causing the lower ball joint to shatter, the half shaft to be ripped out of the transfer case and damaged, wheel bearing hub assembly to be damaged in the process, the lower control arm to be bent and the brake line and ABS sensor wires to be ripped from the truck.
When it got towed in to be fixed the shop also found a hairline crack in the upper ball joint on the passenger side that could have failed at any time.
All because of a cheap napa ball joint. Obviously I plan to never shop there again.
To there credit though they did pay to get everything fixed.
I am just glad that I wasn't actually moving at the time of failure.
I had a napa ball joint put on my blazer about a month ago. A week after install I backed out of my parking space at work and heard an odd crunch thunk noise from the driver side tire area.
When I straightened the wheel to see if it happened again the entire truck suddenly dropped hard and fast. The brand new napa upper ball joint had shattered.
Naturally when I had straightened the wheel, having no upper ball joint to hold everything in place the tire flopped outward also causing the lower ball joint to shatter, the half shaft to be ripped out of the transfer case and damaged, wheel bearing hub assembly to be damaged in the process, the lower control arm to be bent and the brake line and ABS sensor wires to be ripped from the truck.
When it got towed in to be fixed the shop also found a hairline crack in the upper ball joint on the passenger side that could have failed at any time.
All because of a cheap napa ball joint. Obviously I plan to never shop there again.
To there credit though they did pay to get everything fixed.
I am just glad that I wasn't actually moving at the time of failure.
Last edited by awe341; Jan 5, 2010 at 01:18 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 357
From: Streator, Illinois
awe341, I know what that is like. My passenger side ball joint failed on me right after prom my senior year, not more than a block from my house after changing out of my tux. I was also going about 15 miles an hour, when it happened. I'll let you imagine how pissed off I was after that happened.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 378
From: Wading River, NY (Long Island)
Just keep in mind that NAPA has to compete with teh cheesy autoparts stoires. NAPA sells about three different Upper Ball joints . All different quality and all different Prices.
The NAPA brand part is the most expensive and is made very different then the others.
I've seen a cut cross sections of the different Ball joints they sell.
I have no affiliation with NAPA other then to say I have an account at a few of their stores so I can buy their expensive parts for about the price they ask for the cheap ones. I have put their Ball joints ( upper and lower) . on an Explorer and a '85 full sized Chevy and have put more then 100,000 miles on both. Both these vehicles have True Solid front axles so the configuration is different then the very light Blazer 'A' arm construction.
The NAPA brand part is the most expensive and is made very different then the others.
I've seen a cut cross sections of the different Ball joints they sell.
I have no affiliation with NAPA other then to say I have an account at a few of their stores so I can buy their expensive parts for about the price they ask for the cheap ones. I have put their Ball joints ( upper and lower) . on an Explorer and a '85 full sized Chevy and have put more then 100,000 miles on both. Both these vehicles have True Solid front axles so the configuration is different then the very light Blazer 'A' arm construction.
Last edited by Tony H; Jan 6, 2010 at 11:56 AM.
Blazer Forum 2009 Ride of the Year Winner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,066
From: North Jersey
This is where I got mine, though you can now get the same stuff through SynergyOffroad. Been in there for about a year and a half with no problems, though I haven't really abused them.
Edit: Oops, forgot the link and here it is: http://www.powerperformancemotorsports.com/main.sc
Edit: Oops, forgot the link and here it is: http://www.powerperformancemotorsports.com/main.sc
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