Hey everyone. This is going to be a long and complicated post, but here it goes. I had all 4 ball joints replaced in August 2008 with the Duralast ones with a lifetime warranty. About a year later, the upper left one was replaced again, but with a Moog (couldn't do the warranty at the time. Long story). The steering wheel still had a bit of play in it because of the steering box.

Last week, I had the steering gear replaced because it was responsible for 3" of play in the steering wheel (rag joint was ok, box definitely had play in it.). The mechanic also found the pitman arm, left LOWER and right UPPER ball joints to be bad when I mentioned play in the wheel. I thought "no way" with the ball joints (not more than 35k miles on them), but had the pitman arm replaced since the box was already out anyway. They didn't say that the ball joints were in urgent need of replacement (just said they had play), but that it would not pass inspection in September (when it is due). But sure enough, I checked the ball joints myself by putting the jack under the control arm and wiggling the tire. The right upper one had play, but the left lower didn't. I was going on a trip last weekend and 2 mechanics (one who found it and the one who replaced it today) said it was fine for the trip, so I took the trip (2.5 hours to get home from college, 4.5 to southern NJ), but kept the speed low and avoided potholes (parts store guy recommendation). I was concerned because the exact same event last year, I lost my brakes due to a stuck caliper twice in one weekend. But the brakes were found to be fine during the same visit (I had them inspected. Bit superstitious. Even more so since on this trip this weekend, I saw a car at a body shop with the front end on one side ripped apart at the ball joints and a Blazer on fire on the NYS Thruway (I wrote about the Blazer fire on another thread)).

But here was the big problem that was concerning: This weekend during the trip, I was sometimes (meaning: sometimes it was loose and sometimes it was not) able to wiggle the top of the right tire with all 4 wheels on the ground (especially if the wheels were turned right). I had both of the ball joints replaced today at a shop near home (NOT the one who replaced the steering gear and found the ball joints to be bad) with the same brand and model (lifetime warranty) and when I got them back, I could not feel play in them (up/down, side to side), but when I turned the UPPER RIGHT one, I heard some scratching (but there was grease in it even with the boot detached. I grease all front end parts at every oil change, the last one being 5 days ago.) and found a bolt broken off in one of the bolt holes (bolt head and nut were not in the box). Now this is really confusing. Could one out of the 4 broken bolts be the cause of the play and NOT the ball joint itself or could that broken bolt be from the removal process? I know the hardware is junk because a few months after they were replaced originally, 2 out of 4 of the nuts on that right LOWER ball joint were so loose that there was play (one of them was ready to fall off). If the ball joints themselves were really bad, why did they only last 35k? Are Duralasts junk? The front end is stock and there are no modifications (no lifts or t-bar cranks).

 

You have horrible luck and/or great luck at finding the most incompetent mechanics around... How many times have you paid for those "lifetime" warranty parts to be installed?

If the bolts were not tightened down properly, they wouldn't have a chance of holding the ball joint in place. It is quite possible that the wrench jockey that put them in previously didn't follow the proper tightening procedure. I would also always put Loctite thread locker (271) on these bolts for added insurance.

Are duralasts junk...? Well, it seems from your experience with them, that would be true. I wouldn't use them...

 

Well the ball joints that developed play and had faulty hardware, brakes that totally failed 8 months after new pads were installed (They made a "groan" noise on left turns and I took it back to the same mechanic twice with no fault found. All they did was readjust the parking brake, which no longer works properly) and other parts that were replaced between 11/2007 and 12/2009 were all replaced by the same shop. I don't think I need to say this, but I stopped doing business with that shop since every repair over the past year has been REDOING EVERY REPAIR THAT SHOP DID OR SHOULD HAVE SAID SHOULD BE DONE. This will be the first time using that warranty on the ball joints and hopefully the last. If the last ball joint develops play, I will use the warranty once more to get it replaced and then never use Duralast again if I have to have the ball joints done AGAIN.

I think this mechanic put Loctite on them. I have never had any problems with any work that he did.

 

i use autozone for routine maintenance things....brakes...oil...filters.
suspension is all moog ...moog off of ebay can be found for similar price to those lifetime parts.
if i need it to last then top end...if its meant to wear regularly then autozone.