i ordered a set of moog ball joints. i noticed the boot on the drivers side cv shaft is busted and judging by the sound of it the bearings are shot. so i plan on getting new CV shafts as well while i'm doing the ball joints. ill take a look at the bearings when i'm in there too to see if they need replaced as well. i was looking in my haynes manual and it has a outer tie rod end listed but nothing about a inner tie rod end (10-4 & 10-5). this doesn't make sense to me. since i never had to change any suspension parts i plan on doing as much of this as possiable at once. im thinking ball joints and cv shafts are a must. like i said ill check the wheel bearings when im in there but what about tie rod ends? on rock auto i can get outers for $40 a side and inners are cheap too as well as the connectors. that shoudl about do it all wouldnt it ?

 

If you would like to change them, then by all means do it. The outers take more of a beating than the inners due to the higher degree of rotation that they go through during operation. If they have been greased regularly, they should not need replacing. Just check them out. If you feel play, replace them.

 

how should i check them i heard that if you shake the wheel when its raised off the ground from side to side if there's play then they're bad. up and down is ball joints. is there any other way to tell besides that. i figured if i spend the extra money to pick them up as well while i'm doing everything else it wouldn't be bad. do they ever go "bad"? i was wondering the same thing about the pitman arm and idler arm.

 

All of these checks I do with the front of the vehicle raised and properly supported.

I check the lower ball joint with a long 2x4 under the wheel, watching for movement of the steering knuckle independent of the lower control arm. For the uppers, I have the wheel off and use a pry bar to pry against the upper control arm and look/feel for movement.

For tie rod ends, I just grab a hold of the tie rod and feel for play. You can also grab the tire at 9 & 3 and alternate pushing in and out on either side, feeling for play.

Wheel bearings, I grab the tire at 12 & 6 and push in and out.

 

ive heared of all of those. so im on the right track. thanks

 

kyle can you explain the 2x4 method a little more? im not sure what you mean.....

 

You are using the 2x4 for leverage to lift the spindle/tire assembly. If you watch the gap between the steering knuckle where the ball joint bolts through and the lower control arm as you lift up on the spindle/tire assembly and notice that the gap closes up, then the ball joint has play in it and needs to be replaced. You may have to have another person with you to do this.