Yep, If you're checking ball-joints you should have the suspension LOADED, and check for movement in-and-out on the top and bottom of the tire. Not from front to back like the steering would normally turn it. It sounds like your friend wasn't much of a mechanic if he checked yours like that.

I've also got to agree with Cavalier here, my truck has147,xxx miles with the ENTIRE original suspension, including shocks, so If you maintain the ball-joints, they'll last a good long time.

 

I rebuilt my entire front end at 170,000 miles, not necessarily because it needed it but more for peace of mind. This is with more than a few miles offroad and in the mud. I have always lubed my front end when I changed my oil every 3000 miles.

Anyways, the only part that needed replacing was the lower ball joint on the passenger side. If you keep them lubed they do tend to last. I'll go out on a limb and say those that fail after a few thousand miles are not maintained.

 

Alright come this saturday I'm going to check them out, so to recap, put the jack under the lower a-arm and lift the truck, then try to rock it?

Anyone wanne snap me a pic as to where to place the jack correctly?

Thanks
Cedric

 

Mine needed all 4 new ball joints at around 66k. One only lasted about 10-12k miles after that before it had enough play to warrant replacement (driver side upper, replaced with a Moog). The other 3 are Duralast with a "Lifetime Warranty" but in reality, they are junk.

 

Would you believe i changed mine last Aug/08 and this july i noticed the sh**ty balljoint boots(yes both lower *****!) are severly deterioated already!That just horrible service for a VERY lightly used daily driver with straight roads & no off roading in the least.
Do they even sell boots separate from balljoints where they are splitted down the middle for installation,then sealed up?(like those CV repair boots)

 

I don't think they make them for ball joints. Tie rods: Certain stores, but hard to find. CV: Yes, but be careful what kit you get. With ball joints, I don't think it is even possible to put another boot on unless you do something fancy like this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Poor...ll-joint-boot/ .

On my 1998 "low mileage" 82,500 miles truck, all of my new ball joints have at least one part with grease leaking out of them and some the boot is deteriorated just enough to let grease out. Idler arm is new and it is leaking also. Both of my tie rods have only 1/2 a boot. I always have to keep those greased up, but as of the last front end inspection, there is no play in the front end (even though there is a little in the steering box). Also I don't really do offroading. Yes, I have used the 4WD on rough surfaces away from roads, but what I do barely constitutes offroading. My truck had barely any rust on it in 11/07 when we got it as a NYC car. Now it is getting rusty. I am going to paint the undercarriage (frame rails, crossmembers, brake and fuel lines, etc.) during thanksgiving break from college. This is even when I wash the undercarriage every time it is exposed to snow driving. I also take it though the car wash where they have an undercarriage wash.

 

What do you mean by "rebuilding" the front end? Just curious for when my truck has double the miles on it as it has now.

 

I always thought you checked the balljoints witht he front end unloaded and with a pry bar. I just replaced my lowers with 125k because the alignment shop would'nt touch it as is. They for sure had play but I think they could of gone a lot longer.