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Ball Joints: Upper? Lower? Both?

2K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  andito77 
#1 ·
While getting an alignment yesterday I was told that we needed new upper ball joints. I checked around and some ppl say to replace uppers and lowers at the same time and some say just replace what needs to be replaced.

So, opinions?

BTW, I found Moog uppers for $55 a side through O'Reilly Auto Parts. The repair shop wanted $120/side for the same exact part.
 
#2 ·
I would always do all of them, myself.

Check out pricing at www.rockauto.com for great deals.
 
#3 ·
If the uppers are worn, the lowers are probably not great. While it's a part, do both.
 
#4 ·
Once you get into it you will realize that there is enough work there to make it worthwhile to change the uppers and lowers. It isn't an extremely difficult job, but it isn't one you want to do just for fun. Also, the lowers will go out sooner or later and the likelihood is that it will be sooner.
 
#5 ·
Yep, change upper and lower on both sides. Thats how I did it.
 
#7 ·
Driving can feel loose and sloppy or perfectly normal, ball joints have a fairly wide range of symptoms while driving depending on what they are doing including the wheel falling off. The way the I check for ball joint issues is to jack up the front end and grab each tire firmly and try to shake it, as much force as you can muster. If it moves top to bottom then replace your ball joints, if it moves side to side (without turning the steering system) then you need to look at your tie rod ends.
 
#10 ·
Alright, I got her up in the air today. Tried to rotate the tires side-side. All good. Tried to lift the tires with hands at 12/6. No play. The shop said they couldn't get the alignment to within .9 degrees because the ball joints were bad. I can't see it. I'm going to take the Jeep back to them on Monday have them put it up in the air and PROVE to me that the ball joints are bad. If they can't do that then I'm going to have them put a different tech on the truck and get the damn alignment done correctly. At this point I have this sinking feeling that they're trying to hose me. NOTHING irritates me more.
 
#11 ·
there is very little an alignment shop can do on a jeep. There is no caster or camber to set since it's dialed in from the way the axle is built and attached to the leaf springs.

Toe in is about all they can set. From what I've read you can set the toe in yourself. Take a measuring tape and measure the inside distance between the front two wheels. Take a measurement from front of the tire to front of the tire and from the back of the front tire to the back of the other front tire. You want the front measurement to be 1/2" narrower than the back.
 
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