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I think my ball joints are toast

mission-inc

NAXJA Forum User
Location
OREGON
Recentley I've noticed my steering acting up even more than normal. My trac bar has been clicking pretty bad, steering is more sloppy than normal, and now i'm getting a "grinding" type of noise when I steer to the left. If I were to turn the wheel all the way to the left it would only occur for the first 1/2 turn. I haven't checked it out in person, but I'm pretty sure it's the ball joints.

Are there any solutions to this steering fiasco? Thanks.
 
Dude if you're getting grinding it's probably wheel bearings. Jack up each front wheel and check for wobbles. Grab the top and bottom of each wheel and try to push and pull back and forth. If they wobble then check and see where they're wobbling. If the outer steering knuckles stay rigid and the wheel wobbles you're dealing with wheel bearings. I just did mine because my driver's side started making noise. Found it a good time to change the calipers, rotors, and pads since everything was apart and I was nearing 120k miles. Yes, the calipers were that old...ugh.

It's like driving a new vehicle, BTW. I should have done ball joints at the same time but they were still acceptable and I ran outta cash. Going to do them when I put my inner shafts back in...after I get new gears installed.
 
The U-joints? How could that be? If feels & sounds like it's a moving mechanical peice that is causing the noise. However I'll do what you said and check the wheel bearings. Thanks for your help, and the quick response!
 
If the front axle U-joints are dry, they will often cause a shudder when turning, reminds me off grinding, feel it more in the steering wheel, than hear it.
Ball joints will often pop when turning into a driveway.
If your trac bar is worn, maybe a tire is rubbing a LCA. Usually leaves scuff marks on the inside of the tire.
 
Where would be the best place to buy ball joints? I was thinking Kragen or even ordering out of Quadratec. I hope I don't have to go to the dealership... :wierd:
 
mission-inc said:
Where would be the best place to buy ball joints? I was thinking Kragen or even ordering out of Quadratec. I hope I don't have to go to the dealership... :wierd:

Before worrying about where to buy ball joints, I respectfully suggest that you do some sleuthing and confirm that the problem IS the ball joints. From your description, it does not appear that ball joints would be anywhere near the top of a list of likely suspects.
 
Today I adjusted the steering (via steering box) and concluded that that's not it. I've tried shaking the wheel when it was jacked up, nothing. I tried greasing the ball joints and they are clogged, which wouldn't normally make me want to replace them, but i'm sure that they are the problem. Although I have shaken them and they don't have play in them.

Well I guess before I throw down some cash, is there anything else I should test/look for?
 
mission-inc said:
Well I guess before I throw down some cash, is there anything else I should test/look for?

What I would suggest is that you enlist an assistant. Park the Jeep, set the brake, set chocks, chain it to a telephone pole. Be sure it won't move, because you're going to be under it. Leave the wheels on the ground.

Start the engine with tranny in park (or neutral if 5-speed). Have your assistant gently move the steering wheel back and forth, across the straight ahead position. For starters, have him/her swing the wheel about 45 degrees each way. You do NOT want the tires to actually turn, you want to stress the steering just up to the point where the tires would start to move. If 45 degrees each way doesn't take all the slack out, increase to 90 degrees each way from center.

While your assistant does this repeatedly, you get to crawl under the front end and methodically inspect each and every moving joint to see if there's any slop or play. Use a bright flashlight or drop light. I like to also wear plastic medical gloves and actually grab each joint, because sometimes you can feel a tie rod end flexing before there's visible slop.

You should look at the following:

Tie rod ends on both sides at knuckles
Joint where drag link joins tie rod
Axle end of track bar
Upper (frame) end of track bar
Check the bracket that the frame end of the track bar goes into -- it may be loose on the frame
Joint where drag link joins pitman arm
Inspect the pitman shaft where it comes out of the steering box for lateral movement

If there is any slop in any of those -- fix them first.

Then jack up the front axle and try to wiggle (wobble) the tires. Grab a wheel at top and bottom and try to make it move. If there's movement, you then have to check if it's the hubs, or one or both ball joints.
 
I've done the crawling under the jeep while someone rocks the steering wheel back and forth, but I'll do it again and grab each of the joints, to make sure there is no slop. Thanks for all your help. :worship: I'll be back in acouple days with more questions... :shiver:
 
If the grinding is kind of a groaning, creaking type noise, then it could very well be one or both of your u-joints. When I recently replaced my ball joints, I found out that the creaking/groaning noise I was hearing when I turned the wheel at slow speeds or parked was due to one of the axis on my driver's side u-joint being pretty close to siezed up (some of the needle bearings were in there sideways and broken). When I was turning it was forcing that u-joint to bend at the axis and causing a horrible creaking noise.

Of course, my ball joints were toast as well anyway, but the noise that I first thought was the ball joints really wasn't.

Word of warning, if you're planning on doing the ball joints yourself, you will more than likely need to have an air chisel and a torch. I was not able to get either uppers or lowers out with the cheesy tool I rented from Schucks, I had to use the air chisel on the top ones and I ended up torching the lower ones up and beating them out with a hammer.

Good luck. :)
 
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