Balljoints? When should they be replaced?

BornAgainXJer · Sep 27, 2004

I am wondering what is the best way to determine whether you need to replace your balljoints or not. There is excessive noise when hitting bumps on the road.

I have gone over just about every bolt on the frontend. Any ideas?

Rev Den · Sep 27, 2004

Jack the front wheels off the ground. Grab the top and bottom of the tire and wiggle it, if you get play between the knuckles and the axle, right at the joints, that would be worn balljoints.

Rev

BornAgainXJer · Sep 28, 2004

Rev Den said:
Jack the front wheels off the ground. Grab the top and bottom of the tire and wiggle it, if you get play between the knuckles and the axle, right at the joints, that would be worn balljoints.

Rev

So would that be the only sign of ware? Also, how hard to you have to "wiggle" the tires? Thanks

jeepguy97 · Sep 28, 2004

Grab them firmly and shake them, if there is any movement the ball joints are worn.

BornAgainXJer · Sep 28, 2004

jeepguy97 said:
Grab them firmly and shake them, if there is any movement the ball joints are worn.

thanks

BornAgainXJer · Sep 28, 2004

Now my next question would be how do you know when the wheel bearings/unit bearings r worn?

Rev Den · Sep 28, 2004

Same way, look for movment at bearing and not joints.

Rev

BornAgainXJer · Sep 28, 2004

Rev Den said:
Same way, look for movment at bearing and not joints.

Rev

How would I see the bearing wouldn't I have to pull the tire off and some other stuff?

jeepguy97 · Sep 28, 2004

The movement will feel different. If its ball joints it will seem to be more spread out over the whole tire, if its bearings you will feel it more in the center. Bearings also usually make some sort of growling noise.

Rev Den · Sep 28, 2004

BornAgainXJer said:
How would I see the bearing wouldn't I have to pull the tire off and some other stuff?

Sorry...you don't really see it...you will "feel" the slop, and bea able to eliminate other areas that you can see, like balljoints.

Rev

BornAgainXJer · Sep 28, 2004

Rev Den said:
Sorry...you don't really see it...you will "feel" the slop, and bea able to eliminate other areas that you can see, like balljoints.

Rev

Ok, thanks everyone. I will try these methods and see what I find

Yucca-Man · Sep 28, 2004

Make sure that when you're doing the "grab n'shake" that you have the axle supported on the tube and not the knuckle...

I thought the bearing check was 3 and 9 o'clock, and the ball joints at 6 and 12?

jeepguy97 · Sep 28, 2004

I thought the bearing check was 3 and 9 o'clock, and the ball joints at 6 and 12?

:doh: It is.

BornAgainXJer · Sep 28, 2004

Yucca-Man said:
Make sure that when you're doing the "grab n'shake" that you have the axle supported on the tube and not the knuckle...

I thought the bearing check was 3 and 9 o'clock, and the ball joints at 6 and 12?

Thanks for the info

Rev Den · Sep 29, 2004

Yucca-Man said:
I thought the bearing check was 3 and 9 o'clock

Then how would you tell if it is bearing or steering componants??

Steering 3 & 9

Everything else 12 & 6

Rev

Balljoints? When should they be replaced?

BornAgainXJer

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