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how do I check for bad ball joints?

paddlerdan

NAXJA Forum User
Location
maine
I got an 89 xj cheep to fix up. It supposedly has a bad ball joint and that is why it failed a safety inspection, along with some rust.
I searched and couldnt find a procedure to check these for wear.
Is there any way to check for worn ball joints while this thing is in my driveway up on jack stands? I seem to have seen something to do with lifting the wheel with a long pry bar or something?
Could someone give me a step by step procedure on how to do this?
Thanx, Dan
 
Last edited:
Put the vehicle on jack or jack stand, supported by the axle tube, wheel off ground. Get a long pry bar, piece of pipe, two by four, etc. and a fulcrum, so that you can put some weight on it to push the wheel upward. It helps if two people do this, one to pry, one to look. Rock the pry bar to push the wheel up and down, and observe the ball joints. The top is usually the first to wear, and if it's worn you'll see vertical movement at the rubber seal. If it's really bad, you'll also be able to feel horizontal movement when you simply pull on the top of the tire, but vertical movement usually appears first.
 
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