Aftermarket Ball-joints

pj8556 · April 8, 2010

After reading many posts about a front end clunk associdated with worn ball joints caused by leveling kits I have determined that my upper ball joints are shot, I have around 30k miles with my 2" rough country kit and have been noticing the noise for quite some time, noise does not get worse and everything else is tight! (although I cannot find much play in the wheels...??) the noise occurs only while turning, it is faint but definetly present. I figure it has to be worn ball joints so I will replace them. My question is where can I find a quality set of aftermarket replacements??? Thanks!

sc4808 · April 8, 2010

Rough Country makes (or did make) heavy duty upper ball joints, I have them on my 09, check with them.

Made_N_USA · April 8, 2010

After reading many posts about a front end clunk associdated with worn ball joints caused by leveling kits I have determined that my upper ball joints are shot, I have around 30k miles with my 2" rough country kit and have been noticing the noise for quite some time, noise does not get worse and everything else is tight! (although I cannot find much play in the wheels...??) the noise occurs only while turning, it is faint but definetly present. I figure it has to be worn ball joints so I will replace them. My question is where can I find a quality set of aftermarket replacements??? Thanks!

Isn't it still under warranty? I've read some posts where the dealership would still honor the warranty even with the leveling kit. Might be worth a try.

Blown03 · April 8, 2010

I had mine replaced under warranty, same exact clunk your describing. I only had about 21k miles or so on my stock ones. got about 16k now on the new ones, no signs of wearing, so good so far

C. Charles Hahn · April 8, 2010

Rough Country makes (or did make) heavy duty upper ball joints, I have them on my 09, check with them.

Say what? This is the first I've heard of ANY aftermarket ball joints being available for GMT900 half tons.... do you have any pictures, part numbers, etc.?

Also, perhaps most importantly, are these ball joints greasable, or sealed?

sc4808 · April 8, 2010

Rough Country makes (or did make) heavy duty upper ball joints, I have them on my 09, check with them.

Say what? This is the first I've heard of ANY aftermarket ball joints being available for GMT900 half tons.... do you have any pictures, part numbers, etc.?

Also, perhaps most importantly, are these ball joints greasable, or sealed?

I have them on my 09, they came with the 3" kit but the documentation said that tey could be used with the stock arms or the RC replacement arms, now I did not try them in the stock arms since I purchased the Optional arms. I do not have the part number but I'm sure a call to RC would yeild it.

C. Charles Hahn · April 8, 2010

Rough Country makes (or did make) heavy duty upper ball joints, I have them on my 09, check with them.

Say what? This is the first I've heard of ANY aftermarket ball joints being available for GMT900 half tons.... do you have any pictures, part numbers, etc.?

Also, perhaps most importantly, are these ball joints greasable, or sealed?

I have them on my 09, they came with the 3" kit but the documentation said that tey could be used with the stock arms or the RC replacement arms, now I did not try them in the stock arms since I purchased the Optional arms. I do not have the part number but I'm sure a call to RC would yeild it.

Ah, ok... came with the 3" kit. I saw no mention of them selling the ball joints separately, but maybe if I called and asked they would

I'll have to find out!

Metro12 · April 8, 2010

How convenient for a leveling company to sell after market ball joints, to replace the ball joints that the leveling kit damages!

FarmerDave · April 8, 2010

Well.... pay for a bigger lift if you don't wan t to buy ball joints as often

FarmerDave · April 8, 2010

Well.... pay for a bigger lift if you don't want to buy ball joints as often

khancock · April 8, 2010

The dealership replaced both mine at 30k with no question or mention of the leveling kit. I had looked into aftermarket before that and it was going to be about $150 per side. Even if I only get 30k out of these its worth the $300 and free alignment.

I'm interested if anyone else is using only the upper control arms from the RC 3" kit. I've read some threads about its poor quality but if their ball joints are grease-able it maybe a good option. Mooge were hard to come by at the time I was looking (last December)

sc4808 · April 9, 2010

The dealership replaced both mine at 30k with no question or mention of the leveling kit. I had looked into aftermarket before that and it was going to be about $150 per side. Even if I only get 30k out of these its worth the $300 and free alignment.

I'm interested if anyone else is using only the upper control arms from the RC 3" kit. I've read some threads about its poor quality but if their ball joints are grease-able it maybe a good option. Mooge were hard to come by at the time I was looking (last December)

Knock on wood I have had no issues to date with the 3" kit and replacement arms, but it only has 17,000 miles so far. Time will tell, I don't know if RC changed the Bushing material but so far its just as tight as the day I installed them.

anteater · April 9, 2010

GM dealers here are selling the trucks on the showroom floor with these leveling kits installed,there are a lot of these trucks running around here in the oil patch with these leveling kits installed right from the dealer to help with the low ground clearance issues,so that being said it I would expect these dealers should be covering this under warranty being the dealer sold and installed it!

dirtfan21 · April 9, 2010

I installed a 1.5 inch bottom spacer not too long ago, maybe 3,000 miles. I then proceeded to throw new tires on with an allignment. We the truck was having the rubber and allignment done I recieved a call from the tire shop. Lowers had a very small amount of play. AGAIN THIS WAS WITH 10 MILES ON THE LEVELING KIT!

I bought the truck used, Certified, from our local chevy dealer with 29,900. The level went on at 40,000 and that 10,000 miles I put on it was highway. NO OFFROADING.

The level does not help I'm sure but the BJ's on these things must be junk or my truck was worked before I got it. I'm leaning toward the BJ's are junk from all the posts I have read.

jerseydrew · April 9, 2010

I installed a 1.5 inch bottom spacer not too long ago, maybe 3,000 miles. I then proceeded to throw new tires on with an allignment. We the truck was having the rubber and allignment done I recieved a call from the tire shop. Lowers had a very small amount of play. AGAIN THIS WAS WITH 10 MILES ON THE LEVELING KIT!

I bought the truck used, Certified, from our local chevy dealer with 29,900. The level went on at 40,000 and that 10,000 miles I put on it was highway. NO OFFROADING.

The level does not help I'm sure but the BJ's on these things must be junk or my truck was worked before I got it. I'm leaning toward the BJ's are junk from all the posts I have read.

i refuse to believe that 10 miles on a 1.5 lift kit did the damage. it was probably already there and you found it because you did the lift and allignment.