Lower Ball Joint Bad

FL335i · October 14, 2018

So lately I've been noticing the steering feeling a bit odd so today I checked my ball joints. Passenger side lower ball joint is bad. Has a good amount of play in it. The driver side however did not have any play. 86.5k and time for lower ball joints as I'll replace them both. Thought I would share. I will make sure to replace with serviceable units. Rockauto has ACDelco's or Moog's that come with a zirk.

Edited October 14, 2018 by FL335i

Eddie 70 · October 15, 2018

I replaced the both uppers on mine because I thought I had a bad upper joint. I ordered the whole upper arm, MOOG with ball joint and installed them. Funny thing about mine, when I pulled the tire and started loosening the upper control arms, the bolts were already loose. Thus, that is where I fell into the bad upper ball joints. Did not notice where the movement was coming from when I was push/pulling on top and bottom of the tire.

20165.3Eco · October 15, 2018

I just started to get a small clunk in the rear end at low speed moderate braking (like in a parking lot).

I am going to check all of the rear suspension bolt tightness. Seems like torque specs were ignored on these trucks.

My 2010 Ram front suspension was still as tight as a drum at 140,000. I am hoping I can get over 100 on this Chevy before any front end parts are needed (seems like the front springs are very hard so I presume that will be rougher on the suspension parts). The rear suspension on the Ram however only made it to 100 or so. The upper RH front link bushing is very close to the muffler and I spent so much time at high temps towing it actually melted that and caused other bushings to wear out.

I haven't had any large ticket item expenses as of 61,000 miles on this 16 Silverado. I am hoping this is the truck that I tell people I just do brakes/tires/fluid changes.

FL335i · October 24, 2018

Well I got my front-end back together. What a job. Man did I learn some lessons. Now that its done, I am super happy with it. Transformed the truck's ride night and day difference. Bumps are soaked up, it does not ride like a cement truck anymore.

1- I torqued the upper and lower control arm bolts. All 4 of them were pretty loose. I torqued EVERYTHING on the front end. Upper and lower shock mount bolts, sway bar bolts etc. Everything. Nothing was to spec.

2- I guess I'm old school or something. I bought MOOG lower ball joints. Which needed pressed into the factory arms. Never again. I've done a lot of axle work and this was insane. Your typical ball joint press tool is not a good fit for our joints. I had to grind the studs off the OEM ones so I could use the tool and press them out. Pressing them in was insane. TOUGH. I used a 3' breaker bar with a 3' pipe on it. Never again. Yes I saved some money, but Replacing the whole arm would include bushings anyway and take 5 minutes compare to my nightmare of pressing the joints in.

My upper ball joints were fine. Tie-rods were fine. I grease them with 1-2 squirts at every oil change. My new lower joints are grease-able so maybe these will last. All I know is the difference in how the trucks rides is incredible. I had to of had items that needed torqued. No way lower ball joints could of made that difference on their own. But my whole front end is gone through and 100% torqued to spec and I paint marked the bolts. It feels like I bought a new truck and took my E-load tires off for an idea of ride difference. Learn from my pain. Spend the money and buy the whole arm with the ball joint and bushings in it!!!

Edited October 24, 2018 by FL335i

300 Blackout · October 24, 2018

Great info. Where did you get the torque specs?

southern_sierra · October 24, 2018

2 hours ago, FL335i said:

Well I got my front-end back together. What a job. Man did I learn some lessons. Now that its done, I am super happy with it. Transformed the truck's ride night and day difference. Bumps are soaked up, it does not ride like a cement truck anymore.

1- I torqued the upper and lower control arm bolts. All 4 of them were pretty loose. I torqued EVERYTHING on the front end. Upper and lower shock mount bolts, sway bar bolts etc. Everything. Nothing was to spec.

2- I guess I'm old school or something. I bought MOOG lower ball joints. Which needed pressed into the factory arms. Never again. I've done a lot of axle work and this was insane. Your typical ball joint press tool is not a good fit for our joints. I had to grind the studs off the OEM ones so I could use the tool and press them out. Pressing them in was insane. TOUGH. I used a 3' breaker bar with a 3' pipe on it. Never again. Yes I saved some money, but Replacing the whole arm would include bushings anyway and take 5 minutes compare to my nightmare of pressing the joints in.

My upper ball joints were fine. Tie-rods were fine. I grease them with 1-2 squirts at every oil change. My new lower joints are grease-able so maybe these will last. All I know is the difference in how the trucks rides is incredible. I had to of had items that needed torqued. No way lower ball joints could of made that difference on their own. But my whole front end is gone through and 100% torqued to spec and I paint marked the bolts. It feels like I bought a new truck and took my E-load tires off for an idea of ride difference. Learn from my pain. Spend the money and buy the whole arm with the ball joint and bushings in it!!!

I have a 14 gmc with aluminum uppers and lowers. When it comes time to change them I plan to go with steel complete moog arms. I'm hoping I can replace them with the steel arms. I have always believed the aluminum arms contribute to a worst ride.

Eddie 70 · October 24, 2018

Sounds like you did a good thing by getting in there and looking at everything while you were in there. When I changed the struts and upper control arms, I made sure everything was tightened also. I guess it couldn't hurt to take a look at everything each oil change. However, I didn't mark anything. Good idea. Next oil change, I will do the same. The good part about the Moog stuff, you get grease fittings!!

FL335i · October 26, 2018

Yes, the moogs have grease fittings now!! And they look beefier than the OEM joints. Let's face it, the factory Lower Ball Joints failed at 85k for me because they were "sealed for life". Which was 85k. I don't buy that BS about sealed joints and tie rods. Got my torque specs out of the Haynes repair manual.

Hate Work · October 26, 2018

On 10/24/2018 at 1:03 AM, 300 Blackout said:

Great info. Where did you get the torque specs?

The specs are online..... I think I searched fro my truck "front end torque specs"....

https://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/155408-factory-torque-specifications/

silveradosid · October 26, 2018

thx hatework

FL335i · October 28, 2018

Moog's spec for the lower ball joints was 81 Lb/Ft and then turn (right) to the next cotter pin alignment notch.

HondaHawkGT · October 28, 2018

On 10/24/2018 at 12:31 AM, southern_sierra said:

I have a 14 gmc with aluminum uppers and lowers. When it comes time to change them I plan to go with steel complete moog arms. I'm hoping I can replace them with the steel arms. I have always believed the aluminum arms contribute to a worst ride.

It's the junk Rancho shocks that come with the aluminum arms that give it a worse ride. The aluminum control arms reduce unsprung weight, which usually improves ride quality, not worsens it.

southern_sierra · October 28, 2018

I replaced the ranchos with 5100's 4years ago. The ride is better with the 5100's. The highway ride is fine but expansion joints and off road is the worst of any trucks I have owned.

Madcow2020 · November 2, 2018

Your truck wouldn’t happen to be in 4 wheel auto?

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pronstar · November 2, 2018

Well I got my front-end back together. What a job. Man did I learn some lessons. Now that its done, I am super happy with it. Transformed the truck's ride night and day difference. Bumps are soaked up, it does not ride like a cement truck anymore.

1- I torqued the upper and lower control arm bolts. All 4 of them were pretty loose. I torqued EVERYTHING on the front end. Upper and lower shock mount bolts, sway bar bolts etc. Everything. Nothing was to spec.

2- I guess I'm old school or something. I bought MOOG lower ball joints. Which needed pressed into the factory arms. Never again. I've done a lot of axle work and this was insane. Your typical ball joint press tool is not a good fit for our joints. I had to grind the studs off the OEM ones so I could use the tool and press them out. Pressing them in was insane. TOUGH. I used a 3' breaker bar with a 3' pipe on it. Never again. Yes I saved some money, but Replacing the whole arm would include bushings anyway and take 5 minutes compare to my nightmare of pressing the joints in.

My upper ball joints were fine. Tie-rods were fine. I grease them with 1-2 squirts at every oil change. My new lower joints are grease-able so maybe these will last. All I know is the difference in how the trucks rides is incredible. I had to of had items that needed torqued. No way lower ball joints could of made that difference on their own. But my whole front end is gone through and 100% torqued to spec and I paint marked the bolts. It feels like I bought a new truck and took my E-load tires off for an idea of ride difference. Learn from my pain. Spend the money and buy the whole arm with the ball joint and bushings in it!!!

I dunno about these newer trucks...but on my 99 Suburban, replacing the entire control arm, which includes ball joints and bushings, was waaaaay easier to do, for not much more money.

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