Lower ball joint

[Mack3748]

I have a 2020 silverado, and I just replaced the driverside front cv axle. Went to get alignment, and they say I need lower ball joints. I'm not surprised since my summer tires that I just took off showed signes of wear on the inner tire. I drive mostly highway, with 137 k on the truck. I feel that it is early to replace ball joints. Does anyone else have issues with this?

[Bikerjon]

4 hours ago, Mack3748 said:

I have a 2020 silverado, and I just replaced the driverside front cv axle. Went to get alignment, and they say I need lower ball joints. I'm not surprised since my summer tires that I just took off showed signes of wear on the inner tire. I drive mostly highway, with 137 k on the truck. I feel that it is early to replace ball joints. Does anyone else have issues with this?

Anything over 100,000 miles is great. You definitely got a lot of use from the original ball joints.

[davester]

137k km, so a little short of 100k miles, but still, decent.  They fail along the bathtub curve, the low, flat middle part is low, but not zero.  There will always be some that fail "too soon", possibly exacerbated by driving conditions and things like oversize wheels or lift if you've done that kind of stuff.

 

[silveradosid]

i have a 2020 with 170k kilometers, i am putting my snow tire on today, i will check them and let you know. i don't have any wear problems but every once and a while it will pitch to the right

[Mack3748]

15 hours ago, davester said:

137k km, so a little short of 100k miles, but still, decent.  They fail along the bathtub curve, the low, flat middle part is low, but not zero.  There will always be some that fail "too soon", possibly exacerbated by driving conditions and things like oversize wheels or lift if you've done that kind of stuff.

 

The only thing different is I have 1.5 inch spacers when I am on my summer tires. I dont need them for my winters. I know they are a little hard on the suspension.  But didn't think they would go this quick. I am still on my original break pads. But will likly have to do them in the spring.

[silveradosid]

did you do the alignment with or without the spacer. from stock when you add a spacer it changes camber and toe in which might be why you have inner wear. i just checked mine when i put my snows on and they are still tight

[Mack3748]

4 hours ago, silveradosid said:

did you do the alignment with or without the spacer. from stock when you add a spacer it changes camber and toe in which might be why you have inner wear. i just checked mine when i put my snows on and they are still tight

I went for the alignment without the spacers. I put my winter tires on which I dont need the spacers with them.

[Gangly]

160K, mine are good.

 

If you have a 2wd truck, I can guarantee you that your camber is off if your still on your original shocks.  There isn't a 2wd truck on the road running factory suspension that isn't wearing out the inside tread of their front tires.  Take a look at any stock suspended 2wd truck that has more than 20K miles, and the camber is noticeable even when parked.  You can actually see it on some of the 2wd's that are brand new on the dealer lots.

 

 

[tjonesdfw]

I had the lower ball joints go bad before I hit 65,000 miles on a stock height, stock tire and wheel, no spacer, '21 Denali 4x4 that's almost 100% pavement driven.  I think they billed my extended warranty about $3,600 for the repair, which was nuts.  I also find it crazy that GM has dealers replace the entire lower control arm instead of having a more serviceable ball joint mount.