If you have replaced your upper balljoints on your truck at what mileage did you do so? Also is it possible for one to come apart and a driver to lose control? thanks

I had a the lower passenger side ball joint replaced at 35K.....don't know if they can coming apart under normal conditions

You can definatly lose control with a ball joint out. Personally I have not had any go out on my truck. But again my truck sat in the barn most of its life (10 years old and 75K miles). I know Ford has major problems with ball joints. 60k miles is not unusual to rebuild the front ends for them.

Jperry thanks for the information. seems out of the other 48 views that no one has changed the balljoints on 2001 and up dmax

I had my right upper ball joint replaced about 106k because of a torn boot.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16545&page=2&highlight=ball+joint

i had my lower left ball joint replaced due to a torn boot, as well, at 60k miles.

I snapped a upper ball joint on my old Impala years ago while driving on the highway. Made the front end float a little bit and the steering was loose so I pulled over to look and seen the top of the tire leaning in and the spindal was up against the upper control arm. Had it towed to be safe

Both upper @ 120,000km

Hey guys, I was just brousing around reading this and remembered that I haven't greased my lower ball-joints yet. I found the zerts for the upper ball joints, rod-ends, etc., but I couldn't locate a zert for the lower ball-joints????
(2004.5 2500HD X-cab short-box 4x4, dmax/ally)

Am I blind or just not too bright???
These aren't "lubed for (short) life" are they?

You can see and reach them only from the REAR side of the wheels (as opposed to lubing the tie rods from the FRONT side of the wheels).
Turning the steering wheel helps to expose them.
There are 11 zerk fittings to be lubed in the front end.

Russ

Can you replace the just the upper ball joints or do you have to replace the whole "A" frame? If the "A" frame has to be replaced...I believe it will be time for a Cognito leveling kit!!!

MaxRock

Upper right at 56000 on an 03. Just did it last week.

You can replace just the ball joint. Moog has just the joint, you just press out the stocker and press in the Moog.
If you buy GM parts, you will be replacing the whole a arm at a little mor than double the $.

BP...if I'm not being too nosey...what kinda price did you pay for the uppers?

Thanks,

MaxRock

Replaced the driver's side upper balljoint a few weeks ago @ 65K miles for torn boot. Dealer says you have to buy the whole upper control arm for $180+, I said bull. You can get the upper balljoint through Napa for about $60, then rent (for free) the portable balljoint press from O'Reillys. Whole job took about 45 minutes from start to finish, and no alignment required since you don't remove the control arm. Napa part number for the upper balljoint (for my truck) was 260-1526 (Moog of course).

Tim

Thanks for the info!!!

Upper and lower drivers side 98k - 01 extra cab, 2500HD, LB 285 toyo open country

Still have to unload the torsion bars right? Atleast i did when i changed one of mine.

I have 219K miles on our 1986 Chev 1 ton dually that travels at 9800 lbs (heavy camper) about 99% of the time. The ball joints are still good, but the A-frame bushings are worn some since the grease comes out easily. I haven't replaced them since tire wear isn't showing up.

Our 1987 Chev Celebrity has 246K miles on it. I had to replace one ball joint this spring since I tore the boot in replacing one of the front drive trans-axle shafts. The ball joint is still good so I kept it in case I can get a replacement boot from the Chevy dealer.

The secret to preserving ball joints is to grease them regularing and tell the tire shops that your ball joints are fine. Replacing ball joints is the biggest ripoff around.

This is when front end work was done to mine - I have 79K on the truck now.


01/18/2005
075248
0
E8041 - TIE ROD, INNER - LEFT - REPLACE
74497 miles
01/18/2005
075248
0
E2931 - BALL JOINT, CONTROL ARM - LOWER - LEFT - REPLACE
74497 miles
05/01/2003
063626
#
E8040 - TIE ROD, INNER - RIGHT - REPLACE
32211 miles

It's also real strange when upper ball joints go out because they have much less force placed upon them than the lower ball joints do. Unless they have never been greased, boots cracked or otherwise defective in some way, you should go a long time before having to replace those. The lower balljoints, on the other hand, have a pretty tough job because they are always in tension while experiencing all the other normal articulating forces.

Just my .02 based on many a ball joint replacement over the years :cool:

ALL 4 at 60k........Thanks to Fabtec Spindles!! :banghead: