Just checking ball joints the other day and when i lifted up on tire with a pry bar there is movement straight up on the knuckle with a clunk noise. No play sideways at all! Is this normal play, or indication that ball joints need replacement? I have about 66,000 miles.

 

Time for new BJ's (no pun intended). If your gettin upper movement when prying under the tire, they're shot. Mine were gone at 36k with no heavy wheeling. Stock BJ's are doodoo. My new stock replacements have no movent.....yet. Got em replaced under warrany. Will go Moog the next go around.

 

Prosteers and lifetime warranty !!!

 

Vertical movement in the ball joint is not grounds for replacement, unless it's excessive.
Mine have about 0.030" vetical movement. I can hear a slight clunck when I pry them up and down.
I am not getting any handling symptoms that would make me want to replace the ball joint, yet.

Here are the tolerances for the lower and upper ball joints.

 

Just my opinion, replace em. The stock units are junk. If you just have stock tires maybe not, but within 5k with bigger tires mine were blown.

It only takes a little over an hour per side, and a little sweat.

 

First of all...thank you all for all your inputs. I still have original tires, which are getting close for replacement. Should I Get the new tires first, thinking on duratrac 315.70r17.....or change the ball joints? My steering attitude is alright, getting slight constant pull to the right. I have factory LCA and UCA with AEV drop bracket. I also replaced all the LCA and TB bolts with 9/16" bolts, which took care of my original DW. When I tested the BJ, I could barely see the movement up and down in the lower bj, what bothered me was rhe clunking sound. I am waiting on a 25% off coupon discount from harbor freight to buy the BJ removal and master kit. My question is....should I get into the new tires first or fix the bj? Again, it is driving ok. Thanks in advance. JP

 

Don't bother with HF ball joint press, rent the press at Auto Zone and get the cup kit with it. Why spend the money.

 

Ok, here are the videos of the upper ball joints during the testing. Only detectable movement was up and down. No axial movement at all! Thanks and let me know what you think.
http://youtu.be/OTpWFk4HK4Y [video=youtube_share;q0OxD5gcblQ]http://youtu.be/q0OxD5gcblQ http://youtu.be/ZVkjjWbHQyA[/video]
http://youtu.be/cxPw-rN-bTA

 

Your videos are set to private. They will not play for me.

 

And the two lower ball joints!
http://youtu.be/ZVkjjWbHQyA http://youtu.be/q0OxD5gcblQ