Ball joint

[2020PW]

2020 PW with 50k. I have a bad driver side ball joint.

As I’m aware they are none adjustable, will I need an alignment if I change the upper and lower ball joints?

 

[1979PowerWagon360]

The basic rule on this is if your last alignment was done when your balljoint or balljoints were bad, then yes. Otherwise no.

 

[4xdad]

Better safe than worn out tires

 

[crazy jerry]

your know the joint is bad and how to change it but know nothing about alignment ?

 

[2020PW]

your know the joint is bad and how to change it but know nothing about alignment ?

Yhea, weird isn’t it…. LMAO

 

[beng3303]

2020 PW with 50k. I have a bad driver side ball joint.

As I’m aware they are none adjustable, will I need an alignment if I change the upper and lower ball joints?

If you buy emf ball joints, they can be tightened… but you would still need to install them. But yes, you will need an alignment after ball joint replacement. As a good measure I also replaced my hubs and u joints but you may not need to do that.?

 

[1979PowerWagon360]

your know the joint is bad and how to change it but know nothing about alignment ?

I often write "If I....." meaning if I have a mechanic do something. Maybe that's what o/p means. I say go easy on the o/p, at least he's reaching out for help.

I still say if the last alignment was done when ball joints were good, he should be okay. Alignments aren't cheap nor easy to find a place that is good at doing them so I'd just monitor tire wear and watch for any pull, then have it aligned. Granted it could be very slightly off due to differences in ball joints but probably within spec. Hey, just my two cents though. Good luck o/p.

 

[2020PW]

alignment complete in past 30 days

 

[1979PowerWagon360]

Also usually and decent shop will inspect steering and suspension parts prior to completing alignment and wasting your money.

 

[beng3303]

View attachment 501492
alignment complete in past 30 days

Unfortunately that shop didn’t do you any favors. They should have checked your front end parts prior to alignment. Unfortunately this alignment is junk and you need to replace the ball joints and then have the alignment re done. Maybe you could talk to the manager and ask for another no charge alignment since they missed something pretty big?

 

[2003F350]

Unfortunately that shop didn’t do you any favors. They should have checked your front end parts prior to alignment. Unfortunately this alignment is junk and you need to replace the ball joints and then have the alignment re done. Maybe you could talk to the manager and ask for another no charge alignment since they missed something pretty big?

I'm going to agree with the above here. Ball joints don't just 'go bad' in 30 days unless you are doing some serious work, hard city driving or wheeling every weekend or lots of weight. Under normal driving conditions they don't 'go bad' that quickly unless you break them off. Which means your previous alignment that's 30 days old was likely done with an already-bad ball joint, and replacing the bad one likely won't put you back to that alignment spec.

It's always a good idea to get an alignment done WHENEVER you replace suspension components that could alter the alignment. Granted on a SFA there's less that could cause an issue, but I always recommend it. You're dealing with tapered shafts, they don't always go back where you expect them to.

 

[4xdad]

I would think that a ball joint gone bad in thirty days was defective or you beat the c&@p out of it