How do you know if you need new balljoints?

[lionelkirk2004]

How do you know if you need new Balljoints? What are the signs?

[LMP]

Signs are:
- knocking sound when driving even at very low speeds through small surface irregularities
- imprecise, vague, unstable, wandering steering

I found the easiest and the most revealing way to test them is to leave car on ground and have someone turn the steering rapidly left and right - just a little, 1/4 turn each way- while you look under the car at the ball joint: when worn, you will see very easily the play of the lower strut and ball joint relative to lower table. Jacking the car is bad practice for test because this removes the weight of the car from the tire and transfers the whole force of the spring against the ball joint( if you place hydraulic jack under the suspension table)--or it causes a very unusual ball joint angle if you jack on center frame , and this locks the ball jopint in place, and it is very hard to find it good or bad that way, even when prying the strut with a crowbar...
with wheel on ground, there is absolutely no vertical force applied on the ball joint and it will just move very easily if worn out.

[Nikk]

Jack the vehicle up to get the tire a couple of inches or so off the ground. Make sure you dont jack from under the tire area because you want all weight off the tire on whatever side your starting on. Now take a crow bar or something similar put it under the tire from the side (not front or rear) and lift up on it a few times while someone gets under it with a flash light to check for excessive movement in the joint. If there bad it will be easy to see movement. Always remember safety first use a jack stand or slide an old tire and rim under the car incase the jack gives no one will get hurt. Hope this helpped. Nick