Ball Joints require alignment?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 941
Likes: 2
From: Morris Plains, NJ
Ball Joints require alignment?
I am doing the lower ball joints and tie rod ends since I have a nasty creak in the front passenger side and that tie rod has a flat spot. I priced the ball joint job at a local Meineke, and it came back as $464! 
He said he had to do an alignment after doing the lower ball joints, but I don't see why. My understanding is that the alignment changes 3 things which are controlled by the following things in the 1998:
Toe: Tie rods
Caster: Upper Control Arm Bolts
Camber: Upper Control Arm Bolts
I understand that the pre-1998s used Lower Control Arm Shims for the caster and Upper Ball Joint adapters for Camber.
So if I do the job myself (take off the LCA, change lower ball joints and LCA Bushings), will I need an alignment? If I change the Tie Rod ends, I know technically I will, but I believe that I can get it pretty darn close by marking the old one before it comes out.
Also, I have no experience with Torsion Bars. How hard is it to get the LCA off of them so that I can get the Ball Joints/Bushings pressed in?
He said he had to do an alignment after doing the lower ball joints, but I don't see why. My understanding is that the alignment changes 3 things which are controlled by the following things in the 1998:Toe: Tie rods
Caster: Upper Control Arm Bolts
Camber: Upper Control Arm Bolts
I understand that the pre-1998s used Lower Control Arm Shims for the caster and Upper Ball Joint adapters for Camber.
So if I do the job myself (take off the LCA, change lower ball joints and LCA Bushings), will I need an alignment? If I change the Tie Rod ends, I know technically I will, but I believe that I can get it pretty darn close by marking the old one before it comes out.
Also, I have no experience with Torsion Bars. How hard is it to get the LCA off of them so that I can get the Ball Joints/Bushings pressed in?
Last edited by PSKSAM2; Apr 20, 2003 at 10:27 AM.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 941
Likes: 2
From: Morris Plains, NJ
Ball Joints require alignment?
Originally posted by big1
BUT IS CLOSE GOOD ENOUGH WHEN DOING 65 ON THE INTERSTATE??
BUT IS CLOSE GOOD ENOUGH WHEN DOING 65 ON THE INTERSTATE??
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,940
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From: Eastern WA
Ball Joints require alignment?
Maybe, and then again maybe not, but I'd do it just to avoid tire wear concerns. Each part will have tolerances on fits and such and it unlikely that your new parts will be EXACTLY the same as the old. Yea, I know it's not much, so that's the maybe part in my first sentance. Next, unless you are the original owner, you don't know the condition of the front end parts at the last alignment. Collectively, the accumulation of .010" here and there adds up. Go for the alignment soon after installing the new parts.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 941
Likes: 2
From: Morris Plains, NJ
Ball Joints require alignment?
I can understand that, and you are correct that I don't know what condition the last guy left it in.
I looked at the LCA removal procedure that Haynes gives. They are pretty detailed about it. They do say that I'd have to take off the torsion bars. Anyone ever do this at home? Does the LCA just pop of and back onto them?
I looked at the LCA removal procedure that Haynes gives. They are pretty detailed about it. They do say that I'd have to take off the torsion bars. Anyone ever do this at home? Does the LCA just pop of and back onto them?
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
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Ball Joints require alignment?
Always have your alignment checked after doing any work to the front end of the truck. It's not hard to throw things out of wack by a degree or 2,and shorten your tire life considerably..
