I have read where the ball joints on the E-350 vans are only good for about 30,000 miles?

Have others found this to be the case, as well?

Ford has a fairly complicated way of testing them but is there any way of knowing their condition just based on driving the vehicle?

 

Moved to the 1968 - Present Full Size Van forum.

 

30,000 miles is not alot I agree but it also depends on what engine you have and the conditions of the rest of the front end , like camber, and springs and radius arm bushings as well as alignment ....Jack up the truck..... grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock if you have excessive play, it is ball joint time...If you think it is bearing play, have an assistant watch the upper and then the lower for excessive movement while you are moving the tire ..... Also the factory units have no grease nipples and are prone to fail faster ...

 

No, 30k is to low.


Ball joint Ford front ends, trucks and vans, half tons and 1 tons, will usually go for about 45-60k miles with the originals, and about 60-75k with good quality greasable ones after....if greased regularly.

 

here's a killer bit of info...
on my past van that had 785,000 when it died, had two original in place and still good.
The other two made it to 760,000... Shocking!

It was mostly used on the hwy and didn't get much abuse other then the mileage.

 

My E250 just turned 260K miles, one ball joint began to fail with about 230K miles on it----not a bad life for original parts that couldn't be greased.

I had all four replaced with Moog and specified them with Zerk fittings----hope these will be the last installed as long as I own the van.

Have to agree 30K miles would be very low, assuming proper maintenance and no abuse too.

 

The 2 lowers were bad on mine at 150,000 miles but had all 4 replaced with Moog. Told they would be good for long time.

 

Looks like road conditions play a big roll here!

Mine were shot at 67k when I purchased the van (2007 E350). It came from the Bay Area, so it probably saw lots of bumpy miles! +1 on the 12 & 6 o'clock position test method, it works. I got to watch the ball joints while my Mechanic shook the tire. He services a large fleet of construction vans, and says they go at about 60k here (Portland Metro Area).

 

Yep here to. The average company van/cube vans go about 60-75k here.