I have a 1983 F150 4x4. I recently had a problem with it wandering. I took it to a front end shop and was told it needed a new steering box, upper and lower ball joints and a tie rod end.

The estimate was $1000.00. I inspected the ball joints and found about 1/8 inch play when tweeking the top and bottom of the wheels.

I replaced the steering box my self and solved the wandering problem.

Should replace the ball joints now, even though it handles fine ,and the tires are wearing perfectly?

Are the worn ball joints going to cause the wheels to fall off? What signs should I look for before I absolutly have to do the ball joints?

 

If you have 1/8 in play in the ball joint itself, then they need replacing. If talking about the whole wheel and tire moving 1/8 inch, then that isn't a lot and could be caused by a wheel bearing needing adjustment. Excessive wear on the ball joints can cause then to come apart- Just look at the older chevy trucks you see on the side of the road with the wheel sideways from ball joints coming apart. Not fun if it happens to you.

 

Expected ball joint service life is only 80-100K so good chance they need to be replaced. If you have up and down play when the front end is off the ground you need then.

 

If you wait on replacing them then as ronclark said they will come apart, if it is the bottom ball joint, then I believe the bottom of the wheel will fold under the truck as your going down the road, if it is the top ball joint, then the top of the wheel will fold in. I believe that is the most likely way the wheel will fall, but either way it goes, if one breaks you will be lucky if you don't have to replace the whole front end (depending on the speed you are going at the time ) if you are going about 45 or higher at the time, or slide after it happens, then you will have body and frame, and depending on how low or high your truck is, you may have drive train (trans, driveshaft) damage due to the sliding. So in short if there is much play at all you should replace them, and if one side is wearing out the other side is not far behind so it is best to replace them in sets (top and bottom of both sides), or you could risk your whole truck.

 

My '84 with a 300 six has over 300,000 miles on 3 original ball joints. The 4th was replaced after an accident before I got the truck almost 15 years ago. Luckily, they all have grease fittings. I grease it at every oil change... 3000 miles, or less.

The front end is tight, with no wandering. I have had the whole thing checked at a front-end shop, and it is holding alignment. There is some slight play in the joints when I raise the front off the ground, but both of my front-end guys think this is nothing to worry about.

Best of luck getting your truck straightened out.

 

Mileage is never a good indicator of when to replace ball joints or any front end parts. My 90 Ranger has 325000 miles with all the original front end parts and they are still tight. The ball joints on my 85 f150 was dangerously loose at 150000 miles. Check the parts and replace when they are worn out. 1/8 inch movement in a ball joint is worn out.

 

I finally got a chance to actually measure how much play there is. by placing an upright against the tire and pulling out on the bottom of the tire the tire deflects out 1/16th of an inch.

All of the play is in the lower ball joints which I would guestimate have about 1/32 of an inch play in them

Thanks for your feed back on this.