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With your truck jacked up, grab ahold of the tire at the top and see if you can move it in or out, then do the same thing at the bottom. If you feel any play at all, top or bottom, you need new ball joints. Do this on both sides and chances are, if one side is bad the other one is also.
i don't have the 4x4- how can i tell with a 2x4 sd... same way?
i did check it- it doesn't look like the ball joint moves... it looks more like the rotor itself moving- maybe my bearings went bad?
what do you think?
thanks
rich
If the rotor itself is moving that is definitely a bearing issue. How many miles do you have on your truck and have the bearings ever been replaced? It's recommended to check and repack them every 30,000 miles. If they have never been replaced you may only need to repack and adjust them. If they look worn or damaged they will need replaced. Per the Haynes repair manual you tighten the spindle nut in three phases. Step 1, while spinning the hub in a forward direction tighten the nut to 21 ft lbs which seats the bearing. Step 2, loosen the spindle nut 1/2 turn. Step 3, retighten the spindle nut to 18 in-lbs. At this point you can replace the nut lock and insert the cotter pin. If the holes do not line up for the pin, tighten the nut just enough to allow the pin to be inserted, never loosen the nut. After you've done this you should be good to go. Adjustment of these bearings are critical, too tight will cause premature wear and not tightening them enough will also cause wear and handling issues. Hope this helps!
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
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