How do you know it's time to replace ball joints?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 189
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From: Cleveland OH
How do you know it's time to replace ball joints?
I just noticed the other day that when I turn the steering wheel all the way to the right or the left I start getting a clunking sound under my front end.
It drives fine, but I don't like the sound. I have an 04 F250 4x4, 5.4 V8 with about 19300 miles. I plow in the winter, but I honestly baby this truck.
Also, when the truck isn't plowing, I put the plow down, or if it's going to warm up, I take the plow off.
I appreciate your comments.
It drives fine, but I don't like the sound. I have an 04 F250 4x4, 5.4 V8 with about 19300 miles. I plow in the winter, but I honestly baby this truck.
Also, when the truck isn't plowing, I put the plow down, or if it's going to warm up, I take the plow off.
I appreciate your comments.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,130
Likes: 3
From: Massachusetts
My symptom was pulling to the left upon breaking and a constant left wander on the highway. I braught it in for a alignment and my shop detected left side ball joints were shot. They replaces the left side and all was good.
I have had the clunk that you speak of from day one. Before and after ball joint replacement. My clunk is due to the sway bar and cheap rubber bushings. If I ever had the time (ya right) I would have replaced them with eurathane ones.
I have had the clunk that you speak of from day one. Before and after ball joint replacement. My clunk is due to the sway bar and cheap rubber bushings. If I ever had the time (ya right) I would have replaced them with eurathane ones.
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: South Shore, MA
I had lots of squeeking when turning the wheel left or right while going slow or stopped...
04', 22k miles. Plow truck, 2 mild seasons. Plowing + sealed SD ball joints kills them... fast.
Fwiw... you should replace both upper/lower, left and right when doing the *****.
04', 22k miles. Plow truck, 2 mild seasons. Plowing + sealed SD ball joints kills them... fast.
Fwiw... you should replace both upper/lower, left and right when doing the *****.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 189
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From: Cleveland OH
Hey Hoagie....were they covered by your warranty? Or did you have to pay? If so, how much? Thanks
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 219
Likes: 1
From: College Station, TX
Don't make my mistake by waiting.
I have a 2004 F250 Super Duty 4WD Crew Cab Lariat with a 6Liter PowerStroke Diesel engine.
I'm the original owner and I take good care of it.
I've had it 2 1/2 years and it's at less than 39K miles.
I've been trying to get my truck in to check out the alignment for months now, because something doesn't feel right.
But the reliable trustworthy shop that I've used for years has been too busy on the days that I've had available until just recently.
Oct 27 2006 I dropped my truck off and ask them to balance and rotate the tires and check the alignment.
A while later I got a call from the shop manager stating that 3 of the ball joints are worn out along with the Pitman/Control-arm joint.
I was stunned because balljoints are a 100k mile plus maintenance item.
He suggested that I contact Ford to see if they would replace the ball joints under warranty, since the truck is less that 3 years old with such low mileage.
He also mentioned that since '98, he's seen alot of Ford ball-joints worn out early.
I called Ford Motor Custumer Relationship Center to inquire about this and I was directed to take my truck to a Ford Service Center for a front end inspection.
The Customer Service Representative told me that they need a Ford technician to determine the condition of the ball-joints before even considering a warranty replacement.
So I took my truck to the closest dealer with a Ford Service Center and told the Service Advisor that the front suspension hasn't felt right for some time.
The truck doesn't seem to track right and I sometimes hear a 'clunk' from the front when passing over a bump or rough spot in the road.
Here's the exact comment from the invoice I received from this visit:
CHECK BALL JOINTS-CUST STATES TRUCK DOES NOT SEEM TO TRACK CORRECTLY
ROADTEST. DRIVES STRAIGHT. INSPECTED FRONT END - ALL OK.
NO CHARGE
I’ve come to trust the word of the local independent alignment shop that I’ve used since before I even had this truck. They’re not ones to con folks in to unneeded repairs.
It seems to me that Ford’s associates have circled the wagons to avoid doing a warranty repair. So I jacked the front axle up and suspended both front wheels with jackstands to check for myself.
And sure enough there's movement in both wheels. I used my camera to make a video of the wheel movement, you can actually see the movemrnt at the ball joint itself.
I'd like to make the video conveniently available for the FTE community to view, but I'm not sure how to go about it.
The next rainday I get, I'll take my laptop to the Ford Service Center to show them exactly what they're calling 'ALL OK'.
I'm the original owner and I take good care of it.
I've had it 2 1/2 years and it's at less than 39K miles.
I've been trying to get my truck in to check out the alignment for months now, because something doesn't feel right.
But the reliable trustworthy shop that I've used for years has been too busy on the days that I've had available until just recently.
Oct 27 2006 I dropped my truck off and ask them to balance and rotate the tires and check the alignment.
A while later I got a call from the shop manager stating that 3 of the ball joints are worn out along with the Pitman/Control-arm joint.
I was stunned because balljoints are a 100k mile plus maintenance item.
He suggested that I contact Ford to see if they would replace the ball joints under warranty, since the truck is less that 3 years old with such low mileage.
He also mentioned that since '98, he's seen alot of Ford ball-joints worn out early.
I called Ford Motor Custumer Relationship Center to inquire about this and I was directed to take my truck to a Ford Service Center for a front end inspection.
The Customer Service Representative told me that they need a Ford technician to determine the condition of the ball-joints before even considering a warranty replacement.
So I took my truck to the closest dealer with a Ford Service Center and told the Service Advisor that the front suspension hasn't felt right for some time.
The truck doesn't seem to track right and I sometimes hear a 'clunk' from the front when passing over a bump or rough spot in the road.
Here's the exact comment from the invoice I received from this visit:
CHECK BALL JOINTS-CUST STATES TRUCK DOES NOT SEEM TO TRACK CORRECTLY
ROADTEST. DRIVES STRAIGHT. INSPECTED FRONT END - ALL OK.
NO CHARGE
I’ve come to trust the word of the local independent alignment shop that I’ve used since before I even had this truck. They’re not ones to con folks in to unneeded repairs.
It seems to me that Ford’s associates have circled the wagons to avoid doing a warranty repair. So I jacked the front axle up and suspended both front wheels with jackstands to check for myself.
And sure enough there's movement in both wheels. I used my camera to make a video of the wheel movement, you can actually see the movemrnt at the ball joint itself.
I'd like to make the video conveniently available for the FTE community to view, but I'm not sure how to go about it.
The next rainday I get, I'll take my laptop to the Ford Service Center to show them exactly what they're calling 'ALL OK'.
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: South Shore, MA
Originally Posted by sweetpete
Hey Hoagie....were they covered by your warranty? Or did you have to pay? If so, how much? Thanks
I also had the "pitman rod comming off of the control arm" issue on the other plow truck (02' w/ 38k mi)
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Cleveland OH
You guys are just awesome. I really appreciate the feed back. I'm going to take it in ASAP. I'm not mechanically inclined. When it comes to drywall finishing, I can hold my own, but with vehicles it's a different story.
I really appreciate you guys taking the time to help me out. If you ever have a drywall question, feel free to pm me or e-mail!!
I really appreciate you guys taking the time to help me out. If you ever have a drywall question, feel free to pm me or e-mail!!