How sloppy are ball joints supposed to be?

[bcossa2001]

97 Avalon. 190K. I was changing the driver side halfshaft and had to disconnect the steering knuckle from a bracket on the ball joint. When I did that the bracket attached to the ball joint immediately rotated down due to gravity.

At 190K I expect my ball joints need replacing, but is there a way to check them on the car?

 

[d00df00d]

Look for play. If you feel any, they definitely need replacement. But if they're that easy to move, it definitely couldn't hurt to replace them either way.

 

[TomYoung]

ball joints should have some resistance -- when they are new, they have plenty. In this case, the joints are well past the point that they should have been replaced.

 

[heypete]

Beats my buddy's Subaru balljoints -- even after removing the retaining screw and prying them with a crowbar (even using a 3-ton capacity floor jack to lift the crowbar against the vehicle's weight), the balljoint wouldn't pop out of the socket.

Naturally, it rotated and moved freely in the socket, but we couldn't get it out.

We ended up just disconnecting the control arm from the car's frame and swiveling it out of the way, leaving it hanging from the balljoint. Accursed thing.

 

[sprintman]

Sloppy no. Replace 'em.

 

[Silk]

Normally no play - but some loaded joints are allowed play,up to 10mm in some cases.

 

[sprintman]

10mm?? My BMW was bloody near undriveable with BJ's that had 2.5-4.5mm play (ascertained on a road-force-simulator). Lower control arms had to be replaced as the BJ's are integral, but afterwards it would drive in a straight line. Yes I like things right, the average BMW owner wouldn't know or care.

 

[eljefino]

specs

Moog specs

Both charts sometimes allow slop, but more often on 60-70s vehicles.

 

[andyd]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
10mm?? My BMW was bloody near undriveable with BJ's that had 2.5-4.5mm play (ascertained on a road-force-simulator). Lower control arms had to be replaced as the BJ's are integral, but afterwards it would drive in a straight line. Yes I like things right, the average BMW owner wouldn't know or care.
If you ever had a ball joint fail on you, you wont want to repeat the experience. Especially, if it rips the brake hose. This is why I dont mind having a mandatory annual safety inspection. Even 1MM of play is enough to make alignment impossible.

 

[mechtech2]

Older GMs had a built in wear sensor. The grease fitting would rise, and when it was almost flush, they recommended a replacement.

But I think ball joints should have zero play. Some are even spring loaded internally. New ones are tight - sometimes REAL tight.

 

[7055]

Are ball joints supposed to be really stiff, hard to move?

 

[d00df00d]

When new, yes.