Ball joint failed

[gary_lucas]

I was poking around on the driver side finishing attaching the power steering line supports when i saw this:

https://goo.gl/photos/vs1BbabamzQgm3gWA

Thank god I noticed...

I pressed in a new moog ball joint a couple months back... I'm pretty sure it looked fine a week ago.

The ball joint is destroyed, the boot is literally shredded and shoved halfway through the control arm.

The control arm splines are deformed.

I'm going to blame myself, I pushed it in, I have never done it before and likely screwed it up.

Just wondering if anyone has insight for me? I'm also now worried because I did the other 3 ball joints... They still seem solid, I went down and checked each of them. Also, by the time I got to them I was a little more competent at being able to line them up properly. Has anyone else seen this?

Thanks!

I've purchased a new MOOG control arm and will install it tomorrow.

[gary_lucas]

Haven't installed the new arm yet...

I managed to tear something or stress a tendon or something of that nature. Waiting til that has stopped hurting for a day or two.

The other side still looks good.

https://goo.gl/photos/PqJotuLyvQvnTFLP7

Once I do the new control arm I'll take it for an alignment and then give it a good road test and re-inspect.

[gary_lucas]

New control arm installed.

The hardest bit was getting the bolts loose. I soaked them in honey goo + liquid wrench every night for a few days... And then after jacking up the control arm I got my small impact on the bolt and just zipped it back and forth for a few minutes (5 seconds tighten then 5 seconds loosen... Wait... Repeat).

Both bolts were loose in about 5 minutes. Last time I fought with these it took an hour and didn't get much done.

Those newer little electric impacts are awesome.

[rapidoxidationman]

Does the steering feel any tighter?

[gary_lucas]

Does the steering feel any tighter?

The truck is down to almost new again. The steering has maybe 1/2 an inch of play in it. probably less, it's not as tight as my B250, but it's not that far off.

I'm going to install the cognito kit this weekend if my arm co-operates.

My next project is fixing the body rust. I took the wheel well / mud flap off.

I'm pretty disgusted by the rust protection on these trucks. The fender flares and wheel well are poorly isolated. The whole back of the wheel well was loaded with rust and crap. You can't see it til you take the fender flare off.

If the fender flare wasn't there I don't think there'd be rust... IE I think the fender flare catches the water and crap and keeps it there.

[More Power]

In looking through my 2001 GM service manuals I noticed that it does not include ball joint replacement info for the upper control arms, though it does contain R&R info for the control arms and ball joint replacement info for the lower ball joints.

Does this mean the ball joints used on the upper control arms are not replaceable?

[tufcj]

Just curious what brand upper control arm you used? I did the front of my 2003 a few years ago using "NAPA Premium" parts throughout (about 150K on factory parts). This spring, with only about 50K on them, the driver side had completely failed. Replaced it, took it for alignment, and the passenger side is beginning to fail. I found this online: http://www.rockauto.com/info/Moog/MOOG_PS_Bulletin_27015.pdf Sure enough, pulled the failed one apart and there's plastic in it. I'm probably going to re-replace both sides with Moog parts before winter and have it aligned again.

Bob
tufcj

[gary_lucas]

In looking through my 2001 GM service manuals I noticed that it does not include ball joint replacement info for the upper control arms, though it does contain R&R info for the control arms and ball joint replacement info for the lower ball joints.

Does this mean the ball joints used on the upper control arms are not replaceable?

Interesting, I purchased a rockauto moog upper ball joint. http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=504270&cc=1432943

Maybe the control arm isn't intended to have a new ball joint pressed in. At this point I'm considering just pre-emptively replacing the passenger side upper control arm. I'd be out $50 but that's a bargain compared to the worst case scenario.

[gary_lucas]

Just curious what brand upper control arm you used? I did the front of my 2003 a few years ago using "NAPA Premium" parts throughout (about 150K on factory parts). This spring, with only about 50K on them, the driver side had completely failed. Replaced it, took it for alignment, and the passenger side is beginning to fail. I found this online: http://www.rockauto.com/info/Moog/MOOG_PS_Bulletin_27015.pdf Sure enough, pulled the failed one apart and there's plastic in it. I'm probably going to re-replace both sides with Moog parts before winter and have it aligned again.

Bob
tufcj


See post below, I re-used the existing control arm with this ball joint http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=504270&cc=1432943

[arveetek]

In looking through my 2001 GM service manuals I noticed that it does not include ball joint replacement info for the upper control arms, though it does contain R&R info for the control arms and ball joint replacement info for the lower ball joints.

Does this mean the ball joints used on the upper control arms are not replaceable?

I'm not sure about the newer models, but on my GMT400, the upper ball joint is riveted into place, and GM intended for the whole upper control arm to be replaced as a complete unit. The aftermarket came out with ball joint replacements where you have to cut the rivets off, and then bolt the new joint in place.

Casey

[gary_lucas]

I just checked gmpartsdirect.

No upper ball joint.

SO yah, probably not originally intended for removal / replacement.

Should have replaced both upper control arms. I may do the other one on general principle.

[DmaxMaverick]

In looking through my 2001 GM service manuals I noticed that it does not include ball joint replacement info for the upper control arms, though it does contain R&R info for the control arms and ball joint replacement info for the lower ball joints.

Does this mean the ball joints used on the upper control arms are not replaceable?

I think GM engineers, in their grand wisdom (?), anticipated the bushings and ball joints to wear about evenly (or the failure of one to necessitate the replacement of the other), so no real need to replace them independently. Both parts are replaceable, as we know, and the control arms almost always survive the bushing/joint wear. I've replaced both successfully, for years, without the aid of GM's repair manual advice or recommendation. GM shops and most shops that service suspension will not replace the joints, or bushings, with the only option being control arm replacement. It's a conspiracy, I tell ya.

[gary_lucas]

I think GM engineers, in their grand wisdom (?), anticipated the bushings and ball joints to wear about evenly (or the failure of one to necessitate the replacement of the other), so no real need to replace them independently. Both parts are replaceable, as we know, and the control arms almost always survive the bushing/joint wear. I've replaced both successfully, for years, without the aid of GM's repair manual advice or recommendation. GM shops and most shops that service suspension will not replace the joints, or bushings, with the only option being control arm replacement. It's a conspiracy, I tell ya.

Yah, not sure what happened in my case. Faulty install (more than possible... first time I've done it). I *think* there may have already been one replacement in that control arm or even 2-3... Who knows...

I do know the passenger side was the 3rd one I did and I'd gotten allot better at it by that point. And it still looks solid. I guess I'll just watch it and see what happens.