ball joint play?

[sgull]

On my 98 2WD Ranger I've been noticing some sporadic shuddering type noise seems to come from left front wheel area. It's not particularly loud nor do I notice it vibrating to the steering wheel as I drive. Checking around underneath, everything seems tight and nothing appears obviously bad or loose. Suspecting perhaps worn ball joint(s) I separately jacked the each front tire off the ground and grasped it at 12 and 6 o'clock and tried to move it back and forth to check for play. I did in fact detect some slight play on the left side as compared to the right which I detected no such slight play. Then I took a pry bar to see if I could notice any up-and-down play when I pried up from underneath the tire. Didn't seem to notice any play at all that way. I'm just wondering if the slight play I mentioned when I wiggled the left tire/wheel back and forth while grasping at 12 and 6 o'clock could be a definite indication the ball joint(s) on that side might be worn and maybe be causing the shuddering noise as described. Or should a very slight back-and-forth top and bottom movement when I did the rocking back and forth test as I described be expected and not necessarily indicative of a bad ball joint(s)? thanks for any comments

 

[adsm08]

At 12 and 6 with the wheel jacked up it might be ball joints. Recheck at 3 and 9, if you still feel it it's wheel bearings. It if feels tight at 3 and 9 it is probably the upper ball joint, which can be confirmed by pushing in on the top of the tire.

 

[sgull]

It feels tight at 3 and 9. When I push in on the top of the left front tire I do feel definite but what seems slight (to me) play, But if I do the the same on the right front tire, there is not even slight play that I can feel. It may be hard to know for sure, but with the slight play I mention is that likely indicative of a worn upper ball joint and so could very likely be what's causing the "shuddering" type noise I mentioned in my first post this thread?

 

[adsm08]

It does sound like the upper ball joint is wearing out, but without hearing the noise I can't tell you if it's the source of the noise or not. It is rare, in my experience, to have a slightly loose ball joint be the source of a noise. Only way to be sure is to replace it and see if the noise goes away.

 

[sgull]

Also, I wanted to mention this is the method I used to jack the tire(s) off the ground and then check for play in the wheel(s). Stuck this floor jack under these such "designated" jacking points and jacked until the tire was off the ground. Is this a good enough way to check for play or would I be better off jacking somewhere else instead of right on the lower control arm like this?

 

[adsm08]

Doesn't matter where you put the jack, as long as the spring is getting compressed.

 

[sgull]

So if I jacked under the frame (instead of the control arm like I did) and the spring wasn't getting compressed, I probably wouldn't be able to test properly to check for play by trying to grasp the tire at 12 and 6 and trying to wiggle? Might not detect play that way without spring compressed? Just trying to make sure I understand. thanks again

 

[adsm08]

Correct. I don't fully understand the physics of it, I just know that when the spring is allowed to flex out it loads up the ball joints and you won't get an accurate sense of how much play is in them. Loading the spring as if the vehicle wasn't being jacked up at all takes that load out and lets you feel all the play.

 

[sgull]

Okay thanks for those helpful replies. So my understanding is that with the stock upper control arms, that the balljoints themselves aren't really replaceable and in the case I would want to replace them with stock I'd need to obtain the entire upper control arm which of course would include the balljoint and bushings. Otherwise if I wanted a replaceable upper balljoint I'd need to obtain an aftermarket upper control arm in order to replace the balljoint? Do I have that straight?

 

[sgull]

Also, an additional comment here to follow the inquiry I posted in my last post here:
In this video I notice the noise when the guy rocks his tire sounds about like the same type of noise I mentioned I hear sporadically while driving, although not as pronounced as in the video (probably because my ball joint isn't as bad).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqqAG_l-bhk

 

[sgull]

Update: Okay I'm getting ready to change out the stock upper control arms w/balljoints with Moogs. After removing the the control arm on the driver side I could easily wiggle around the ball joint which of course indicates worn/shot. I have a few questions.

1. In regard to the two bolts with the "cams" that attach the upper control arm. Service manual mentions marking the relationship of how these "cams" or bolts are positioned within the mounting bracket, as these are apparently used to set wheel alignment (caster or camber). I did mark them although I'm unclear how these work to change alignment. Looks to me like these plates or cams or whatever they might be called just tighten flat against the mounting frame on each side when the control arm is bolted in with them, so where is the potential for the alignment change or what is it that can get out of adjustment? Is the hole in the bracket elongated perhaps (not round), allowing for adjustment that way? Here's a picture of the bolts with the "cams".



2. The following is a straight-on picture of the rear mounting bracket for the driver side upper control arm. The hard plastic inner fender well there being so close sure makes for a tight space in which to get a socket wrench onto the nut of the mounting bolt. I managed to squeeze a regular socket wrench in there to remove the nut, but when it comes to installation it looks like to make room for a torque wrench to tighten the bolt/nut to spec I'll need to remove that inner fender. Anyone else here happen to run across this issue? Doesn't mention needing to do that in my service manual but looks to me like I'm gonna have to.



3. I'm wondering also about those new Moog ball joints. Looks in the grease fitting hole like fresh grease already, so I assumed they come pre-greased from the factory with no need to grease upon new installation? But then on the Moog website there was instructions to "grease upon installation and at every oil change thereafter". Is that the deal for sure?

Any comments appreciated.