Alignment or ball joints
12-09-2016, 10:09 AM
#1
Alignment or ball joints
alright, I got new front tires on my truck, the moved the front ones to the back and put the new ones on the front. I left the dealer ship forgetting to get an alignment, as I was driving home the steering wheel would shake about 70 mph, I went to the same corporation but not the same store that put the tires on to get my alignment, they told me the ball joints were bad and they couldn't do an alignment until I got the ball joints fixed in the front. I'm wonder why all of a sudden my ball joints are bad, my truck never shook until I got the new tires, there is no adnormal wear on the tires I had once the front before. So are the ball joints really bad or do I need and alignment, please help
12-09-2016, 10:18 AM
#2
Senior Member
Check the ball joints yourself. It's quite simple to do if you own a jack.
12-09-2016, 10:24 AM
#3
Senior Member
They wouldn't do the alignment so you're not out anything yet. I'd go to a different shop, ask for a wheel balance and alignment. Verify the wheels are balanced properly, and get it aligned. You can mention that another shop thought the balljoints were bad, tell him your story, etc.
12-09-2016, 10:28 AM
#4
Senior Member
No way to tell simply by your post.
I would recommend that if you have concerns then bring the truck to another shop for a front end inspection. Many of the national places will do a free estimate. I would not mention what the other shop told you but simple tell them about the shaking.
It sounds like the front wheels are out of balance. This does not negate that fact that ball joints are worn.
Since ball joint wear causes a camber issue, the tire wear issue is less pronounced then with a tie rod issue, which affects toe. Simply leaning the tire in or out (chamber) will induce premature wear but slowly.
Turning the tire in or out (toe) will cause a tire to drag making much more pronounced tire wear.
This may be a good time to get a jack and some safety stands and have a look at a you tube video to see how to determine for yourself if the ball joints are worn. It is a fairly simple process that requires not tools other than a large lever of some sort.
I would recommend that if you have concerns then bring the truck to another shop for a front end inspection. Many of the national places will do a free estimate. I would not mention what the other shop told you but simple tell them about the shaking.
It sounds like the front wheels are out of balance. This does not negate that fact that ball joints are worn.
Since ball joint wear causes a camber issue, the tire wear issue is less pronounced then with a tie rod issue, which affects toe. Simply leaning the tire in or out (chamber) will induce premature wear but slowly.
Turning the tire in or out (toe) will cause a tire to drag making much more pronounced tire wear.
This may be a good time to get a jack and some safety stands and have a look at a you tube video to see how to determine for yourself if the ball joints are worn. It is a fairly simple process that requires not tools other than a large lever of some sort.
12-09-2016, 10:34 AM
#5
Senior Member
They wouldn't do the alignment so you're not out anything yet. I'd go to a different shop, ask for a wheel balance and alignment. Verify the wheels are balanced properly, and get it aligned. You can mention that another shop thought the balljoints were bad, tell him your story, etc.
I had new tires put on this summer at a reputable shop and had to got back to have one re-balanced. Not a big deal, it happens, especially if you have a new guy doing the balancing.
If they did not check the balance, have them do that.
See my previous post about alignment. If you do have bad ball joints it will wear you new tires unevenly.