94effoneFefti

I have a 94 4x4 with the quad suspention and was checking my wheels for excessive motion vertically to see if I need new ball joints. The wheels were stiff but they made a clicking noise and would move ever so slighly. It did it on both sides. Visually the ball joints look fine, but the front end does feel sloppy. My alignment is trashed, im waiting to get new tires and get it done. The guy i bought the truck from used to take it offroading and abused it. The front drive shaft is bent, so in 4x4 it virbrates really bad, but in 2wd its fine.

When I first got it the highway virbration and alignment was really bad, I replaced the sway bar bushings and the vibration went away but it was still sloppy.

So does anyone know if that little clicking and movement is normal or if thats the source of my front end sloppyness. I replaced the shocks, sway bar bushings. Im leanding towards just doing the ball joints anyway and then maybe rotors/hubs, new tires and an alignment just to be safe.

VettsnFords

my 92 4x4 did the same thing on one side. it was the wheel bearings set a little loose.it's a good thing i was replacing the rotors,pads,wheel studs, bearings and rebuilding the auto locking hubs because it's a real BITCH and you have to rent a few tools

94effoneFefti

Ohh I see, so you think my ball joints are fine then?

adamst

Its most likely your bearings your feeling. but in order to properly check your ball joints jack up onside of the truck at a time. Put the jack as close to the wheel as you can get on one of the traction beams. I will usually put the jack on the big bolt head that holds the radius arm on the traction beam. Jack up the truck and a take a decent size pry bar and stick it under the tire and use the bar to lift up on the tire. If the ball joints are loose you will feel some play. If you do feel some play have someone run the bar while you look with a flash light at the ball joints if there is movement replace them. If you do have to replace the ball joints you will have to take the whole spindle of the truck so now is the time to replace the bearings and seals and the u joints and the brakes because your going to have it all apart and there is no sense in doing things twice if you don't have to.