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Truck wanders after new balljoints

19K views 21 replies 10 participants last post by  F-117HWK 
#1 ·
Just got new balljoints installed, and drove the truck down to Schwab for an alignment.
Several points were out but all are in spec now, however the truck wanders all over the road.

It never did this before I had the BJ done, and the mechanic who did them said that they really bad. In fact the drivers side tire would move up and down 1/4" when jacked off the ground.

I have new tie rods as well.

What would cause it to wander so much?
 
#3 ·
New tires 300 miles before I did the balljoints
 
#5 ·
The ball joints are likely very tight so you are getting over correction. Sometimes, more with Moogs, they can be very stiff until they break in. The other possibility of course is the mechanics over tq the nuts. Other than that it could be the alignment. He may have screwed up the camber bushings alignment when he pulled the upper ball joints. That sure could screw things up.


Answer me this: If you get it good and centered going down a flat straight stretch of road how does it track when you let go of the wheel?
 
#6 ·
I'll try give it a try today and report back.
 
#7 ·
It tracks straight, however just a little input from the steering wheel sends it off in that direction.
Almost like things are too tight, or too much oversteer.
I would think that it would have been worse with the bad ball joints but the truck was very easy to drive with 1 hand, and let it cruise.
 
#8 ·
Like Tarm said, when I did mine they were pretty tight for a couple thousand miles.My truck steers real nice now- better than new.My truck came with tight ball joints when new and was all over the road.Ford gave me the run around so I put Mooges in.
 
#9 ·
I'll keep driving it then, hopefully it corrects itself.
 
#13 ·
tarm is dead on and ive heard the most feedback about moog having "memory steer" and takes time to loosen up to where it doesnt "oversteer" and i know what you mean my drivers side has some play and its drives great, i need to change em but it sucks because it does drive so well but oh well! also we have the best luck with the moog ball joints as far as life and dependability so dont think you should have used another brand because i think these are the best without spending big bucks on the dynatrac balljoints
 
#15 ·
When you do yours you'll need the outer hub seals, I accidently purchased 2 sets of these. 2 for the price of 1 $40 and they are yours.

You really need to do the the balljoints if they are that bad. I held off for 8 months knowing that mine were bad, and everyday I thought about what else I could be wearing out/or damaging. Peace of mind is worth it.
 
#16 ·
I had a lower ball joint that was bad but the truck drove fine. After some time it clunked on turns & bumps. Jacked it up & there was ALOT of play on the drivers side. Got the ball joint out & discovered it ovaled out the hole where the ball joint goes. Ended up replacing the whole arm.
 
#18 ·
Moog has a specific procedure for tightening the ball joint to properly seat it.

1) Torque the lower ball joint nut (1 5/16" socket) TO 35 LB/FT ONLY AT THIS TIME . To keep the ball joint from spinning, you may have to apply light pressure to the knuckle with a floor jack.

2) Tighten the upper castellated nut (1 5/16" socket) to 69 lb/ft. Insert cotter pin. If the hole does not line up for the cotter pin, tighten the nut a little more, do not loosen to align the hole.

3) Now tighten the lower ball joint nut (1 5/16" socket) to 150 lb/ft.
 
#20 ·
Yes that is common info and is on the instruction pamphlet that comes with the moog ball joints. But that has nothing at all to do with the tightness of the actual joint itself. You can grab a joint before its ever installed and feel that some are much tighter than others. Last time I did mine you could feel a noticeable difference in the tension of the left side vs the right side after the new joints had been installed before you hooked the tie rods back up.
 
#21 ·
Just a little update:

I did not get the moog ball joints, I got the xrf.

These are already starting to loosen up and the truck is driving better now.

Before the BJ replacement, I had an intermittant thump when I hit the brakes and it usually happend at slow speeds. When it did happen it repetedly do it all the time, and then suddenly stop for awhile.
This is no longer happening. :D
 
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