My Weekend Job.

[pmesfun]

Replaced the ball joints yesterday and all I can say is wow they made a world of difference. Steering wheel is extremely easy to turn and is very solid, no play whatsoever. Best of all I finally found the cause of the abs/braking problem. There was gunk buildup inside where the axle seats in the wheel bearing giving the abs sensors false readings. Wheel bearings tested good. Also got a new set of tires last Tuesday which made the steering easier too. They are Michelin Primacy's, a little rough on bumps, but smooth and quiet.

[turbofrank@verizon]

Ball joints were replaced by you or shop? where did you purchase them and how much ?

[pmesfun]

I took the steering knuckles to my mechanic and he replaced them, the nuts were stubborn so he used an air hammer to break them loose. I purchased the ball joints from my local dealer for about $42 each.

[artbuc]

Originally Posted by pmesfun

Replaced the ball joints yesterday and all I can say is wow they made a world of difference. Steering wheel is extremely easy to turn and is very solid, no play whatsoever. Best of all I finally found the cause of the abs/braking problem. There was gunk buildup inside where the axle seats in the wheel bearing giving the abs sensors false readings. Wheel bearings tested good. Also got a new set of tires last Tuesday which made the steering easier too. They are Michelin Primacy's, a little rough on bumps, but smooth and quiet.

Great feeling when your car performs so much better after a big DIY job!

How did you know you needed new ball joints? What were your symptoms?

[BonzoGonzo]

Originally Posted by artbuc

Great feeling when your car performs so much better after a big DIY job!

How did you know you needed new ball joints? What were your symptoms?

my front end "tested good" as well. bit when i changed the lower a-arms and ball joints there was a world of difference! these new parts (moog) don't cost that much and can be changed by almost anyone who has an electric 1/2 drive gun (about $25-30 at harbor freight. you don't need the big one - it will break bolts off!). it was much easier than i thought it would be.

if it has 200k on it, "testing good" really doesn't mean much....

[pmesfun]

Originally Posted by artbuc

Great feeling when your car performs so much better after a big DIY job!

How did you know you needed new ball joints? What were your symptoms?

When the steering wheel was at full lock, example making a u-turn, the front end would jolt and make a pop noise. Also, it I hit bumps or lane markers the steering wheel would jolt. The most annoying problem was the steering felt very loose when driving at highway speeds. I've replaced everything else, so these were the only parts left. Now the steering wheel feels heaver and more solid, and the front end is quieter.

Originally Posted by BonzoGonzo

my front end "tested good" as well. bit when i changed the lower a-arms and ball joints there was a world of difference! these new parts (moog) don't cost that much and can be changed by almost anyone who has an electric 1/2 drive gun (about $25-30 at harbor freight. you don't need the big one - it will break bolts off!). it was much easier than i thought it would be.

if it has 200k on it, "testing good" really doesn't mean much....

Hopefully your Moog parts hold up, a member in the Camry forum had his Moog ball joints go bad in about 6 or so months. I had Moog rear struts mounts installed for 6 months and they're already bad.

I had my mechanic check the wheel bearings and they were still good, he's a former ASE Lexus Master Tech. The best part of it all is that he didn't charge me to replace them.