Remnik

I just had the ball joints done on my truck. I got the adjustable moog ball joints from rock auto. They seemed to be the popular choice when I searched here.

When I took it to the alignment shop today, the tech said I shouldn't have gotten 'offset' ball joints. He said I didn't need them and that now my tires were going to wear more on the outside. The wheels are tilted out at the top when viewed from the front of the truck.

I just put brand new tires on the front and I don't want them to wear unevenly. Is there anything that can be done other than replacing the adjustable's with normal ball joints? I'm just about sick thinking about having to do this all over again.

Also, the truck steers worse than before. It seems to take constant steering corrections as you go down the road. Would this be caused by the tires being splayed out the way they are?

bnold

You only need the adjustable joints if your truck had an alignment issue prior to changing ball joints... If you had good alighnment characterisics before with stock BJ then you should have got no offset ball joints as you dont need the adjustment..

Not sure how to correct your problem short of going to a non offset BJ... If the truck has a leveling kit they may be able to be turned to adjust for some of the chamber?? dunno

CatDiesel_762

Have your tech remove the offset and replace with the factory offset bushing that you took out. If he is a tech worth his salt, he will have a tool to do this with the ball joints installed. I bought one to use on my 86 K1500 when I was going through ball joints on it. If not he should be able adjust the offset by adjusting the bushing that came with your new Moog Ball Joints.

You did keep your OEM offset bushing correct?

Shawn

IntakeRacing

bushing? what bushing? its the upper ball joint that moog makes thats offset, it jsut dropped down the hole and in the top of hte axle and bolts into the spindle, no bushings involved.

and buddy you should not have got the camber adjustable ball joint.
a. there twice as much money.
b. there a pain in the *** if you don't have a problem.
c. your mechanic should have recommended that you didn't need them.

CatDiesel_762

Sorry, my bad. I thought he had the older versions of a adjustable ball joints that included the camber bushing.

Shawn

Remnik

Well, I think the problem is solved alignment-wise but I'm still not sure if I'm completely happy with the way the truck is steering. The tech had never seen these adjustable ball joints before. But after telling him how my mechanic said to adjust them, he was able to get the alignment done. He actually said they were "slick" and seemed to be impressed. He chalked it up to a learning experience and didn't charge me anything for this adjustment.

So, now everything is in adjustment but it still seems like I have to make too many small inputs to the steering when I'm going down the road. It's very minor but it just doesn't feel the way I'd like. I'll drive it on the highway this afternoon and get a better feel for it.

As for the moog adjustables being "twice as much" as someone mentioned, they are actually cheaper through rock auto than my mechanic pays for non adjustable ones through carquest.

Remnik

well, after driving on the highway I'm not satisfied. The truck doesn't pull to either side but it doesn't seem to have the on-center feel I'm used to. If I make an input with the steering wheel it seems to delay a fraction of a second and then overcompensate so that I'm always going back and forth just slightly.

also, when I turn a corner it wont go back to center on its own. If I let go of the wheel part of the way through the turn it will just keep turning. I don't know if it's the alignment specs or something installed incorrectly or what but it's bugging me. Any ideas on what would cause this?

dozer12216

A print out or statement of alignment specs achieved would be nice. Difficult to speculate.