This is an area that I am NOT familiar so am hoping someone has more knowledge! Wish I could trust the shop I took it to but I've been burned too many times....

Back in Jan took the truck in for alignment to a new-to-me shop and was told that all 4 bj's were wearing and to consider replacing them 5-6 months down the road. They gave me a bid. Summer came and I took it to another shop to get a comparison bid. Just told them to check the front end. Only symptoms at this time were a little vibration and a mild clunk when turning corners at speed. This 2nd shop said ball joints, upper and lower, were worn, as well as one of my dual steering dampners was blown. However they were $300 more than the first shop. Made an appt and took it to the first shop as every dollar counts!

I DIDN'T specify which parts to use and I know I should've... Anyway they put greaseable Raybestos joints on the bottom and Moog on the top. Then they told me they adjusted the camber too so it would handle better. (I HATE when shops take the initiative to do something without verifying with me first!) Pulled out of the shop and immediately realized the steering was TERRIBLE. Loose as all get out! I had about 3 inches of play when it's usually pretty tight- and it was tight when I took it in!

Called the shop and took the truck in the next day. They put it on the rack and are now telling me the left side tie rod is bad. WHAT? They are trying to tell me the bad bj's masked this problem. Funny- the other shop didn't mention bad tie rods AND there was NO play in the wheel prior to taking it in. I asked them how the heck did the align it after installing the bj's if the tie rod was bad? They had no answer!

Could it be? Could the bad ball joints actually mask a bad tie rod- or did the yahoos do something to my truck they shouldn't have? Thanks for your thoughts!

 

I'm guessing this is a really dumb question since 60 some folks have looked at it and no one has responded. Ok, it took some courage to post it - so someone just TELL ME if it's stupid and I SHOULD know the answer.

 

The steering components are a wear item on the trucks. You didn't mention the track bar. If there is ANY play in it, you get horrible steering, vibration, and wheel hop.

Crawl under the truck and have someone turn the wheel slowly back and forth. Watch for ANY movement at the ball end. If you see any little bit, it's bad.

Hope you figure it out.

 

Without addressing the question my cynicism for shops says the shop is looking for another part to blame for the reason you feel in the difference in steering after they worked on it. Plus it gets your money back in the door.

As for the tie rod, what does it look like? Is the joint loose? Is the boot/seal torn?

What steering linkage do you have on the truck now?

I'd do as sherod suggested to pinpoint any bad joint connections. Sometimes a joint will feel tight sitting on the ground. But it can be severely inadequate under steering pressure.

 

Here's the thing- the steering was FINE before I took it in. I could not tell the ball joints were going bad except for a very mild clunk on hard corners at speed. (curvy mtn roads) This truck has/had death wobble really badly so every front end part has been replaced- some multiple times! Tie rods maybe 25,000 miles ago. Track bar seems tight. I'll crawl back under it today and double check everything but I was under it before I took it in and didn't notice anything unusual.

I'm leaning toward shop error. The steering didn't suddenly develop 3 inches of play all by itself AFTER installing new ball joints....

Thanks all.

 

You need someone to move the steering wheel while you inspect for movement. Both wheels on ground when you do this engine running, in park with parking brake on. Sounds like they left something loose maybe track bar bolts, gear box out of adjustment. I wouldn't drive it until you locate the problem.

 

LOL Ok, the saga continues. This morning when I dropped the truck off it was all cold shoulder and rudeness. This afternoon when they had it on the rack it was a lecture on how THEY were the experts and had done everything right. When I picked it up it was all friendly and chatty. Hmmmm....I says to meself, why the sudden change in attitude? Oh they told me about the camber adjustment and the pitman arm and other trucks they'd worked on with DW and how everything was still tight as could be.....etc etc. But not a mention of how they found anything wrong. Then I drove it out of their yard.

AMAZING- the steering is tight again!!! Darn near back to what it was. Must be a freakin miracle!!! Call the Vatican!

(Just to be on the safe side I'm taking it to another shop tomorrow to see what their take on the tie rods is...Bet they say they're fine.....)

 

ROFL - it would be comical if it wasn't so frustrating!! The other shop found NOTHING wrong. Everything is as it should be- nothing loose, nothing worn.

Would it have been so hard for the first shop to say "Dang. You were right. We forgot to tighten the 'WHATEVER' down." Instead they've lost my business.....