Bad ball joints on a 12 Mega Cab

[Wygate]

Just hit 37,000 today, about two weeks ago I changed my winter tires out for my stock tires and wheels. While doing this I checked front end for wear, well to my surprise I found about a half inch of up and down movement in both sets of ball joints. The strange thing is it is only up and down??? With no weight on tire it moves up and down and only up and down NO SIDE PLAY at all.
I have replaced dozen's of ball joints and they always seem to get loose in all directions.

Any one have bad ball joints since the upgrade in the 10s seen wear like this??

On calendar for shop Monday the 27th to get their take. Have extended warranty so that part should be fine.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Yep. Pretty common problem for years 2003-2012. My 04.5, same axle as yours, ate ball joints for breakfast. Bad design I guess.

 

[Wygate]

Yep. Pretty common problem for years 2003-2012. My 04.5, same axle as yours, ate ball joints for breakfast. Bad design I guess.

Thought they upped the front axle in 2010 to a 5200lb max up from a 4800 thus fixing the common older truck front end issues?

 

[Bob4x4]

Assuming you have the link and coil style front end the wear limit is 2.29mm

 

[sag2]

And when you're checking it 2 mm looks like way more than that. Also there is a specific procedure for checking ball joint wear. You have to measure both and subtract the difference.

 

[Mingoglia]

Thought they upped the front axle in 2010 to a 5200lb max up from a 4800 thus fixing the common older truck front end issues?

Did these trucks have that "small" of an axle? I know my 2001 has a 5,200lb front and 8,000lb rear axle. I'm literally looking at the label as I type this. Would think the much newer trucks would have a bigger axle.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Lots of "Front end shops" condemn these ball joints to death when there is nothing wrong with them. Sag2 and Bob4x4 have given you good advice.

 

[mwilson]

As Don says above, listen to the techs. I agree that many of these get canned for no good reason.

Trust the specs.

 

[Wygate]

Thanks guy's love to have the correct info so I can confront the BS if it starts a flying.
We will see what the dealer says on Monday, she tracks good and no funny wear on my soft winter rubber, just very surprised on how much they moved.

I think so much of this sight and the people on here that I recommend TDR all the time and don't give my info to get "credit" for new subscription's

 

[gsbrockman]

As best I recall, the allowable play is .060" in the upper ball joints and .090" in the lower ball joints.