Ball joint replacement cost?

[Emoto]

With 155,000 miles on it, the front end of my '02 is getting a little squirrely. I need a front end alignment because I can see that the inside edges of the front tires are wearing faster than the rest. Also if on the highway at speed, say 70, and I hit the brakes, I can feel some wobble in the front. Note that this settles down and is therefore not like warped rotors.

Is that likely to be ball joints? If so, what should I expect to pay a shop to replace them?

What else is a likely cause of such things? Am dropping it off at the Jeep dealer for a couple of recalls, so am thinking I'll let them do the work.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hockeygoon]

Lots of stuff causes wobble - could be ball joints, tie rod ends, it could even be your uneven tires causing the wobble.

 

[LibertyTC]

If you're letting the dealer do it, all will be well.
Since your tires are wearing unevenly, the alignment in itself will help. Rotate the tires or..
Get some new tires especially if they are older than 6 years.
Before they will do the alignment, the will check it all out, and replace ball joints etc as required. The KJ's have a lifetime free replacement on the lower ball joints under recall.
The lower rear control arms may also be done under recall. Are you getting the hitch recall done too?

 

[Emoto]

If you're letting the dealer do it, all will be well.
Since your tires are wearing unevenly, the alignment in itself will help. Rotate the tires or..
Get some new tires especially if they are older than 6 years.
Before they will do the alignment, the will check it all out, and replace ball joints etc as required. The KJ's have a lifetime free replacement on the lower ball joints under recall.
The lower rear control arms may also be done under recall. Are you getting the hitch recall done too?

Yes, the hitch and one other that they had parts for.

Do we really have lifetime lower ball joint replacement? I do recall mine had a recall replacement done early on in the vehicle's life. I did not know there was anything beyond that.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I didn't think we had lifetime replacement...I think a few years back I tried to get mine done again and it was a no.

 

[Emoto]

If it is ball joints and I have to pay, does anyone have a guess on what that should cost in a metro area?

 

[nlocascio]

Upper ball joints are integrated into the upper control arm. Just replaced mine, pain in the rear. Bolts were seized. Upper control arms on rock auto are anywhere from $50 to $100 each. Lower ones can be pressed out. Did it myself. Hardest part was getting the halfshaft nut loose. As far as what a shop will charge, they will mark up the part, plus at least 2 hours shop labor, which last time i checked was $90 an hour. Dealer will use oem parts. Lower ball joints are $55 Mopar each, uppers are $220 each Mopar. When i got my jeep it had 120,000 on it. Soon after i replaced lower ball joints, front struts and springs, tierod ends, sway bar bushings, front wheel bearings and rear shocks. Lol rode great after that. Might be better off going to a local shop that you can get aftermarket parts for, save some money

 

[megatone]

One complete new lower control arm from my local dealership costs $400 and comes with the cast iron control arm with the 3 new bushings and the ball joint pre installed.

You can buy the Lower Control Arm ball joint separately for $55 and install it yourself.

You can buy the three (LCA) bushing for $35 each from the dealership (which is the way I went), and I paid a small machine shop to install all three of them for fifty bucks. When I initially purchased the three bushings from the dealership they told me they couldn't install them, but they could sell me a completely new, assembled control arm for $400

....think the dealership marks thier prices up more for maintaining thier current employees benefits packages and paying out retired employee pension payments, rather than marking thier prices according to parts quality. True, OEM dealership parts are good...real good, but a reputable aftermarket company could provide a better quality part that performs the same function in a more consistent manner and last a longer period of time. Think: Moog, Hotchkis, Rocky Road, TRW. You could literally rebuild the entire front suspension with tubular control arms and stronger more durable ball joints and greasable fittings for less than what dealership pieces would cost.

 

[nlocascio]

I agree. Go with aftermarket and a shop other than the dealer. Just a side note, on the liberty the ball joint is pressed into the steering knuckle, not the lower control arm. I think in the Haynes repair manual it states it's pressed into the lower control arm like some cars. Also when doing the ball joint, have them check the sealed wheel bearings. Mine were bad at 130,000 miles. Could cause wabble or nose in the front end. I used to live in Ohio, so all the rain, snow and salt makes all these parts fail and make it a bear to repair. First time i did a brake job, rotor was frozen to the hub. Took hours of pblaster and a big hammer.