Ball Joint failed... again

[Petey]

Almost a year ago I had an upper Moog joint fail with 25-30K on it. Autozone warrantied it out for me with best house brand (made by Moog) because shipping is a pain with Rock for failed parts. I now know to stay local with high fail lifetime warranty parts.

Went in for an alignment check and they told me its bad with less than 6K on it. No I did not hit any potholes or hit a curb with it.

Are the Autozone ones that much of a POS, did I get a bad one, or is something else wrong that I should be looking into?

 

[hockeyman]

Did you check the UBJ yourself or have another opinion on it to confirm if it is bad or not?
Many alignment shops will tell you all kinds of lies to get more money out of ya...

 

[Petey]

thanks for that tip!

I checked it today.... no 12/6 play, even put a 3 bar under the tire and lifted the suspension, but there is 3/9 play. outer tie rod is good its either rack play or the inner tie rod end. I slid the boot out of the way and could see the grease move when I wiggled the tire. The right wheel has no movement at all but you can hear the left side click with the left wheel on the ground the right side lifted.

The kicker is I replaced that tie rod end last February too, that is an advance auto one though not Moog

 

[Pygot]

I personally do no like like duralast (autozone) parts I prefer advanced auto carquest if anything. Had duralast parts fail me from new like calipers

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Moog is trash so not surprised it failed.

Movement like you mention I would be looking at the hubs.

 

[Petey]

The hub has maybe 30K on it and is quiet (Timkin). The upper B.J. is tight (Moog), the inner T.R. (Advance Auto) is what I suspect has the play.

If the hub was loose wouldn't have 360 play and not just at 3/9? Also wouldn't a loose hub cause the rotor to hit the backing shield all the time? Mine will only rub after I have been in stop and go traffic and get them good and warm it will go away after its cools down. (yes that same wheel)

If I have someone hold the brake and I wiggle the tire would that hold the hub from wobbling if that's what loose? I didn't see any play in the hub when I first looked it sounds like its in the rack or inner tie-rod end on the left side.

Even with left wheel on the ground and the right up the click is heard on the left side

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I never noticed 360 play until the hub was about to come apart. I tossed the backing plates in trash about a decade ago so mine have never rubbed.

It may be tie rod or the rack itself going out.

 

[Petey]

I picked up another inner tie rod end. The Advanced Auto one comes with a grease packet.... do you just squeeze it into the recess around the ball/socket, and put never seize on the outer end's threads? Yes, I know Locktite on the rack threads.

That's what I did last time, doubt that why it failed this quickly.