i pulled off most of the from suspension to find bad lower ball joints but i knew i had to replace the lower ball joints. i pulled the upper off and i can move the ball joint by hand it has no side to side movement or up and down movement but i can move it by hand pretty easy. i can grab the threads of the upper ball joint and move it around pretty easy is what i mean to say. so do i need new uppers or what?

 

u need to buy the whole Upper Control Arm if you want fresh BallJoints.

 

i know that. im asking how to tell if the ball joint is bad.

 

You need to pull the balljoint up and down. All balljoints are easy to rotate around once they've been used. It's the play within the joint that you need to watch out for.

 

there is no up and down play as far as i can tell, but it is very easy to rotate it when i grab it with my fingers.

 

anyone else care to chime in?

 

 

your fine as long as you dont have up and down movement i took the snap ring off mine and repacked with grease.. then replaced ring may need new ones or some steel wire