Ball joint breaking on driver side while on highway

Tiny
AJAMES
  • MEMBER
  • GMC SAFARI
I have a 1998 gmc safari van with 185000 miles. 2 weeks ago I replaced the front tires, and had an alignment done. I was driving down the interstate when, I initally thought I had blown a tire, was actually a ball joint blow out. I had it towed to a dealership and received the bad news. My question is that should the tire shop have caught the worn ball joint on the alignment or is it possible that this was totally unforseeable?
Tuesday, October 17th, 2006 AT 4:59 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
VEGASMSTRJ
  • MEMBER
  • 50 POSTS
A good tire shop should have done a complete check of your front suspension. I just had new tires put on my truck and when they had it on the lift they shook the tire and felt the ball joint, bearings, and tie rods. I did have a problem with the ball joints and have since replaced them.
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Wednesday, October 18th, 2006 AT 2:16 PM
Tiny
JBAG
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
My wife's 2000 Envoy. The shop wouldn't do the alignment because of a bad drivers side ball joint.
I replaced it myself. (You have to grind off the rivets on the original OEM one that's there.) The new ball joint bolts on.
Then I have seen on the internet of GM ball joints failing.
To test the ball joints. Jack the side of the car up on the SUSPENSION. Put a bar underneath the tire and pry up & down. There should be NO play.
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Sunday, October 22nd, 2006 AT 7:34 AM

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