Upper Ball Joints Bad After 3 Weeks

[rtrogers]

Okay long story short, I purchased a 2003 2500HD duramax from a family member, very clean truck, it was a work truck though so lots of time on the road, and three weeks before I bought it the passengers side wheel snapped off: So.. new CV axle, upper and lower ball joints and control arms on both sides, new tie rods, etc. I brought it in for an alignment today, I was told that the 3 week old upper ball joints were both SHOT. bizarre.

He's got 295s and 20 inch rims on with nothing up front besides tortion keys. So the upper ball joints are at a pretty steep angle. Too much stress? However the previous ball joints lasted for a hundred thousand miles with that set up. faulty parts/alignment? I was considering oversized knuckles so the upper arms/ ball joints weren't so steep.

I'm new to the whole lifted oversized tire deal so whatever input you guys have would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[CentolaCCSB]

Where did u get the ball jounts from

 

[rtrogers]

Supposedly NAPA ball joints, lifetime warranty.. When I took them out they were looser than shit, seemed like they weren't greased. That's just a hunch tho. I put new ones from NAPA in. I always buy moog but these were guaranteed and replaced for free. I know Napa may not be the cats ass but they shouldn't go in 3 weeks of nothing but highway driving.

 

[gassux]

N=ever
E=ver
W=orked

 

[WolfLMM]

You can buy new UCAs that correct the steep angle on ball joint.

 

[rtrogers]

What do you recommend for upper control arms for correcting that.

 

[Big Chris]

Cognito, Zone, Rough Country come to mind. I have the Zone UCA's on my LMM.

 

[rtrogers]

Is there a particular model of cognitos or zones im looking for to correct that angle? Thank you.

 

[malibu795]

I got Moog, for upper and lowers, got 200k on everything, running 19.5" tires.. just replaced one lower bj, greased every ~10k..


3 weeks.... Luck of the odds my gues

 

[DangerousDuramax]

Is there a particular model of cognitos or zones im looking for to correct that angle? Thank you.

They're all referred to as "leveling" kits and they're all the same angle. Pick your favorite and install.

 

[rtrogers]

Good enough, thanks for the input guys.

 

[J_Stone06]

Kryptonite UCA have done well so far:thumb:

 

[Budneeds2beers]

Lifetime warranty= lifetime customer. Not always the best way. Your torsion keys are to blame. Your putting alot of spring rate into the front end to lift the truck to clear the tires. Stock uca's do not like the angle they make the balljoint bind and cause premature wear. I also use the kryptonite uca because price, warranty, and they use an off the shelf balljoint. I know its not racy and cool looking like the uniball but i use my truck offroad alot and most small town parts stores carry them cheap to get me out of a bind. :thumb:

 

[Josh154]

Put the new ball joints in and lower the torsion bars. My truck also has 295/55s with a 20d9 +0 and my torsion bolts are all the way loose with no rubbing.

 

[WVRigrat05]

Mine has went through a couple in less than 5-10k miles. Leveled trucks kill ball joints, mine are bad again and less than 5 months. I'm going with a set of kryptonite a arms this time. All my parts have been under warranty and takes 20 minutes to change so I didn't care, but I'm sick of pissing with it and have other things to do so I'm gonna do it right this time, they're the last weak link in my front end.

 

[Budneeds2beers]

Hey reger, what else you got in your front end?

 

[WVRigrat05]

Gusseted, rare parts g2's, straight centerlink, HD idler and pitman arms and Timken hub assys. Trucks still eating pitman arms for some ****ing reason, my centerlink is tweaked just enough you can see it with a straight edge but I don't think that's the problem.