I rebuilt my front end using what I thought were Moog ball joints(I've got to look at my receipts) etc and Just Suspension tubular upper control arms(I would strongly recommend buying the ones from Firm Feel instead, because the Just Suspension ones come unassembled with loose bushings and ball joint. Just Susps charges an additional $200 to supply and install the ball joint and bushings) The Firm Feel ones are fully assembled and look of much higher quality! I have purchased both kinds.

Anyway, I went through and replaced all the wear parts in the front end, then had it aligned. I slowly raised the front of my car a little bit here and there until I finally got the ride height I wanted. Once I got that set, I took it in to have it aligned. They put it on the rack and told my my idler arm and lower ball joints were toast. These were all new parts installed less than 4000 miles ago, and I greased them fully after installing them and then twice since then in 4000 miles.

Any idea what happened?

Must be some bad parts out there! I have had the same problem. I changed everything and lubed it up. drove it less than 200 miles and went to get the car aligned - they said I had bad lower ball joints (happend to some else I know too). Replaced them, took it back to get it aligned and they said the idler arm bushing has too much play! grrrr

take it home and check it yourself. make sure they are not trying to sell you parts you don't need.

I had a shop do that to me on my truck.

"nope, we don't do rear ends, but we'll take a look at it and maybe save you $2000 in a new axle"

"ok, why not"

"looks like it's your carrier bearing on the driveshaft, and not the axle at all"

"um...I don't think so, but thanks anyway"

I ended up looking in the axle myself and found that it was the pinion bearings on the axle. they tried selling me stuff I didn't need.


they might have thought "old car, I bet he has old parts, let's get him for ball joints!"

I ordered the "improved" ones from Just Suspension at $118 a pair for my 1970 and installed them on my other car a few days ago. I hope these are of much better quality. I'm going to dig out my reciept and contact the vendor on this one.

It's expensive and time consuming to tear the front end apart and then re-align it because of inferior quality parts. The NAPA dealer near my house says they can get Dana parts, but the price is almost as much as the "improved" ball joints from Just Suspension, and I don't know about the quality of those now either.

My idler arm bushing is also prematurely worn. The front end shop I took it to said the old original idler arms have a better design and can be rebuilt. The new ones have some cheap bearing in the center, where there used to be a heavy duty bushing. He found a guy in Canada that's making new idler arms with the old design, but they are about $107 US. So, keep your old idler arms as it's cheaper to rebuild it.

Once I figure out where I got these bad parts, I'll post it here.

I thought of that. I told them it had all fresh parts with less than 4000 miles on them. They check everthing before they align it and said the parts were worn. Then they invited me down in the pit to watch while the mechanic moved my wheel all over while it was in the air. He grabbed the tire and wiggled it back and forth. Then pryed it up and down. The play was at the lower ball joint and movement was about 1/8" in each direction off center, plus up and down. They both moved a lot!

I didn't look for the play in the idler arm. He said it was moving up and down when the sterring wheel is moved back and forth. He explained the new bearing design moves up and down significantly after a short while, but is otherwise not sloppy laterally. He says they are weak that way, and it's a problem due to the angle of the tie rods.

The cool thing that happened on my visit there, was that they had to fire up a late 60's Hemi 4-speed Satilite to bring my car in. These guys have worked on my stuff before, and they were good. All they do is front ends, and are happy to show the slop in worn parts. So, I think they do legitimate work...

the parts in a JUST SUSP kit are made in China.... They are not MOOG....

well, that rules out that possibility. at least you have found a good, legitimite shop, especially if they invite you down in the pit to look at the problem, that way you know they aren't BSing you.

I should have known that at the first machine shop I took my engine to. they wouldn't let me in the back because "their insurance won't allow anyone back there, and won't cover anything if I got hurt"

the new shop gave me a grand tour when I walked in the door!

I did the tie rod ends on a newer sebring. he bot the parts at advance and in a little over a year i was doing them again

before you replace the parts, check them yourself.. cuz i have been thru this before, took my old dodge in, they said it needed everything, I then asked them to show me how they checked them (new parts) and the man checking them checked the joint with them unloaded,(with it in the air)(joints are basically pulled away from thier sockets) and the wheels moved all over the place, and according to the manual some are supposed to be checked loaded(with the weight of the car on the joints)(joints are pushed into thier sockets) then you can check for wear and play and check your wheel bearings, they may be a little loose..

Hope this helps, PM me if you want the instruction from a shop manual on how to check the joints.

Thanks for saying something Don! I broke out my old, yellowing-paged service manual and it gives a .070 spec for axial runout from the arm to the ballstud with the weight of the car on the control arm and the wheel being lifted. I'll get out and check that this morning.

Oh, the ball joints were part of a street/strip suspension kit from Just Suspension. I gave tehm them a call this morning. They were going to exchange them without question. I got my car up in the air per the manual with the weight on the lower control arms with the front wheel "dangling" and the Axial runout was .025 to .035 . The spec is for .070, so they are good.

I did find the idler arm was way sloppy on the bolt that passes through it with the ball stud part of the arm moving up and down 1/3 of an inch or more. I'm going to put my original one back on for now. I'm told the bushing is serviceable, so I'll shop for that part before throwing it in there.

your welcome, glad you checked it out before replacing them

there should be no play in any joints...no play in the ball sockets and no plays in the tapered shaft..in the shaft could be a worn out hole in the other unit...

a buddy rebuilt the front end of his '71 road runner a few years ago. Just Suspension parts. doesn't have 4000 miles. just had to rebuild it again. parts were shot.

three cheers for Chinese parts!!

The idler arm is easy to check. Hold onto the bumper with one hand and grab the idler arm in the other.
try to move it up and down. Any play is bad.

I am going through the same thing right now. I rebuilt my Entire suspension with everything new.In less than 200 miles my upper and lower ball joints are shot. They are new TRW. I think they sold out to a Chinese company.

I just stumbled across this information on the differences etween MOOG and the Just Suspension ball joints over on the Slantsix. org page. Interesting reading. You'll have to copy and paste I think.....http://www.cbodydrydock.com/content.php?article.20