Is this a Bad Steering Ball Joint?

[rkruz3]

I hear a loud banging in the cab from the left front when I'm on rough roads or over a bump.
When inspecting, I noticed a left front steering ball joint that I could move back and forth by hand, which I think recreates the sound I was hearing in the cab.
Here is a video demonstrating the loose ball joint.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/nE8MGQGNSQfcr7Xr8.

That has to be a failed ball joint, right? Will the dealer replace it? The 2024 Jeep only has 1500 miles on it.

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[melendez69]

Not necessarily... Before I replaced my ball joints, the tie rod had a little play in it, similar to what you're getting. There wasn't anything wrong with them at the time, but the stock ball joints are rather...subpar.

 

[rkruz3]

This video captures the noise very well that's coming from the passenger front. I have a GoPro mounted in the wheel well driving over a dirt road.
Im not even a Google certified mechanic, but on the 2nd part of the video, it looks like the shock is not bolted in at the top? What do you think?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SouS5txJQ5AioARu5

 

[Roky]

This video captures the noise very well that's coming from the passenger front. I have a GoPro mounted in the wheel well driving over a dirt road.
Im not even a Google certified mechanic, but on the 2nd part of the video, it looks like the shock is not bolted in at the top? What do you think?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SouS5txJQ5AioARu5

Looks like your shock is loose or broken , that’s not a drag link noise….

 

[rkruz3]

I could easily move the shock by hand. See the attached video. It's as if the top is broken or a bushing is missing. This shock has probably 200 miles on it. It's part of an AEV Dual Sport kit. The other 3 shocks are solid; there is no movement by hand. Definitely, the shock is bad.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/m4PAPX5iUrfU6YK96

 

[nU7OuxIx]

It's funny, I was thinking about posting because I occasionally hear a pop on my drivers side usually when turning and stopping. I examined my brakes and they look fine. The shock is fine. I checked the ball joints by the controversial jack up and leverage the tire to see movement and nothing. My fix for now is to turn the radio up a bit louder.

As for your drag link(?) noise, I think it's normal. I have always been able to rotate my drag link or tie rod back and forth a little bit and it makes a noise. I've posted here and a lot of people said that it was normal.

There's something odd going on with that shock though. I would take it out and see what's up with it.

 

[Lofty]

Top shock mount bolts look like they might be loose. Also your first video is of the drag link, check the other end at the pitman arm as well.

 

[rkruz3]

It's funny. I was thinking about posting because I occasionally hear a pop on my driver's side, usually when turning and stopping. I examined my brakes, and they look fine. The shock is fine. I checked the ball joints by the controversial jack up and leveraged the tire to see movement, but nothing. My fix for now is to turn the radio up a bit louder.

As for your drag link(?) noise, I think it's normal. I have always been able to rotate my drag link or tie rod back and forth a little bit, and it makes a noise. I posted here, and a lot of people said that it was normal.

There's something odd about that shock, though. I would take it out and see what's going on.

Thanks for confirming the drag link's normalcy. I'll look at some videos on how to remove a shock. It was just installed by an AEV-certified installer, and I should wait until Monday to see if he can fit me in. It's probably an easy job for him, and he probably has a replacement on hand. He also placed torque marks on the bolts, and I can see those did not break. It's as if there is no bushing in the shock.

 

[Roky]

Thanks for confirming the drag link's normalcy. I'll look at some videos on how to remove a shock. It was just installed by an AEV-certified installer, and I should wait until Monday to see if he can fit me in. It's probably an easy job for him, and he probably has a replacement on hand. He also placed torque marks on the bolts, and I can see those did not break. It's as if there is no bushing in the shock.

Yeah, that last video shows it best, and you’re right, the bolt appears to be tight and the shock shouldn’t move like that on the bolt…Did you try moving the other 3 to make sure they’re not moving ?

 

[rkruz3]

Yeah, that last video shows it best, and you’re right, the bolt appears to be tight and the shock shouldn’t move like that on the bolt…Did you try moving the other 3 to make sure they’re not moving ?

Good point. Yes I tested the other 3 shocks and the are firmly mounted or I cannot twist them around like the bad one.

 

[mwilk012]

Have the shock replaced under warranty, no big deal.

rotational movement of the tie rod and drag link is normal.

 

[rkruz3]

Final Result: The original installer of the AEV lift removed the passenger front shock and found that the top bushing had slipped out of the shock. See the attached picture. As a result, the banging was the mounting bolt banging against the metal tube of the bushing. You can see the marks in the picture. The rubber bushing must have had a defect and slowly opened and eventually cracked allowing it to release from the shock. The bushing is installed into the shock by the factory, and it is not possible for a shop to repair it, so the entire shock was replaced. The installer said this is the first time he has seen this type of failure out of 100s of AEV Bilstein 5100 shocks he has installed.
Initially, the sounds were not as bad or frequent, and it was difficult to isolate the source of the sound and at one time blaming the steering joints. However, as the bushing failure progressed and got louder, we were able to identify the source as the passenger-side front suspension.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/m4PAPX5iUrfU6YK96.
Thank you all for helping me focus on the problem.

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