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Need Front Lower Ball Joints - what else should I do at same time?


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I have a 2010 Fusion S (very basic) with 150K miles on it. The boots on all the lower ball joints are torn so I was going to replace them. Other boots on things like tie rod, upper ball joint look OK but I'm not sure if they will last or if the joint is worn underneath. Anyone know the life expectancy of the front end components including the struts? Ride didn't feel too bad - just noticed problem when I was rotating tires. ( I was getting what sounded like a lot of tire noise after about 17K on my new Michelins). Was thinking of going with OEM parts but any suggestions on that front are welcome as well.

 

Thanks

Ed

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I have 175k on my 2010 fusion. My struts are gone. I need to replace them. I haven't noticed any torn ball joints on mine but should look into myself. At my milage all suspension compents are stock which tells me it lasted well and should invest in oem parts again since we are keeping the car till she dies. But to answer your question with bad ball joints will cause tire wear. I have had issues with a caravan which had bad ball joints constantly also and I went through tires often with that vehicle. The caravan did last 370k as you can tell we keep them till they die.

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Also something else to think about is trying to knock out all suspension compents ad you can due to alignment. Would hate to pay for another alignment after you replace the ball joints and realize soon after you have a bad tie rod or strut. Food for thought

Yes. A reputable shop won't/can't do an alignment if any other suspension components are worn out.

Edited by drolds1
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Another thing to think about is the source of the noise. I wouldn't assume right away that the noise in a tire. It very well could be, but it doesn't HAVE to be. A cycling type noise is probably your tire, but a constant noise that starts at maybe 20 and gets louder as you accelerate would be more likely to be a wheel bearing. Also, if it's a wheel bearing, the noise may soften slightly as you turn either left or right (because it shifts the vehicle's weight and causes the amount of load on each bearing to change). I know that this thread isn't about your noise, but it just stood out to me.

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