Q: ball joints

asked by on March 22, 2018

What has been repaired: "Driver side" knuckle/spindle, "driver side" lower ball joint (replaced), "passenger side" lower and upper ball joint (replaced). Driving: Driver side wheel vibrates while driving at high speed (55 plus) especially when make a turn on the highway. Fact: The driver side upper ball joint needs to be replace. It has play. Problem: Took my truck to a mechanic and his diagnosis is that all the ball joints need to be replace and I have a problem with that because they were replace with new ones (exception the driver upper ball joint) less than 2 months ago. So why do they need to replace ball joints that are less than 2 months old?

My car has 300000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Vibration felt through the steering wheel at high speeds is often due to tire imbalance/tire defects although worn suspension components can be a contributing factor. If ball joints have failed early, there are only a handful of possible explanations for early failure: 1) the ball joints were not in fact replaced; 2) they were replaced but failed due to lack of lubrication; 3) the rubber boot on the ball joint tore and the lubricant leaked out; 4) the replacement part was sub-standard (e.g., not a Toyota OEM part) or defective; or 5) the replacement part was not the correct part for your application. In your circumstance, the best thing to do is obtain a diagnostic that will pinpoint the reasons for the vehicle vibration. Once you have that pinpoint diagnostic in hand, only the relevant parts (or balancing services) will be replaced, helping to keep your repair bill to the minimum possible. I wouldn’t replace anything further until you have some assurance that the work will permanently resolve the vibration issue. If you want the required diagnostic steps performed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a vehicle vibration diagnostic and the mechanic will get this resolved. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

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