# How to check my ball joint.

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-my-ball-joint/232547
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 4, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-my-ball-joint/232547 "2004-03-04T17:38:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![beajerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@beajerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beajerry)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-my-ball-joint/232547/1 "2004-03-04T17:38:35Z")

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Ok, so I’m a little behind on this news, but apparently the Dodge Durango has an alleged faulty ball joint that wears quickly and can cause one of your front wheel assemblies to fly off.  
Fun.

Can I check the ball joints on my own? (What signs am I looking for?)

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### Author: ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-my-ball-joint/232547/2 "2004-03-04T17:53:36Z")

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You have joints in your balls? ! ?

Mine are just hanging there . . .

Oh, wait. . . never mind! Carry on. 😉

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### Author: ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-my-ball-joint/232547/3 "2004-03-04T18:00:48Z")

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A squeaky sound when steering maybe? I did a quick Google search and it seems to me that there are no accidents resulting from a defective ball joint so far. Probably not a big issue.

And BTW, have fun with your Durango 🆒😉

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### Author: ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-check-my-ball-joint/232547/4 "2004-03-04T18:04:02Z")

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> [@beajerry](#):
>
> Ok, so I’m a little behind on this news, but apparently the Dodge Durango has an alleged faulty ball joint that wears quickly and can cause one of your front wheel assemblies to fly off.  
> Fun.
> 
> Can I check the ball joints on my own? (What signs am I looking for?)

I can’t say for sure on a dodge but what I do is jack the front end up and grab the wheel and see if there is any play, especially up and down. Many cars have wear indicators, such as the grease fitting dissapearing up into the joint.