The Nissan Path

Had advisory's on my last 2 mot's for the lower ball joints.

Had different opinions on replacing, one to replace the whole lower arm and the other says just the ball joint can be replaced?

Both advisory's were ' movement in lower ball joints L & R sides '

As im slowly getting the truck up together thought the ball joints might be the next 'fix'

Cheers all in advance for any comments

The the whole arm and be prepared to cut the bolts hold g the arm to the frame.

There are aftermarket options to replace the pressed in ball joints. Nissan doesn't off just the ball joints, recommending that the entire control arm be replaced. My preference is to replace the entire control arm. As mentioned, you may have to cut the control arm bolts, if they are seized to the bushing sleeves. However, if you replace just the ball joint, you still have to do an alignment, and if the bolts are seized, you're going to have to cut them out, anyway, and then replace the control arm bushings, so adjustments can be made.

Hey smj,

Why would an alignment be necessary? These look basically the same as my Honda, the race the ball joint goes in doesn't seem variable so as long you don't mess with any of the actual alignment Bolts wouldn't the geometry stay the same?

That being said if it's been a while since he last alignment, it would be a good time for it...

Unless I am missing something... Like your many decades of experience...

Let me ask you this: of there is enough play in the ball joint that requires it to be replaced, who is to say there wasn't some play in the ball joint the last time a wheel alignment is performed? Or, on the other hand, if it was a long time since an alignment was performed, it's probably due, anyway. As little as 0.010" can make a difference in an alignment reading. Can you guarantee that with the stretching of the control arm sheet metal that could occur when pressing the ball joint out and new joint in won't cause a change as little as 0.010"? So, my recommendation is to replace the control arm, rather than just the joint...and, in either case, a wheel alignment should be performed.