Replace just Upper Ball joint? Or whole UCA

[frankenstien]

hey,

Time for some steering part son the wife's rig, a 2006 gmc yukon denali xl, it currently has leveling keys in it, i am going to remove them and replace the ball joints and some other stuff while im there it has 94k on it and im pretty sure everything is stock.

I am used to my 2500HD, when i had stock UCA's i always replaced the UCA as it was a stamped steel UCA, looking at the denali, looks like its a forged one and should hold up better to the pressing in and out of a new ball joint.

either way its going to need an alignment, but if i dont need uca's then ill not get them, the bushing look ok in them

thanks,
Mike

 

[08HoeCD]

I replaced my upper control arms last winter and replaced only the lower control arm ball joint. Rig had about 135k miles at that point.

Rig drives and handles great, but if I were to do it again I'd replace both control arms in order to benefit from all new bushings and ball joints over the long term.

 

[OR VietVet]

IMO, if you know you are going to keep the rig, do the arm instead of just the ball joint. PITA labor to get back in there. Bite the $ bullet and do it.

 

[frankenstien]

Thanks for the replies, sorry for the delayed response.I have been super busy lately.

I ended up using the Moog problem solver ball joints only. Just before ordering the parts, wife found a different vehicle she wanted, so we ended up getting that and putting the denali on the back burner.

Got all the stuff swapped, and it currently sits waiting for someone to buy it