2015 Aluminum lower balljoint replacement

[Dustin Jackson]

Had my 2015 suburban a few months now and it’s always had a shake but could never detect the cause. Today I jacked up the driver side wheel and found all kinds of lower balljoint play.

Now I believe I have aluminum control arms and knuckles, are the lower balljoints replaceable or do I need to do the whole arm? Don’t have a lot of money so just doing the lower balljoints for now if I can.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Here’s my control arms

 

[West 1]

Ball Joints are replaceable but you need tools to release the ball joint from the steering knuckle and to press the old ball joint out and the new ball joint in.

If you replace the entire control arm it comes with new bushings and the new ball joint. Just avoid the low cost import control arms as the parts do not hold up for much time.

Even Moog will sell you the RK control arm which is import low quality but also low price. The Premium Moog CK series is supposed to be OEM or better quality.
Moogs own testing showed the CK lasts a minimum of 5 times longer than the RK. Food for thought when you spend your money.
Unfortunately most people are buying on price only so the premium parts are getting very hard to find.

 

[Fless]

I was watching South Main Auto on YouTube the other day and Eric spoke highly of the Mevotech TTX ball joints. Others not so much. YMMV

FWIW here's the video spot where he discusses brands.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Thanks guys. I used Moog CK on my 08 Tahoe and things didn’t last long, about 3-4 years. Now I’m running mevotech TTX and timken bearings on the Tahoe.

Since making this post I did some research and settled for the brass moog lower balljoints and mevotech (non ttx) upper control arms, and then ac Delco gold inner and outer tie rods. I was really impressed with the AcDelco gold sway bar links I used on my Tahoe last year so we will see.

The mevotech upper arms are cast steel that are listed as a replacement for the aluminum arms which is strange but I trust rock auto.

My wallet is light this season so I couldn’t shoot the parts cannon at the Suburban this time, my shipment is about $400 and I’ll be taking care of all the deep parts so they should be good for a while. If I have to go back in for the bearings I don’t need to take apart the whole knuckle for those.

Looking at the kryptonite stuff it wasn’t that much more than what I spent for tie rods and ball joints but too late now