Have you ever wondered why the steering and wheel response has been off for a few days on your Chevy Silverado? The mechanical part that keeps the steering and wheel in alignment while absorbing a little bit of shock in the front end of the car is called a ball joint.
This ball joint thing is responsible for turning your vehicle’s wheel all around. If it gets damaged anyhow, you’d have to immediately change the old ones with new ones so that you can drive your Silverado with ease.
I will share my two cents on how you can get your hands on the best ball joints for Silverado. In this article, you will find the best 5 products available in the market compatible with your Chevy Silverado. So, without any further ado, let’s start with the review.
Top 5 Best Ball Joints for Silverado Reviews
1. ACDelco Advantage 46D2272A Front Lower Ball Joint
Chevrolet is a brand under General Motors. If any spare part manufacturing company can make the most compatible spare parts for Chevy Silverado it has to be ACDelco. Why? Because ACDelco’s part pare production is lead and influenced by General Motors.
So, what other spare parts would be better for cars from GM than spare parts from GM? Considering that, ACDelco Advantage 462272A Front Lower Suspension ball joint is one of the most suitable ball joints for your Chevy Silverado.
Durability
When anyone comes to me with a faulty ball joint of heavy-duty pickups like Chevy Silverado, fatigue and wear is highly noticeable. Especially, if the vehicle is used for work purpose, fatigue and wear is common. In those situations, I always suggest them to pick these ball joints.
You see, this specific model while in production, is taken through sever fatigue, impact and wear tests. So, any question about durability can be easily dealt with. If you want your Silverado ball joints to be durable, this is the one to go for.
Corrosion-Free
Another common problem we see in our garage is that ball joints often fail because the metal is already damaged due to corrosion. You can get rid of the corrosion but doing that will compromise the shape and functionality of the ball joints. The solution is to get a corrosion-free ball joint like this one.
Quality Guarantee and Warranty
Accepting any spare part with a warranty or guarantee is not the ideal thing to do. This specific model comes with an ISO certification that stands as proof of quality. There’s also a manufacturer’s warranty of 12 months.
2. MOOG K6541 Ball Joint
In the business, we frequently see ball joint damage due to high friction. The cause of that is not having enough room between metals. The best thing about Moog ball joints is the design itself. They call it the metal-to-metal design.
This design allows the parts to have enough space in between so that the grease can pass easily and keep the ball joints responsive and functional. Also, this allows the metals to have less friction, thus less wear.
Self-Cleaning Design
Sometimes, the ball joints don’t really need change or repair. The most common problem in ball joints is that due to friction, they tend to get damaged and damage other parts as well. So, MOOG came up with a design that allows lubricant to clear out any debris that is within and function properly.
High Heat Resistant
Due to frequent friction, a high temperature is generated within the part of a vehicle. Any metal that is not heat resistant or doesn’t have a high heat tolerance, tends to expand. That expansion can cause severe problems to the vehicle. To avoid that, MOOG has sent the K6541 under heat treatment.
Universal Fit
When someone comes to change any parts of their vehicle, it is crucial for us to check if their vehicle is left-hand drive or right-hand drive. Because different steering alignment requires differently designed parts. But with this ball joint, there will be no issue because of its universal fit.
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3. TRW Automotive JBJ1179 Suspension Ball Joint
If endurance is what you are expecting from your Silverado ball joints, the ideal one to pick is the TRW Automotive JBJ1179 Suspension Ball Joint. The special thing about this ball joint is that it is ideally made for the Chevrolet Silverado and many other vehicles of the same genre.
The driving experience after installing these ball joints is absurdly good. Many feedbacks read that it feels as if they just bought the vehicle. That means these ball joints are as good as factory-installed ones. So, what more can a ball joint offer?
Endurance Dust Covers
Every part of a vehicle is exposed to dust while it’s running. If any part captures that dust and turns it into a greasy substance, it is potentially harmful to the vehicle and parts. That’s why TRW has installed dust covers that are highly durable. No dust for a long time, and no wear of the ball joints.
Superior Build Quality
The build quality of this ball joint is kind of unquestionable. It’s not because of the material used to make it. The material used in any ball joint is give or take almost the same. What differs is the technology used to make it. This little bad boy goes through a 500k cycle of heavy testing before it even hits the market for use.
Versatile Use
Unlike many ball joints, this one does not have only one specific model that it fits. Rather, it is a versatile model that can be installed in many vehicles. You’ll be glad to know that not only the Silverado, but we have also installed it on many different trucks.
4. MOOG K500245 Ball joint
It’s really quite a challenge to look for specific ball joints for a very specific vehicle. Considering every time manufacturers are trying to improve their vehicles. One thing I can guarantee is that MOOG also is improving their game because a ball joint that I frequently use on different Silverados is the MOOG K500245 Ball joint.
MOOG is already an established brand for making proper OEM parts for different vehicles. But when it comes to trucks, owners can be extra cautious considering their vehicle is built for rough terrains and to take extra pressure. This model is made for tactical durability.
Long Life
The metal-to-metal design is ideal for lubricant flow. Whenever you’re pouring lubricant in the vehicle, you expect it to perform a little better than it was before the Mobil change. The feedback we got from clients after installing this is their car works like new each time after they change their engine oil. The credit goes to MOOG for their design.
Dust Boot Sockets
The pre-installed dust boot sockets are a blessing if you want your wheel-to-steering response to be ideal. Every time someone comes with a Silverado that has these ball joints put in, we take a look at them to find there are no contaminants that can damage the ball joints. Again, MOOG takes the credit.
Extra Fatigue Strength Proven
Unlike other manufacturers, MOOG wants their ball joints to perform properly. They put their ball joints through heat tests so that they can resists the fatigue of long drives. We specifically suggest these ball joints if clients tend to go for long drives.
5. Mevotech Supreme Ball Joint MK6541
As Mevotech is not a renowned name as MOOG or ACDelco, it’s a gamble from my part to talk about such a product. But I can safely say this is a gamble that and many of my clients have taken and won. It’s a little hard to believe that many of them have said it’s a win-win because it’s better than MOOG ball joints in many ways and definitely cheaper.
Mevotech may not as known as other brands, yet they have been in this business quite some time. If this brand is unknown to you, you can check forums. You’ll find quite a few good feedbacks about these ball joints. Also, you will be able to understand their upcoming brand value.
All Hardware Included
One of the most user-friendly parts of getting these ball joints is that they come with a starter kit that includes all of the necessary hardware for installation. So, if you think you can give it go on your own, you most certainly can. These kinds of kits encourage DIYs.
Serviceability
Most ball joints are made for one time use. This is actually the regular practice. Nobody wants to reuse worn-out ball joints. People think ball joints cannot be repaired. Mevotech will make you think otherwise because this one can be repaired. Though we suggest changing ball joints, you can get some extra miles from this after repair.
Tighter fit
While the ball joints need to have enough space between them for debris to pass after lubricating, the connections need to be tight for the steering to have a better response from the wheels. This one ensures a tighter fit, thus better steering-to-wheel response.
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How to Buy the Best Ball Joints for Silverado?
It’s a comparatively easier decision for us who work with car parts because we can easily determine how good a ball joint is just by seeing their attributes. Now, if you don’t know what to look for, it will be a very hard decision for you to take because most ball joints have the same characteristics on paper.
In this part, I will discuss about the attributes that help me to pick the best ball joints for any vehicle. Now, with many online software, you can easily check the compatibility of the part before buying them. Let’s focus on what makes them stand out.
Design
The design of any part plays a very important role. Now, the question that would come to mind is how different a design can be from one brand to another to provide any advantage. The design merits you must look for are less friction, wear, and corrosion resistance, and finally grease flow.
Warranty
You might be wondering why I put warranty in 2nd position while other people might be talking about other things. It’s because a manufacturer allows warranty up to that point where the product will be in pristine condition. Now, most manufacturers offer 1-year warranty. For ball joints, that is enough.
Typology
The purpose of using a truck may vary. If you bought a truck just for the looks and engine power of it, you won’t be putting much load on it. If you bought it for utility, you will definitely put a lot of load on it. The steering response differentiates depending on how much load a vehicle is carrying.
So, if you are carrying cargo or putting some extra load on your vehicle apart from carrying people in it, you would definitely need ball joints that are specific for carrying the load. My suggestion would be to go for ball joints that are made for heavy duty. They might be a little expensive, yet better.
Self-lubrication or Greasing
Now, most people are going for self-lubricating ball joints to lessen the hassle of maintenance. Ball joints that require greasing from the time-to-time result in better performance. Don’t get me wrong, the self-lubricating ones are good too. But if you don’t want any hassle, you know which one to choose.
Installation
Installation features are important considering how you want to install the ball joints. If you like working on your vehicle, it’s better to pick ball joints that offer easier installation.
On the other hand, if you are superstitious about working on your own, and require assistance, you can pick the ones that don’t offer easy installation. It will be hassle for us to install them, but if other features are okay, they will perform the way you want them to.
Symptoms of Ball joint Changing Needed
The biggest question here for new truck users is when ball joints need to change. Remember, cars have many similar symptoms for different problems. There are a few symptoms which our clients tell us and we check ball joints to see if everything is on point.
I won’t bother you with the explanations. Let’s just list them for your convenience-
- Improper steering response
- Clanging noise coming from the chassis while turning the steering
- Abnormal vibration on the steering
- Unintentional steering drift
- Suspension Issues
- Uneven Tire Wear
There’s another symptom which is a little hard to determine. The inner side of the steering tires will show signs of damage. You can’t check the tires’ inner side without taking them off. So, if you see any of the symptoms as mentioned above, it’s time to check the ball joints.
How to Replace Ball Joints on a Silverado
Replacing ball joints on a Silverado can seem like a daunting task, but with the right tools and knowledge, it’s definitely doable. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to replace ball joints on a Silverado:
- Lift the Vehicle: Using a floor jack, lift the Silverado and place it on jack stands.
- Remove the Wheel: Using a lug wrench, remove the wheel and tire from the vehicle.
- Remove the Brake Caliper: Using a socket wrench, remove the bolts that hold the brake caliper in place. Then, remove the caliper from the rotor and set it aside.
- Remove the Rotor: Using a hammer, tap the rotor gently until it comes loose from the hub assembly.
- Remove the Ball Joint Nut: Using a socket wrench, remove the nut that holds the ball joint in place.
- Remove the Ball Joint from the Control Arm: Using a ball joint separator tool, separate the ball joint from the control arm.
- Remove the Ball Joint from the Steering Knuckle: Using a ball joint separator tool, separate the ball joint from the steering knuckle.
- Install the New Ball Joint: Insert the new ball joint into the control arm and steering knuckle, making sure to line up the bolt holes.
- Secure the Ball Joint: Using a torque wrench, tighten the nut that holds the ball joint in place to the manufacturer’s recommended torque specifications.
- Reinstall the Rotor: Place the rotor back onto the hub assembly and secure it in place with the bolts.
- Reinstall the Brake Caliper: Place the brake caliper back onto the rotor and secure it in place with the bolts.
- Reinstall the Wheel: Place the wheel and tire back onto the vehicle and tighten the lug nuts.
- Lower the Vehicle: Using the floor jack, lower the Silverado back down to the ground.
That’s it! You’ve successfully replaced the ball joints on your Silverado. Remember to take your vehicle for a test drive to ensure everything is working properly before hitting the road.
It’s always a good idea to consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual for specific instructions and torque specifications and to wear proper safety gear, such as gloves and eye protection when working on your vehicle.
DIY Video About the Full Installation
FAQs About Silverado Ball Joints
How long do ball joints last in Silverado?
The average longevity of any factory-installed ball joints is between 80,000 to 100,000 miles. But if you force your vehicle to do more off-roading and drive aggressively than usual, then ball joints can wear faster.
How long do aftermarket ball joints last?
This is a fair question to ask. Aftermarket or OEM parts don’t last as long as factory-installed ball joints. The maximum miles to expect from aftermarket ball joints is not more than 70,000 miles.
Should I replace all 4 ball joints?
That’s kind of a must thing to do. If one ball joint has signs of wear and damage, other ball joints will have some minimum wear or damage. If you are okay with taking the hassle of changing one at a time, then it’s okay to change one. But it is recommended that all ball joints should be changed.
Which Ball joint wears out first?
If you were expecting a brand name, then I’m sorry I can’t help you with that. But I can definitely tell you that the lower ball joints wear faster as they mostly take the impacts of rough terrain and vehicle load.
Can I replace the ball joints on my Silverado myself?
Replacing ball joints on a Silverado can be a challenging job and requires specialized tools. If you have basic knowledge about automotive repairing and specialized tools then you can do it.
Else, It’s recommended to have a professional mechanic perform the replacement to ensure it’s done correctly and safely.
Final Words
If you are okay to take suggestions without giving any second thoughts, I would recommend to get one of the above-listed ball joints. Any of them would be good for your Silverado as long as they meet the criteria that you have set for the vehicle.
Even if you are having second thoughts, you should go through how to buy the part and compare the features with the factors. That will help you to pick one surely. I have listed the best ones as per my user experience. The rest is up to you.
