A pivotal part of a vehicle's suspension system, a ball joint has a round ball-like head that swivels inside a cup-like socket. Usually there are four ball joints in a car's front suspension, with an upper and lower one on each wheel. Depending on the wear pattern on the suspension system, it can be necessary to replace one, two or all four ball joints.

Typical costs:

Hiring a mechanic to replace four ball joints (two per wheel on front suspension systems) can cost $350-$2,200 or more, depending on the make, model and year of the vehicle; how difficult it is to access the ball joints and whether the work is done at an independent or chain repair shop, or at a car dealership. In general, luxury or exotic vehicles will be at the upper end of the price range for this repair. To replace one or two ball joints, CostHelper readers report paying $260-$1,450, for an average of $522. To replace four ball joints, CostHelper readers report paying $360-$2,000, with an average price of $677.
Basic parts for a do-it-yourself project start around $30-$100 per ball joint, or $125-$400 for four, but it can cost more for luxury or rare vehicles. Some ball joints are connected to the control arm in one assembly, which must be replaced as a complete unit; part kits for this average about $500-$650. CostHelper readers report paying $112-$400 or an average of $249 for do-it-yourself materials for a project that took three to six hours of work.

What should be included:

Although ball joints are generally durable, they can wear out eventually and the ball won't fit in the socket as well as it did originally. Depending on the vehicle, driving habits, driving conditions and wear patterns, a ball joint can wear out at 30,000 miles, 100,000 miles, 150,000 miles or more. Symptoms that a ball joint might need replacing include a clicking or thumping noise when going over a bump or hitting a pothole, or a shake, shimmy or vibration in the steering. A mechanic can measure the looseness of the old ball joint to determine whether it should be replaced. The California Bureau of Auto Repair has an illustrated overview of ball joints[1] .
Popular Mechanics[2] rates the difficulty of replacing a ball joint as moderate, but says if the vehicle requires the use of a spring compressor it's better to hire a professional mechanic. MobilOil.com[3] rates the project as difficult and estimates it takes an average of three hours.

Additional costs:

Some vehicles require a wheel alignment ($130-$850 per axle) after replacing the ball joints; check the vehicle's specifications to see if an alignment is needed (it isn't always necessary).

Discounts:

A CostHelper reader in Illinois reports buying parts for a 1995 Ford Explorer for $50 at Autozone in 2010, and paying a local mechanic $200 for labor to replace the ball joints.

Shopping for ball joint replacement:

Ball joint replacement can be done at a car dealership, an independent repair shop or car-repair chains like Firestone[4] , Midas[5] , Pep Boys[6] or Sears[7] .
Both the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence[8] and the International Automotive Technicians Network[9] provide a searchable directory of repair shops.
Consumer Reports lists tips for finding a good mechanic[10] .

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Upper and lower ball joints left side, also one center link, and aiinment

Amount: $835.00

Posted by: Tommy Frick in New Lenox, IL.	Posted: April 17th, 2023 03:04PM
Car Make: Mercury	Car Model: Grand marquis
Shop: Good year

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