Using a big pry bar and a helper to turn the steering wheel, failing that hook up a go pro and go for a drive down a rough track to get the joints flexing and see how much they move.

 

Get it up then use an angled pry bar under the tire to wiggle back and forth. It is not up and down play that you worry about. It's the wiggle. If that makes sense.

 

 

Jack up front of vehicle so wheels are hanging about two inches off the ground, then rest axle housing on jack-stands (this helps eliminate movement of axle housing, while prying with prybar), get a long prybar and someone to either watch ball joint area or pry up for you, place prybar under the tire, then lift upward. You want to watch for independent movement of the ball joint and spindle knuckle, if you are seeing this (ball joint moving upward before whole assembly moves)...ball joint is bad. If the whole assembly moves as one...ball joints are okay. Now, ball joints can become dry inside and cause binding...without showing signs of unusual movement.

Grasping the tire front and back and wiggling would find hub, tie-rod, drag-link or sloppy gearbox issues.

How are the boots on your CV joints, if they are torn...you could have issues there. Bad CV joints will pop while turning if they are bad.

​​​​​​​ Brian.

 

 

Worn out sway bar links will make noise too. Mine were clunking when going slow over uneven road.

 

 

 

Do it yourself, Casey Gray (Safari Gard) and I did it on his 04' and while it took us a while, and we ended up breaking one of the new ball joints not paying attention, it was pretty easy.

I think we used MOOG ball joints, his 6" lift rides much better now.


Oh, and most places will rent you the tools, its pretty generic.