When to replace ball Joints?

[zzwhm]

I've got the a-arms off my 87 Carrera to put on Elephant Racing poly-bronze bushings and wondering if I should replace the ball joints "while I'm in there". They look fine and there's no driving problem - how do you know if a ball joint has reached it's end?
Bill

[mtelliott]

I don't know but when I asked the shop while it was on the lift he got underneath it, pushed the wheel up and down, inspected the ball joint, and said it was fine. I guess they start to get spongy when they go bad.

To tell you the truth, I still don't know how to tell but if he said they are good, then I trust his opinion.

[Neilk]

Bill,

Do you have a ball joint socket I could borrow? I am trying to figure out how to remove the ball joint from the strut, they're stuck.

[John Brandt]

if you can gey them to wiggle around, they're done

I asked my mechanic about this recently. He said that he can only remember replacing 1 set of 911 balljoints in 20 some years. he said if you don't drive a 928 you shouldn't worry too much about them

[jpachard]

I change mine every year but this is on a track car. It sees 20+ track days a year. If a ball joint fails its pretty ugly.

James