How would you know if its time to replace a cv joint or ball joint ? besides waiting for it to break off lol. sounds, looks, feel?

thanks.

 

a ball joint needs replacement when it has side to side play in it. you might feel it as a rattle in the steering. you have to jack it up and pry against it to be sure. it also has a grease boot over the stud, but unlike the cv joint, this doesn't rotate continuously, so you can insert grease into a torn boot.

cv joint will begin to make a clicking sound when turning, or a constant roaring when driving. these often fail due to the boot tearing, and the grease washing out. i'm not sure about your vehicle, but if the boot is torn, you might can buy a 2 piece repair boot.

 

thanks for the thorough info!!!