Hey guys i wanted to know what ball joint stretching was. I had to replace the lower joint a few days ago but i never replaced the top one. They were both new but long story short i broke a wheel off because i didnt have the stub shaft in so the hub came apart... Anyway i replaced what was broken and put the top ball joint back in. I saw on here someone said that is the wrong this to do because it is stretched out or something. Well my front axle is making a low noise now (kinda like a hub is going out but the hub is good) and the brakes feel different, not mushy but sensitive? Anyway i wanted to see if not replacing the top ball joint could be the problem?

EDIT: Do i have to have the brake dust sheilds on both sides? I dont have them on the driverside where the noise is coming from, is that messing with clearances in the pumpkin?

 

Ball joint stretching? Never heard of it..... the holes they go thru can get ovaled, but, that would be fairly obvious. I have pulled hubs, etc, many times without replacing balljoints. (front wheel drive cars for axle replacement for instance.) If you used a pickle fork to separate them, that may have damaged the uppers, but, I don't think that would account for your noise. Humming is usually a bad bearing....