Do I need adjustable ball joints when installing a leveling kit on a 2wd 1500? And should I be replacing ball joints if the truck only has 97,000 miles

 

What truck do you have? Are you running stock wheels and tire size?

 

It’s a 2007 2wd regular cab ST 3.7 V6. The truck has had the stock 17 inch wheels and tires on it since new. It’s never been driven off road or abused as it was my elderly FIL’s seccond vehicle. My plans are to get some factory 20 inch wheels and put 33’s or something close to that size on it.
i’ve got the front lifted off of the ground right now and I don’t feel any playing in it when I grab the tire and try to move it back-and-forth but I do feel and see that the upper ball joint boot is ripped on both sides.

 

Replacing upper ball joints after 15 years is normal. Those are reasonably easy to replace if you're going to do it yourself.
Your stock wheels are 31 inch, so going to 33 will only be an inch higher. I don't think you would need an adjustable ball joint. Hopefully some guys with lifted trucks will chime in.
You didn't ask, but also appreciate that you will lose some performance when you get bigger wheels. That 3.7 has hard enough time with stock setup.