Front end issues
 

Hello all. I've got something going in the front end of my 2002 S Type 3.0 with 125k that is causing it to wander, especially when I hit the brakes. I'm thinking its the ball joints or tie rods or something else in the front end, but I'm wondering how to tell what the issue is. Should I just jack it up and start checking to see if anything is loose? I don't mind getting my hands dirty and usually do my own work if it's within reason, I just don't want to waste a bunch of time and money replacing parts that are fine.

Thanks for any suggestions.

The lower ball joint in the vertical link along with the upper wishbone arms that include the upper ball joint are common wear issues.

The tie rod ends, both inner and outer, can also cause the vehicle to 'wander' if they have excessive wear.

I'd also vote for a lower ball joint. I had one fail on my '02. No noise, clunking, or vibrations. I only noticed two symptoms. The steering felt slightly loose. After hitting certain bumps that let the suspension extend (a drop-off after an expansion joint, for example), the car would swerve slightly with no input from the steering wheel.

The good news is the repair was very inexpensive. The total bill was about $275 for one side. I asked about the other one, thinking it was also close, but was told it was perfectly fine. Not sure how much the part costs, but between that and the necessary alignment, it was a no-brainer to let the shop do it. Not sure where you are located, but this was done at Les Schwab, a chain of tire stores in the western US.

If you still want to investigate on your own, be aware some types of play can be tricky to isolate. You'll have to get the suspension carefully unloaded so spring tension or component weight isn't forcing parts together while you check for play.

Thanks for the input. Mine feels like what you describe as the lower ball joint - imperfections in the road will cause steering changes without moving the wheel. It also sounds like I have a front wheel bearing starting to go and need to do sway bar bushings, so I may just rebuild everything at once. I guess this is just what happens at 125k miles.