Type H

Ball joints must be checked for excessive wear before an alignment is performed.  Also check the rubber grease seal and grease fitting if applicable.  The load-carrying ball joint usually wears much faster than the non-loaded ball joint, but be sure to check both.  Replace the ball joint if excessive play is found.  The following procedure is commonly used for testing hybrid SLA suspension types.

On Hybrid SLA suspension types the spring/strut is mounted so that it acts on the lower control arm, making the lower ball joint the load-carrying joint.  The upper joint is a follower joint. Both lower and upper ball joints should be checked for the maximum allowable axial and/or radial play specified.

Lower and upper ball joints can be tested for axial play by moving the tire/wheel assembly or the upper control arm as indicated in Figure 1. Both ball joints can be tested for radial play by moving the tire/wheel assembly as indicated in Figure 2. Typically the lower ball joint is unloaded when the vehicle is on a frame-contact lift, or when a jack is placed under the cross-member. However, both joints can also be tested using the procedures for TYPE 1 suspensions.

Figure 1 Figure 2