McDirty

I have a stock 08 GT with 65k (mostly easy highway) miles on it. I took it to a dealer for an oil change and tire rotation and they told me I needed new rear brakes. I didn't have the time right then to do it so I went to another dealer the next day to have it done. They said the brakes were ok but I needed new ball joints because there was too much play on the front wheels when the car was on the lift. If they were bad would I notice uneven wear on the tires?

I have read most ball joint threads from the past few years but still have a few more questions. Is the likely repair to replace the lower control ARM with the ball joint? I asked the dealer if it was just the ball joint or lca also and was told it is just one piece. Are the gt-500 lower control arms standard replacement parts now? I saw the Mitchell labor guide quote of 1.6 hours in a previous post. Is that per side. Is $500 a fair price.

Boondoggie

The balljoints themselves are replaceable, but Ford only sells it as a complete LCA.

Go to an independant shop, and they can get you balljoints for around $50 per side for the parts...

ffk_pennywise

I bought grease-able ball joints from a local supplier for about $60 for a pair. Replaced them in the driveway with a friend and a 12 pack. It sucked getting them out but its totally doable. Like Boondoggie said, Ford sells as a total LCA package. You may not find just the ball joints at places like Autozone. Shop around.