My mechanic, who redid my front brakes & rotors recently, told me at the time that the lower ball joints need replaced. He's very experienced, although not strictly Volvo, or even imports, and I have thus far trusted him generally. Thing is, the car was in two other places right around the same time, and neither of them mentioned anything about the ball joints having any problem.

How can I objectively look at the ball joints and see if they're really in need of replacement ? Do I need the wheels off the ground (that can be done) ?

'94 854
'89 744
'80 242 GT

"If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith." -- Albert Einstein