Maybe it is just my imagination, but I feel like my steering is drifting ever so slightly. Feels like driving on the highway on a real windy day but there is no wind. I pulled the wheel and started examining and feel a little play in the hub. Seems to be the ball joint, but the play could be in the strut top due to the rubber bushing. Could this slight drift in the steer be caused by the ball joint being bad or am I just imagining things?

 

It could be a bad balljoint or a bad inner tie rod.
A bad tie rod will cause the same feeling.

 

I'm gonna replace both. The car has just a touch under 200k. How about the subframe bushings? do they require to drop the subframe? Are they pressed and if so, how do I get them out? I wanna do everything since I have replace the other ball joint and outer tie rod's as well as stabilizer end links. Would replacing the control arms with new ones make any difference with such high mileage?

 

Thanks for the help. Maybe this is why the outside edge of my tires has been wearing a lot faster lately. Of coarse that could just be my lead foot around the backwoods twisties.

 

Thanks for the help. Maybe this is why the outside edge of my tires has been wearing a lot faster lately. Of coarse that could just be my lead foot around the backwoods twisties.

 

The subframe bushings are pressed and a pain in the A** to replace.You would have to drop the subframe.
I haven't seen any really go bad yet.
If the balljoint is bad and you can replace it I would just replace it.
But look at the control arm bushings and if they look worn or bad replace the or the entire control arm.