should they be? I can move mine back and forth no resistance but I am used to a car ball joint that is tappered into the hole with a tight fit.
Oh this is a 1987 Yam big bear 4x4 350

thanks

 

A new ball joint is going to have some resistance, but not like that of a car. With use and age, they will get loose. What you are mainly looking for is the amount of "up and down" movement the ball has in the socket - if you have a lot of "up and down", the ball joint is pretty worn out and may disconnect from the socket.

 

I don't have a lot of play going up and down except where the bolt goes through at the notch on thew ball joint. Like the bolt is too small or the notch may be worn bigger.
pulled it and both look fine .

I think since my wheel bearings in the front are shot it gives a sense of bad ball joint feel..

 

are your tires wearing out on just one side? if the balljoint is going bad, the camber will be off and it will chew up either the inside or outside edge of the tire.

 

tire wear looks pretty good, so I think the bearings that are bad feel like bad ball joints that are sloppy/

 

check the tie rod ends? that could make the steering sloppy. check the steering shaft too. any of those items could be loose.