Raise the front of the vehicle and secure it on stands.
Visually inspect the ball joint mudguards and the rack and pinion steering gear guards for cracks, abrasions and ageing. Any damage to the boots will lead to loss of lubricant and the ingress of water and dirt, and as a result, rapid wear of the ball joints or the steering mechanism.
Check the power steering gear hoses for chafing or aging, and pipes and hose connections for leaks. Pressurize the steering rubber boots for signs of leakage that indicate seal failure in the steering.
Raise the car with a jack, take the wheel with your hands in position «6 and 12 o'clock» and try to shake it in a vertical plane. Slight wheel play is acceptable. If the play is large, further testing is necessary to determine the cause of the failure. Continue to pump the wheel, while the assistant should press the brake pedal. If the play is eliminated or significantly reduced, then the hub bearings are probably damaged. If the play is still large, then the joints and suspension mounts are worn out.
Now take the wheel with your hands into position «9 and 3 o'clock» and try to shake it in a horizontal plane. Play in the horizontal plane can be caused by wear of the hub bearing or tie rod ball joints. If the outer or inner ball joint is worn, play will be immediately noticeable.