Steering/Alignment Question

[mamllc]

The ball joint would be hard to move by hand but they should not affect the steering wheel not returning to center after a turn. If they are loosing up after a drive or two I would not expect them to last very long. The cap at the bottom on the ball joint is where the spring sits that gives the tension on the stud ball. As mentioned you should never put any presssure on the cap which, if damaged, could increase the pressure put on the stud ball.

It's entirely possible that they are poor quality ball joints and may not last long, but they were installed properly.