If the lower ball joints were that loose your tire would be half off. Definitely put the tire up in the air to test the control arm, then you only have the compression of the springs applying pressure. What happens is the rubber in the bushings become broken and worn, but the weight of the vehicle and the compression of the springs keep the inner part of the bushing compressed against the bottom of the outer core. Everything seems to work fine until you hit a bump and the inner part of the bushing shifts. Key signs of the control arm bushings being worn is that it is unidirectional, it can go any direction depending on which way it is leaning. Brake problems usually pull in one direction