No, jack the frame and leave the wheel hanging free, the apply upward force on the bottom of the wheel to check for play.

Otherwise the weight of the car is sitting on the balljoint.

The other clue is groaning on turns. Usually the joint is good until the boot fails and the grease either leaves or gets dirty or wet. Wear then occurs rapidly, or the joint corrodes, leading to looseness or lack of clearance, depending.

So long as the boot is intact, some play is acceptable. My Volvo drove pretty good with about 8 mm play in the ball joints! Chuckled going over rough roads, though...

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!