The front suspension of most cars has at least lower ball joints and in some cases upper ones as well. Ball joints deteriorate if dirt, grit and impurities get inside or grease escapes, leading to a lack of lubrication. Added to this, rusting and general wear and tear also damage these suspension parts. This is a clear indicator that you need to look into ball joint replacement. If you suspect ball joint wear, the car should be inspected as soon as possible. Ball joint replacement is not straightforward, as they can be very tricky to access and install — especially with age and rust.
On some cars, the ball joint is integrated into the control arm. Not all ball joints are created equal. Parts that are made from premium materials with an innovative design have greater strength and durability.
MOOG ball joints are made from superior compounds that are better able to cope with high temperatures, dirt and abrasion. The housings are forged from a single block of fine-grain alloy steel for greater strength. Ball joints play a major role in the steering and suspension of cars and can last a long time.
However, driving on bad ball joints can cause major damage and total ball joint failure can be fatal. What to look out for Noise — this can be a clunking or squeaking noise. Turn the steering wheel The last step is to park the car and turn the wheels back and forth a few times, while listening for noise from the ball joints.
Before you start, make sure you have the following tools ready: Jack Jack stands Flashlight Pry bar Lug nut wrench Wooden blocks or wheel chocks A visual and physical inspection has the following steps: 1. Loosen the lug nuts Loosen the lug nuts so they are hand-tight. Jack up the car and place wheel chocks behind the wheels Jack the front of the car up and secure it on jack stands.
What to look out for Noise and play from the top — this indicates a problem with the upper ball joint. Noise and play from the bottom — this suggests a problem with the lower ball joint. Remove the wheel Remove the wheel and use a flashlight to visually check the upper and lower ball joints.
What to look out for Can you see any signs of rust, damage to the dust boot, grease leakage or any other potential problem? Pry the ball joint apart Use the pry bar and attempt to pry the lower control arm and the steering knuckle the two components connected by the ball joint. What to look out for Excessive amounts of play and movement or clicking sounds are a sign that your ball joints are too loose.
Put the wheel back on After you have finished visually inspecting and testing the ball joint, replace the wheel, lower the car and torque the lug nuts. Repeat with the other wheels After you have finished the first wheel, you need to check the other three, by following steps Back Back to Blog.
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Ball joints are a crucial part of the suspension system. The suspension is what allows your vehicle to hit bumps and move around without causing a lot of jolts inside the cabin for passengers. Using a spring-like system for each wheel, the suspension makes for a smoother ride. The ball joint allows each wheel to move side to side and up and down with more versatility.
Over time with many miles, these ball joints can get lose and eventually break or fall out. There are three ways to know if the ball joints need to be replaced. The first is a faint, intermittent clunking sound when driving, which gets louder when you hit a bump.
This sound gets louder as wear continues. Feeling a vibration in the steering wheel while driving down a level, straight road, or your vehicle drifting to the right or left when going over bumps may also be signs of ball joint wear.
Tires — Uneven tire wear may be a sign that your ball joints are wearing out. Specifically, if the inner or outer edges of your front tires are wearing out faster than the rest of the tread, there is a good chance that the cause is worn ball joints. However, if both edges are wearing out faster than the middle, the problem is not ball joints, but under-inflation of your tires. Some ball joints have built-in wear indicators to alleviate the difficulty of trying to diagnose loose ball joints.
Wear indicators include a movable grease fitting. When a collar of the grease fitting is flush with or below the bottom of the ball joint housing, the ball joint is worn and should be replaced. Other types have a wear indicator pin protruding through a hole in the bottom of the ball joint. As long as the pin is visible, the ball joint is OK. When it becomes flush with the housing or is not visible, then the ball joint should be replaced.
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