Ball joints consist of a metal housing and stud. The stud can swing and rotate within the housing. Bearings inside the housing can be comprised of metal or plastic. The socket is filled with grease to provide lubrication, keep debris and water out of the socket, and maintain noise free operation.
A rubber boot opening of the joint to keep debris out and grease in. Many original equipment ball joints are designed as sealed units. If the protective boot fails, water and road debris will quickly cause wear and ball joint failure. Some aftermarket ball joints use an improved design that allows lubrication to flush out contaminants to extend the life of the joints.
Maintaining a good dust seal and lubrication in the socket are important to maximizing ball joint life. Worn ball joints contribute to looseness in the front suspension. If the looseness is severe, the driver may notice steering looseness, steering vibration, or unusual noises but it often causes other problems before it may be noticeable to the driver.
Read on to learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a failing ball joint. The wheel hubs, on which your wheels and tires are mounted, are attached to the outer ends of each control arm and remain generally vertical as they move up and down with the pivoting of the control arms.
The hubs are also connected to your steering system and must be able to pivot left and right at any point in their up and down movement. Ball joints are the critical components that connect your wheel hubs to the control arms.
They provide universal pivoting movement between the wheel hubs and control arms to give you a safe, smooth ride and allow you to precisely control your vehicle. Their actual lifespan will depend on your driving habits, road conditions and exposure to road splash and salt. As the ball and socket wear together, the normally close tolerance between them will increase and the ball joint will become loose over time.
Sound — Usually the first indication of worn or loose ball joints will be a faint, intermittent clunking noise that seems to be coming from a corner of your vehicle.
The sound may be more pronounced when going over a bump or a dip or when going around a corner. While the sound may be faint at first, as time goes on and the wear continues, the sound will become louder and more frequent.
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.
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You may opt-out of this process at any time, for more information please check our Privacy Policy. Found in the suspension of virtually all modern cars, ball joints are an important part of the suspension system. They are one of the main suspension pivot points that connect the control arms of the vehicle to the steering knuckles or spindles.
The front ball joints also allow the front wheels and suspension to move back and forth, as well as up and down, as the steering wheel is turned during driving and as the car moves over uneven road surfaces.
This is because when one ball joint starts to fail, the other side is likely to follow soon. A ball joint is usually a ball-in socket design, lubricated with grease and covered with a dust boot. Modern ball joints are sealed, while this prevents dirt, grit and other impurities from damaging the joint, it also prevents maintenance. This means that if you have a problem with your ball joint, the entire assembly will usually need to be replaced.
Depending on the type of suspension, most cars have both upper and lower ball joints. The lower ball joints are usually larger and wear out faster due to the weight of the front of car that rests on them. Click here to read our detailed article on ball joints. Drive the vehicle on a public road at the speed limit and pay close attention to the engine, steering and overall performance of the car.
Vibrations — when a ball joint wears out, it becomes loose which can create a vibration that you can feel through the floor or the steering wheel while you drive. Steering wheel wandering to the left or the right — worn ball joints cause the steering to pull from left to right on its own. This can also cause uneven wear on your tyres. After driving at the speed limit, take it somewhere with speed bumps and drive it at a low speed. Stop and go a few times, and turn a few times.
Noise — this can be a clunking or squeaking noise. Clunking noises are caused by the worn ball joints rattling as the suspension travels up and down over the road. The squeaking noise is caused by the rubber boot that protects the grease inside the ball joint is damaged, the ball joint will start to squeak. These noises will get louder the more worn the ball joints become. 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:. This accelerates tyre wear by causing the rubber tread to touch the ground in an inconsistent way. If you notice feathering i. However, if the tyre wear is equal on both sides, then the issue is probably not your ball joints, but due to under-inflation of the tyres. Loosen the lug nuts so they are hand-tight. This will allow you to move the wheel around on its axis, without removing it completely.
Jack the front of the car up and secure it on jack stands.
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