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alignment after ball joint is not necessary unless your previous alignment was done when ball joints were bad and loose. If your car is driving sloppy after ball joints replacement, check other suspension…
short answer is… it depends on how bad they are. the lower ball joint typically gets more wear than the upper. i’d say, if there’s just a little wiggle in either joint, you should have no problem driving 500 miles.
A ball joint parts cost for most cars is usually around $80 – $150 each, but it can cost as high as $350 each in some luxury or performance cars. Meanwhile, labor cost is usually around $250 – $300. However, sometimes they can be as cheap as $150 depending on the repair shop’s labor rates.
Diagnosis — Rocking the Tire
If the tire rocks by any noticeable degree, and especially if the movement is accompanied by a clinking or clunking sound, you likely have a bad ball joint or two. This test can also indicate a bad wheel bearing, but that will also grumble and vibrate as you drive in a straight line.
In general, ball joints are inexpensive with a range between $20 to $80 each. Labor will vary greatly by model. Some vehicles cost as low as $60 to $80. Yet others, especially four-wheel drive trucks, can range from $160 to $200 per ball joint.
After installation, MOOG recommends greasing these parts at each oil change for heavy-duty vehicles and at every tire rotation (i.e., annually) for standard-duty vehicles.
Some ball joints can be replaced independently of the control arm, but not an easy DIY (need a press to get the ball joint out)! If this is going to be a DIY, change the entire control arm. Some ball joints can be replaced independently of the control arm, but not an easy DIY (need a press to get the ball joint out)!
Yes, you can replace the upper ball joint while the UCA is still in the car.
A ball joints is made to fit tightly into its steel casing; excessive wear will allow for more room for the ball to move in the socket, which can affect wheel alignment, tire wear, and suspension noise. Bad ball joints can lead to abnormal wearing of your tires.
metallic clunking noise
metallic clunking noise: one of the most noticeable and common symptoms of a bad ball joint is a clunking or knocking noise when the suspension moves up and down. a worn ball joint will begin to rattle inside the socket when driving over an uneven road, rough terrain, potholes or speed bumps.Aug 6, 2018
The lower ball joint usually takes the biggest hits and wears out first. Not only does it need to handle the load of the vehicle, but it also absorbs the shocks of potholes and other bone-jarring road hazards.
It can take a little over an hour to get it replaced, so the full ball joint replacement cost will be between $100 and $400.
If you fill it too much with grease, then yes, the boot will split or break and grease will ooze out. Which means you’ll need to replace the tie rod before dirt begins to get inside and cause the whole joint to fail. Sucks, because I did the same thing to my brothers ball joint on the lower control arm.
There are many signs of a failing ball joint or control arm bushings including: Clicking, popping, or snapping sound when the wheel is turned. Eventually, the clicking and popping can turn into a squeaking sound at the end of a stop, when the gas pedal is used, and/or when turning the steering wheel.
What if the control arm breaks? If the ball joints are worn out then you might be facing difficulty in aligning the vehicle on road. With major damage, there might be a possibility that you will lose control over the wheels, and in the extreme case, if the control arm breaks, the wheel could fall off the position.
Usually the joints will come with enough grease for assembly, but not enough for long term use. This is to keep the parts from metal on metal friction, but not to spill grease out making a mess. Also, if they have a zerk, this means that they are not sealed and will need to be greased at an interval.
Modern tie-rod end do not require grease. The clearances are so tight and the surfaces so smooth that additional lubrication is unnecessary. As for the ring you’re probably right about it just holding the boot in place, which is necessary to keep crud out of the unit and prematurely killing it.
There are several reasons why a control arm needs to be replaced. The most common reason is when a ball joint wears out, and it cannot be replaced separately. … A worn-out ball joint can pop out causing the vehicle to lose control while driving. This means that a vehicle with a worn-out ball joint is unsafe to drive.
Changing the control arms is much simpler than the ball joints. The joints aren’t too bad a job, except on old cars they tend to get stuck or present other problems. The new arms will literally bolt in and just need an alignment.
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