Ball Joint or Wheel Bearing?

[Mike1992]

OK let me start off by saying I havent driven my car in about 6 months. Motors/Trans are out of car. I recently swapped to a manual steering rack that I pulled from a 92 Eclipse 1.8l. After install I was getting this popping/slack in the steering wheel. I then proceeded to remove the rack and replace both inner and outer tie rods and bellows. Reinstall and same thing. I lift the car up grab the wheel and wiggle for movement, driver side is tight, passenger side has no side to side but is sloppy up and down. Whats the problem here? Ball joints have about 91k on them plus 15 years. Not torn or leaking. My guess is wheel bearing whats yours?

 

[DSMcrazy3]

I always associated wheel movement with the ball joints...Could be wrong though, but considering they have that many miles/years. It seems like a good time for replacement anyway.

Josh

 

[oldman]

Have a friend get under the car while you move the wheel. If the ball joint moves, it's the ball joint. If it's the wheel itself that moves, it's the wheel bearing.

 

[funniegus]

Its probably the ball joint in most cases but could also be the wheel bearing.

 

[Mike1992]

I think you guys are right. Upon further inspection I noticed a tear in the ball joint boot. Grease hasnt come out but I guess Im gonna replace it along with the other side. I also noticed it does have some side to side play on the wheel but its not nearly as bad as the up and down play it has. Do I need a press to get the old one out and the new one in or can I get some renta tools from the the auto parts store for this procedure?

Edit Nevermind: New ball joints and E.S. bushings on the way.

 

[Mike1992]

Well new ball joints, control arm bushings, sway bar endlinks, swaybar bushings and both inner and outer tie rods didn't fix the problem. Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Xero_Tolerance]

I was reading in the Hayne's manual and it says you can't JUST replace the ball joints, you have to replace the whole control arm? Is this true? I got my car inspected and the front left ball joint is loose so it failed :-(

 

[turbotsi92]

Usually side-to-side is tie rod ends, and up-and-down is ball joints, but since you replaced the tie rods, and ends, it might be a ball joint. I have almost the same situation. My car sit for almost a year while rebuilding(money), and I installed a manual rack as well. I have play in it, but I haven't started replacing things yet.

 

[Mike1992]

I was reading in the Hayne's manual and it says you can't JUST replace the ball joints, you have to replace the whole control arm? Is this true? I got my car inspected and the front left ball joint is loose so it failed :-(

You can replace them, its easy to.

 

[sciroccosven]

Here is a real quick way to tell. If your wheel bearing is bad enough that your wheel moves then your rotor will rub up against your pads while you are driving. Hope that will remove any doubt that it is ball joint related

 

[Mike1992]

Well new ball joints, control arm bushings, sway bar endlinks, swaybar bushings and both inner and outer tie rods didn't fix the problem. Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Thats what I replaced already, so It HAS to be the wheel bearing.