2G Ball Joints

[ryztriumph]

Ball joints started squeaking a bit the other week, at least I think that is what's wrong. Squeaks in parking lots real bad to the point where people crane their necks to see what is making that noise. I jacked it up and it squeaked on the way up to check the play. What do you guy's think? Replace front right, or both at the same time. The ball joint on top of both look fine to me, as well as the lower front left. I think the lower front right is the culprit. Are these hard to replace?

Ball Joint Problem - YouTube

 

[jtmcinder]

Has the recall been done on your car?

 

[ryztriumph]

I do believe that it has been done. I contacted the local dealership and even Mitsu cooperate in CA and they both told me that there were no open recalls on my vehicle. The thing only has 76k on it, and they probably were replaced in the early 2000s so I'm guessing they probably have about 60ish k on them? I guess things don't last forever.

 

[jtmcinder]

Then replace them both yourself. A blown lower front ball-joint can ruin your day.

 

[ryztriumph]

Are they hard to replace? I know we had to have special tools when we did my dads f150. Will I need ball joint forks?

 

[jtmcinder]

Turns out, it's often cheaper to just get whole new lower lateral arms (which includes new ball joints). Then it's a snap ... once you shoot three cans of PB'laster at the nuts and bolts. No special tools required.

 

[bryanwheat]

IT is very easy to replace as long as the bolt isn't seized in to the strut fork attachment bolt. There is one bolt that holds it to the subframe, one bolt that holds it to the strut fork and the ball joint itself. To get the ball joint separated from the spindle you just remove the nut and smack the spindle around the hole that the joint goes thru with a hammer. That will pop the joint loose and you can remove it.

 

[Guilty1s]

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I didnt even know about this... this actually happened to me last year... but i fixed it myself.... my fender doesnt look to pretty afterwords though....

 

[ryztriumph]

Eww. Well, looks like I will be getting lower control arms and timing belt kit and doing that this summer break. Not to mention the water pump just took a dump on us too.

 

[93RS]

You might want to invest in a cut off wheel of some kind Im working on my 2g balljoints.... slash axel and tierods really really easy as long as you can get the middle bolt off I have the problematic bolt poorly circled in the first picture... The second is a possible outcome if not handled immediately.

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Goodluck man invest in gloves, patients, bandaids, and money for your swear jar.

 

[ryztriumph]

Well they are squeaking really badly now. It is something in the front end and I suspect the ball joints, but there are a lot of things it could be. Do ball joints squeak really badly when they go out?

 

[93RS]

They can... But so can the wheel bearing or the brakes. Your best bet is to go outside jack up both sides of your car, put it on jack stands, and check. First thing before you break the lugs loose grab the tire at 12 oclock and 6 oclock there should be no play, then at 9 and 3 it will move but theres a difference between moving and play. After that take the wheels off and grab things and jerk and pull and tug. Dont screw up the brake line. Check all the boots, joints, basically anywhere anything attaches to something else. Good luck!!!

 

[ryztriumph]

I don't think its a wheel bearing, and the brakes are practically new. The only thing I would think of would be the boots or tie rod or ball joints. I dont think its the shocks because I can bounce it up and down without squeaks.

 

[nickk90]

Stop driving the car now until its replaced. If its getting louder its going to snap any second. Mine started out sounding like yours the all of the sudden got loud and not even driving 10 miles after that snap on me. Ive had it happen to me twice.

Buy a OEM Mitsu arm aslo, I used a parts store arm the first time and it snapped exactly 1 year later.

 

[98GSXin]

REPLACE THEM NOW! Don't mess with the ball joints. It's worth investing the $50 now to prevent the $1,000 damage caused by a failure. Ask me how I know: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/nor...aused-body-damage-need-parts-recall-info.html

 

[knochgoon24]

You might want to invest in a cut off wheel of some kind Im working on my 2g balljoints.... slash axel and tierods really really easy as long as you can get the middle bolt off I have the problematic bolt poorly circled in the first picture... The second is a possible outcome if not handled immediately.
[images]
Goodluck man invest in gloves, patients, bandaids, and money for your swear jar.

Your ball joint didn't fail. See how the ball is still in the socket? You lost the nut off the stud.

 

[crimsondragon]

I always thought they clunk because of the play in between the ball and the socket. Replace the arms regardless. While you have it apart, check the upper ball joint and cycle the A arm up and down. The squeaking leads me to bushings to be honest.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

I always thought they clunk because of the play in between the ball and the socket. Replace the arms regardless. While you have it apart, check the upper ball joint and cycle the A arm up and down. The squeaking leads me to bushings to be honest.

They do, but when water and dirt and whatever other contaminants are in the joint the squeakiness happens first, then it will be more grinding or clunking until failure.

 

[m1nd64m3]

I just had the same incredibly squeaky front suspension. It ended up being an upper balljoint, just replaced both uppers with ingalls adjustable ones.

 

[ryztriumph]

Well, I went ahead and bought both lower ball joints and put one in. I will put in the other side after Work. It made it SOOOOO much better! No more squeak!!!! The car even feels tighter!

 

[crash89]

How much did it cost for both lower arms?

 

[ryztriumph]

How much did it cost for both lower arms?

It was $88 for both and a ball joint fork. I didn't need the fork though because my dad already had one. I got them at Fisher auto parts.

 

[93RS]

Your ball joint didn't fail. See how the ball is still in the socket? You lost the nut off the stud.

No my balljoint failed, Both sides the nuts pulled off the ball joint... The stud felt like it was sanded it was so smooth.

 

[knochgoon24]

This is how they usually fail.

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If the threads stripped off your stud, the nuts weren't tight.