2G Rear ball joint?

[galantracer53]

So I was looking at my gsx earlier and saw the rear has ball joints on them and my question is why?? I thought ball joints only were for wheels that turned that car so I can't seem to figure why they are on the back? Does anyone know the reason for this??

 

[PieEyedPiper]

[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_joint]Ball joint - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

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The parts articulate, don't they? The diagram is for a 1g but it should illustrate the point.

 

[Sebba]

Smh....

 

[galantracer53]

Got it. I just thought if was alittle weird ### I've never seen it before I thought it might've had something to do with the awd system but I wasent sure so figured I'd ask

Oh and in the title I meant rear ball joint not read

 

[crimsondragon]

The arms that have the ball joints are also directly related to controlling the amount of toe in/out on the rear. Normally yes, bushings would suffice as the other two lower arms as well as how the upper arm mount are done and I suspect that's how all other cars with unadjustable toes in the back are done.
As the arm pulls in/out to adjust for toe, the balljoint rotates whereas if it was a bushing, the bushing in the arm or on the knuckle itself would deflect to accommodate the increased angle. Couple in with the fact that as the suspension cycles up and down which also affects toe and it soon becomes obvious a bushing would not work in that position.

 

[galantracer53]

That explains it all! Thanks!

 

[Colt4G63 also]

There's all that, and then there's the fact that the G-vr4, shared the same subframe and rear suspension, and it did have rear steering.

The 2g AWDs didn't have upper and lower ball joints.

 

[galantracer53]

The 2nd gen eclipses didn't have upper and lower ball joints?????

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Nope, they have bushings in the rear.

 

[galantracer53]

Got it. Except for the ball joint on the one control arm?? And hypothetically speaking could I make my gsx have rear steering????

 

[Colt4G63 also]

I think one of the rear arms has a ball joint, but it's off to the side of the knuckle, more like a tie rod.

 

[galantracer53]

Yeah that's how it is on mine

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Got it. Except for the ball joint on the one control arm?? And hypothetically speaking could I make my gsx have rear steering????

Yes, if your GSX is a 1g, then the rear steering from a G-vr4 should be adaptable to fit.

 

[galantracer53]

Dang.....it's a 2g.....

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Dang.....it's a 2g.....

Then you don't have upper and lower ball joints in the rear. It has bushings at the top and bottom of the knuckle, and they don't allow much movement as far as rear steering is concerned.

 

[galantracer53]

There's a ball joint off to the side of it. Like there's 2 control arms. There's the one that goes right the the knuckle then there's one that looks like it would be a tie rod

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Yeah I know, I put a complete energy suspension bushing kit in one last month.

 

[galantracer53]

Would that be more beneficial then the ball joint???? And where would I get one? And how would I put it on??

 

[Colt4G63 also]

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Would that be more beneficial then the ball joint???? And where would I get one? And how would I put it on??

I don't follow the question.

 

[galantracer53]

Never mind in think we were talking about 2 different things. I thought you were saying that I could replace the ball joint with bushing