Ball-joint ripped out of lower arm. No play when I checked it a couple of months back. Luckily it happened when stopping at fuel pump and not 10 mins before when doing 40-50 on a country road!
#2: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: anthony_839, Location: romfordPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 4:53 am ---- you must have hit something hard for that to happen....
i had movement in a ball joint for 6months and it still didnt pop out like that
#4: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: Andrew, Location: Black Country Ay IPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 5:14 am ---- Unrelated but are those tyres the correct size? The profile looks a bit on the large side even for 14"
#6: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: hayes_ctfc, Location: CheltenhamPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 5:17 am ---- Wow, never seen something like that before
#7: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: BigGreenDave, Location: The RiftPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 5:57 am ---- Whoops did this with my 306, 17 year old hand braking into curbs...
#8: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: Seabook, Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 6:22 am ---- you need a search
#9: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: gazza82, Location: South BucksPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 6:56 am ----
anthony_839 wrote:
you must have hit something hard for that to happen....
i had movement in a ball joint for 6months and it still didnt pop out like that
Nope. Stopped gently at pump but couldn't get one on the driver's side .. so just reversed it back a bit to make sure the pipe would reach and ... well you can see the rest!
As for the tyres, they are 60 profiles. Standard is 75 on 14s so I went up to 195 from 175 when I put the Nimrod's on (14" rims, 5.5" wide). I also wanted to get tyres with a bit of rim protection (these are Falken Ziex 912s). Drives fine and handles a damn sight better than on the narrow steelies and the Goodyears it came with.
#10: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: gazza82, Location: South BucksPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 6:58 am ----
hayes_ctfc wrote:
Wow, never seen something like that before
Seen loads of Corsa's like it ... usually just having pulled off a roundabout!
#11: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: macca1411, Location: Westhoughton, LancashirePosted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:14 am ---- Looking at picture one, it looks like a scuff mark on the tyre from 1 o'clock to 3 o'clock. Might just be the way the light is hitting it.
From the damage it looks like it's had a bump with a kerb.
#12: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: gazza82, Location: South BucksPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 2:08 pm ---- I think that's the pattern on the side wall. I check the car after he's used it and there were no new scuff marks after this ... AA confirmed same when I got there to see what I could do (apart from confirm I was a member). He said nothing on wheel or tyres suggested any kerbing and to put it down to straight wear and tear .. he was also surprised the arm lasted that long. Normally the balljoint covers perish long before ..
#13: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: gazza82, Location: South BucksPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 1:58 pm ---- Update: fitted new arm today. That wasn't too bad in the end, just the usual fun of lining up the arm bushes with the mounting holes. At least I didn't have to get the ball joint out of the hub .. well I did but not with the arm attached!
I checked the new arm before I put it back and added a LOT more grease to be bottom balljoint .. is it rationed?? They was hardly any in there ... ... HINT for everyone ...
The AA man didn't do such a good job though. He'd pulled the inner CV joint apart which wouldn't have been a problem until I spotted all the needles were missing on one of the tripod bearings. B****r. ... so now sourcing new drive shaft Will reattach it so I can send it back for surcharge refund. I replaced the n/s a couple of years ago, so I guess 101K miles on the drivers side wasn't too bad.
And what fun to get the inner bearing out of the mounting ... needed a bit of persuasion ... hammer and drift ...
GSF is best price so far, but one of my local supplier's web site is down at the moment. I got the last one from them.
#14: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: Seabook, Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 3:03 pm ---- the ball joint got dust boot and is sealed....
how can you add grease to it?
#15: Re: Spot what's wrong ... Author: gazza82, Location: South BucksPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 10:15 am ---- By removing the "circlip" from the top and prising is open slightly and carefully with a screwdriver. Then hooking the "circlip" back. I say "circlip", it's more a piece of strong wire. If you pull the boot up carefully to the cutout in the balljoint pin, the clip is easy to pull off.
The small amount of grease in there would mean the balljoint probably would be starting to wear in a year or two. And changing these arms is a PITA. Shame we don't still have grease-nipples on the balljoints ... yes a pain to keep redoing them, but the joints lasted a lot, lot longer than now.
When I looked at the old arm and balljoint, it was very "orange" and that would suggest water was getting in and lack of grease. The socket in the arm was obviously worn and this is how the balljoint popped. The balljoint dustboot was in good condition (for over 101K miles!) so I can only assume moisture got in over the years.
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Will reattach it so I can send it back for surcharge refund. I replaced the n/s a couple of years ago, so I guess 101K miles on the drivers side wasn't too bad.
