How to check a ball joint with your own hands without a lift? Review of the main symptoms of a malfunction and how to eliminate them

How does a ball joint work?

At the base of the constant velocity joint there is a pin with a ball on the edge, tightly rolled into the support body. Between the finger ball and the body there is a Teflon gasket and a special lubricant.

On the top side of the steering rod there is a rolling, the purpose of which is to secure the ball rod in the casing, and on top of it is a boot that prevents lubricant from leaking and prevents grinding components from getting in.

Required tools and materials for replacement

To independently replace the ball joint on a Lada Granta car, you need the tools from the list below.

Table - Tools and materials required to replace the ball joint.

Ball joint puller

Ball joint diagnostics

The main signs of a failed ball joint are:

• Increased steering effort;
• Clicking sounds in the suspension and the car moving sideways when you press the brakes;
• Violation of camber and toe values. This leads to equal wear on one side of the tire;
• Wheel runout on the side, which initiates tire wear. In this case, the tire wears out unevenly, as if in shreds;
• A peculiar knocking sound that occurs when turning the car. In specific cases, noticeable wobble of the steering column may appear.

Before making repairs, you should first make sure that you need to change the steering rod. This can save a lot of time and money.

Features of individual designs

As mentioned above, this is only the most common version of the ball joint. But there may be, as they say, options.

• removable ball joint.
• a ball joint made integral with the lever.

The same fault detection method is used for all versions.

Video - how a ball joint works when a car is moving:

Important: despite its simplicity and reliability, the ball joint has a limited service life. The worse the quality of the road surface on which the car is driven, the greater the chance that the part will fail ahead of time. Failure of this important component can cause a serious accident. The malfunction should be identified at an early stage of its occurrence.

Why does the ball start to knock (make noise)

The root of the dysfunction of the ball joint is the development of the polymer insert. Due to rubbing between the insert and the ball, a backlash occurs, which contributes to the rapid and complete breakdown of the polymer.

Moving with loads, the ball slowly distorts the hole in the body, which often ends with the pin being pulled out of its groove. When the impermeability of the plastic boot is broken, this leads to early destruction of the polymer insert.

The penetration of liquids affects the washing away of the lubricant and the coating of the finger with rust. Particles of dust or dirt from the road increase wear, acting like sandpaper.

Unnatural noises heard when driving over road obstacles indicate problems with the steering supports.

Car owners are interested in how to find out the condition of the ball joint without using a lift and overpass? You can do the inspection yourself by doing the following:

1. Park and secure the vehicle on an area with a hard surface.
2. The car is raised using a jack and the wheel is removed.
3. An extension made of wood or metal is placed under the lever located below.
4. The car is lowered.

Such procedures are required to compress the suspension spring. By manually moving the axle from the top down, you can easily find out whether or not there is play in the steering rod. It is worth inspecting the boot to find out its integrity.

When the rubber boot is torn, it is recommended to change the support in the kit, because a small penetration of dirt, as well as sand, greatly reduces the service life of the ball bearing.

Choice: original or analogue?

This element is important in the design of the car, so you need to choose it carefully. The choice of spare parts is not small, you can choose exactly the option that suits you best in terms of price and quality.

An original factory-quality ball will cost about 1,000 rubles. Price may vary depending on where you purchase. For the Lada Kalina car, ball joints from the Samara family, as well as the VAZ-2110, are suitable. The catalog number for the spare part is 21100-2904192-82. If the kit includes fasteners, then the number is 21100-2904192-86.

There is an alternative to the original ball one. There are several such options:

Ball joints for Lada Kalina are offered in different quality and cost. An analogue can be purchased cheaper than a factory spare part. Often their quality is equal or even superior. However, it is highly not recommended to purchase the cheapest copy; it is usually of low quality and has a short resource, which is unacceptable for this unit.

Of course, it is best to give preference to a factory-quality ball joint, since they are the ones that are installed by the car manufacturer initially. However, the cost of such a copy is high, so most motorists consider buying analogues.

In this case, you need to choose extremely carefully. You should not buy a ball from an unknown manufacturer, or from dubious places.

You also need to inspect the spare part before purchasing. Its surface should be perfectly smooth without welds. If the item is dirty gray in color, then it is better to refrain from purchasing it, since it most likely has undergone heat treatment.

If, even after completing these steps, questions still remain, then it is best to contact the store managers who will help you decide.

Diagnostics of a ball joint at home (instructions)

It is not difficult to find out the condition of the ball support on a platform or pit. The weight of the vehicle in a compressed state presses on the suspension springs. It is enough to insert the pry bar between the pin and the lever, making several rhythmic movements.

• If play is detected at the finger, then there is a breakdown at the support. It is difficult to see play in the perpendicular plane when the spring is decompressed, especially on massive jeeps, which often accommodate a suspension with many levers.
• When diagnosing on a car lift, you need to press the spring with hydraulics placed under the lever at the bottom and use a crowbar to determine the malfunction of the unit. To identify the state of the ball rod removed from the car, just turn it to the side.

When in this position the apical edge of the finger goes down under its own weight, then the working life of the support is almost exhausted and play will soon arise. It is recommended to replace this support immediately.

Dismountable supports have long ceased to be relevant, even if you received a Moskvich or a VAZ from your relatives, you cannot find spare parts for them to repair the ball joint. It will be easier to install modern units that cannot be disassembled.

Necessary tool

• The jack (hydraulic or pneumatic to choose from) is designed to raise the machine to the desired level to simplify the process of checking and further replacing the VAZ 2114 ball joint if necessary.
• A set of wrenches allows you to loosen the tightening on the desired part and unscrew the bolts and nuts.
• A ball joint remover will be needed to remove them.
• Wheel chocks are used to be placed under the rear of the car. Sometimes a brick base is used here to simplify the task.
• Supports under the car to improve interaction with the jack, to ensure safety during the operation. In addition, sometimes a block of wood is also used.

Algorithm of actions from A to Z (master’s recommendation)

To find out the condition of the ball joints, you need to do the procedures in this order:

1. The unit is inspected. Violation of the surface of the boot indicates that the element will need to be replaced. To save money, you can stop at replacing the boot. However, such a repair rarely gives good results, because dust that gets into the middle of the hinge will have a bad effect on its integrity. When no superficial symptoms are noticed, then you can move on.
2. Using a lift or jack, the car is raised and a previously prepared support is placed under the support body. It is optimal to use a height-adjustable tripod. Then the vehicle gradually lowers down, pressing on the ball bearing. The wheel here ends up in the air and is able to spin without interference.
3. Grasping the top and bottom of the wheel, it is allowed to wobble vertically. It’s good when the assistant here begins to turn the steering wheel carefully and smoothly. It will be possible to notice wear only in a separate wheel location. Having seen the backlash, there is no need to come to hasty conclusions. Perhaps it arose due to a breakdown or insufficient screwing of the bearing on the hub, a violation of the silent blocks of the lever, or other errors. The check is ongoing.
4. Having installed the flattened edge of the mount into the hole between the pivot pin and the lever, you should press the handle and observe the components of the support. When the part is not broken, there will be no play. Clicks or knocking sounds when pressing on the mount handle also indicate a malfunction of the device.

Causes of wear

Thus, the causes of ball wear are:

1. Wear and tear due to natural causes. Parts that are not manufactured according to all the rules of technology are damaged ahead of time. They cost much less than original spare parts, so they are actively purchased by car owners. However, after approximately 70-100 thousand kilometers, these balls wear out. If the element is influenced by additional factors (lack of care, frequent driving through mud, constant high speeds, sudden temperature changes), then the resource is reduced even more.
2. Anther. It is also called a protector, implying the main function is to prevent dirt, sand and moisture from entering. The car owner needs to inspect the element from time to time, because if it breaks, it will inevitably cause damage to the hinge. Torn anthers should be urgently replaced by applying a special lubricant to the new consumable.
3. Increased load. Aggressive and fast driving puts a lot of stress on the ball joint. In Russia, we have very few roads where you can accelerate to 150-200 km/h, so you need to drive extremely carefully. If the wheel falls into a hole, it will cause the ball to break, since it takes the blow first. This also happens when the driver transports a heavy load in a car or tows another car that does not meet the permissible weight standards.
4. Drying of lubricant. There should always be lubricant inside the ball joint. It may disappear due to drying or evaporation, which occurs due to damage to the anther. You need to regularly add lithol using a syringe or a special tool.

Popular brands:
Infiniti QX70, Mercedes-Benz C–Class, Renault Laguna

To avoid early ball failures, do not skimp on purchasing an original, high-quality support. It is better not to consider Chinese analogues at a low price at all - they last no more than 20-30 thousand km of car mileage.

One of the ways to determine that a ball joint has failed involves inspecting the boot.

Torn ball joint boot

Options for determining the condition of the ball joint

It is possible to find out what the condition of the ball is in two ways. You can visually determine the continuity of the boot, and if there are cracks or irregularities in it, replace it with a newer product.

• It is also possible to drive a car onto a platform or pit, and there, due to mechanical manipulations, violations are determined.
• To do this using the mechanical method, you will need to get under the vehicle and pull the wheel with your hands several times to feel the presence of play.
• You can take a crowbar, then put it between the lever and the support, and then try to push it upward.

The use of iron is the most effective way to determine backlash. Another method is to remove the balls, clamp them in a vice, and then check the play of the pin and axle.

When the finger moves with ease, then changing the ball in the kit is really necessary. Experienced drivers can make the replacement, but those new to this business are advised to go to a service station, where all the conditions and experienced specialists are available.

Required tools and materials for DIY replacement

Repairing a ball joint yourself is impossible without the tools listed below.

Table - Tools and materials required to replace the ball joint.

Photo instructions for diagnosing a ball joint without a lift