Removing and installing the ball joint of the front suspension arm of Lada Largus

Article number and price for the original ball joint

On the Lada Largus car, two types of ball joints are used. Until June 2013, the knot had a finger with a diameter of 16 mm. An annular groove was made on the support. The article number for the old-style ball is 401604793R. The price of the part ranges from 680 to 850 rubles.

In the 2014 model range, new types of supports began to be used. The diameter of their finger was increased to 18 mm. The groove has also changed. It became lateral, which, according to the designers, increased the reliability of the unit. The catalog number of the new ball is 40160-2523R. The cost of the support is 500-1400 rubles.

Despite the fact that ball joints of different years of manufacture are successfully pressed into seats instead of each other, experienced car owners do not recommend doing this. Using a “foreign” support may cause a knock in the suspension, and a number of difficulties will arise during installation.

The balls are fixed using a bolt with an increased diameter inside. The old and new type support mounts are not interchangeable. When purchasing an unsuitable unit, car owners have to bore a groove for the bolt, which does not have the best effect on the reliability and safety of the suspension.

Conclusion

To ensure that the entire list of “symptoms” indicating serious malfunctions of ball joints does not affect the vehicle, comprehensive diagnostics of the suspension should be carried out in a timely manner. If you regularly monitor all its elements, you can not only save money, but also prevent adverse consequences for the car and its owner.

Replaced the right ball joint.

She's practically in the trash. The wheel rattled like a cart. During the final days before the replacement, I didn’t drive the car at all, so that the tire wouldn’t come out. Here's her photo

What I found out for myself. The car is 2015. Balls on Largus seem to have been installed with a side groove since 2013 or 2014. The original number with a side groove is 401602523R. Before this, balls with a circular groove were installed on Largus (its number is 401604793R). With a circular groove they are also installed on new Largus, but then the groove needs to be bored out a little (since the bolt securing the new balls is larger in diameter than the bolt in the old balls), which not all service station workers want to do. Here is a photo of a ball with a circular groove.

As they write on the Internet, sometimes on new Largus you come across balls with a circular groove. Visually they can be distinguished from below (here is a photo)

Plus, on the head of the bolt securing the ball with a side groove there is a hole for an asterisk for a screwdriver (on the old ones the head is only for the bolt). Well, the thread of this bolt (you can measure it with a rod without removing the ball) is 10 mm. The thread of the bolts on the old ball ones is 8 mm. I write in more detail for myself, so that I don’t forget later. In general, I put sasic. Number 7574013.

Ball joint Largus

Article number and cost of analogues of original ball joints

There is no clear opinion among car owners about which supports are best to purchase. Some drivers advise purchasing original ball joints. In this case, there is 100% confidence that they will fit optimally into the seat. However, other Largus owners believe that the quality of the originals does not match the cost. For a comparable price you can buy an analogue that will last much longer. The best alternatives for original ball joints are presented in the tables below.

Table - Good analogues of ball 401604793R.

Table - Recommended Support Alternatives 40160-2523R.

Diagnostics of the ball joint condition

Symptoms of the need to pay attention to the Largus ball joint are:

• there was a need to apply additional force when turning the steering wheel;
• driving over bumps, for example, a speed bump, is accompanied by a knocking sound from the front suspension;
• Uneven tire wear was detected;
• entering a turn is accompanied by extraneous sounds coming from the wheel arches;
• the steering wheel turns with a creaking or grinding sound;
• the car has become less obedient when entering a turn;
• When driving over bumps, controllability partially decreased and the car became unstable.

If you have the above symptoms, it is recommended to use the following algorithm for finding a ball fault.

• Hang it in front of Largus.
• Take the tire from above and below.
• Check that there is no play. To do this, you need to shake the wheel in a vertical plane. It should be borne in mind that the cause of movement may be not only the ball joint, but also worn steering tips or stabilizer links.

The main load-bearing element of the ball joint is the pin.
It is made of high carbon steel. On one side of the finger there is a sphere, which is located in a metal case. It is filled with polymer or grease. To prevent moisture, dirt and dust from entering, a protective cuff is placed on top. Abrasive particles and water pass through the boot freely if it is damaged. The sphere and its seat are subject to intense wear, and the lubricant dilutes and ceases to perform its functions. Therefore, when diagnosing a ball, it is important to pay attention to the condition of the boot. If cracks, punctures, holes or other holes are found, the support must be replaced.

Remove the support from the lever

Now that the element has been removed from the car, we begin to disassemble it. Using a screwdriver, pry the support under the collar. We press the ball out of the lever, leaning on its edge. Next, we look at the state of the element itself. The hole in the lever should not have cracks or any breaks. If everything is in order, we clean it from dirt with a rag soaked in gasoline or white spirit, and proceed to pressing in the new support.

To do this, we need to insert the part into the hole and place a piece of pipe of a suitable diameter under the lever. Using light blows of a hammer, press the element into the grooves. Make sure there is no distortion. After this, the lever assembly with the ball can be installed in place. The assembly procedure is carried out in the same way in reverse order.

Required tools and materials for DIY replacement

To replace the ball joint on Largus with your own hands, you will need the tools that are listed in the table below.

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

Why change and how to choose?

Significant wear of the support suggests the presence of a large gap formed by the filler of the product body and directly by the hemisphere of the pin. This condition of the part is characterized by a knocking sound that occurs when driving over uneven surfaces. If the repair is delayed, the finger may spontaneously release from the housing, which will lead to an accident.

Do not forget to regularly inspect the integrity of the support boots for damage. Over time, cracks form on the rubber surface, which develop into tears. It is also very important to check for play in the pin, because early diagnosis and replacement of the ball joint will avoid all sorts of unpleasant situations.

We recommend choosing original supports for Lada Largus. Refurbished analogues should be taken with a grain of salt. Here, the low price should not become a temptation, since the owner needs to think about the safety of both his own and those around him. When choosing, take into account the year of manufacture of your car, since the pins have differences in diameter.

Ball joint Lada Largus: causes of malfunction and replacement rules

The ball joint is the most important element of the front suspension of a car. It allows you to perform basic control functions, turns and provides stable movement in a straight line. The design of the part ensures that the wheel is fixed in the vertical plane and rotates freely in the horizontal plane when turning. The ball joint was invented 40 years ago by an Italian engineer from the Fiat corporation, and its design has remained almost unchanged all this time.

Technical characteristics of the ball joint on Largus

The ball joint consists of a main load-bearing element - a pin made of high-carbon steel. On one side there is a sphere, and on the other there is a groove for mounting with a steering knuckle. The spherical part of the finger is located in a metal case filled with polymer, which dampens vibrations and shock loads when the car is moving. The support body is pressed into the suspension arm, and a boot is placed on top of it to prevent dirt and dust from entering.

The ball joint on Largus models produced before June 2013 had a pin with a diameter of 16 mm and an annular groove. In the supports that are installed on new models, the pin diameter is 18 mm, they have a side groove.

In fulfilling their purpose, ball joints are subjected to heavy loads, so stringent requirements are placed on their design and manufacturing technology. The support pin must withstand a force of up to 5 tons to be pulled out of the body. To ensure the high quality of this important unit, GOST 52433-2005 “Ball joints. Technical requirements and test methods”, which should guide both Russian and foreign manufacturers.

There is a wide variety of ball joints on the aftermarket market. The most reliable and best-selling brands are:

• Febi, Germany;
• Monroe, USA;
• Ruville, Germany;
• Delphi, USA;
• Mapco, Germany;
• Meyle, Germany;
• Tork auto, Türkiye.

With the same quality of supports, their cost on the market can differ by up to 40%. The choice of one brand or another depends on the personal preferences of the car enthusiast.

Breakdowns, diagnostics and repair options

The main reason for ball failure is its intense wear, which occurs when dirt, dust and other abrasive particles enter as a result of damage to the boot. At the initial stage, the problem is indicated by a creaking finger, difficulty turning the wheel and a spontaneous change in trajectory when the car moves in a straight line. If these malfunctions occur, the ball joint should be replaced.

You can diagnose the condition of the part yourself. To do this, you need to hang the front of the car and check the wheel play in the vertical plane. If there is play, the support must be replaced. You should check the condition of the boot and, if damaged, also replace it.

Repairing a ball joint is difficult to do with your own hands; this requires special equipment and polymer materials to fill the housing. It is better to entrust such work to specialists at a service station. They will replace the filler and polish the spherical part of the finger. Since the unit is responsible for safety while driving, it is better to use new and original spare parts.

Features of operation

Based on its direct purpose, this suspension part is operated in a fairly harsh mode. After all, the main load of the body and all its components is on the insignificant surface of the ball. If we add to this the weight of passengers and possible cargo, poor-quality road surface, then it increases many times, which provokes wear of the ball joints and failure of the entire suspension.

The most important nuance of operation is that it is almost impossible to check their characteristics after installation on a vehicle. This is due to the fact that very often parts simply break at the joint junction, that is, where they come into contact with the lever. In addition, if the ball is not suitable for Largus, then, naturally, it will not achieve the unambiguous trust of the master - it is simply impossible to check.

As practice shows, it is impossible to predict the moment of failure of the above-mentioned supports even for a highly qualified craftsman. During diagnostics, he can simply pay attention to parts that pose a potential safety hazard.

Causes of failure

Among the main reasons for the malfunction of the ball joint is the wear of surfaces touching each other, increasing the gap between the body and the pin. As a result of this, the last part begins not only to rotate, but also to practically fall out.

If this level of wear is too strong and the entire load in Largus is distributed unevenly on the two ball joints, then this leads to the pins being pulled out of the housings. The consequence of this is the impossibility of supporting the wheels and, accordingly, the car falling onto the asphalt.

In addition, the natural wear and tear of parts can be “loaded” with obsolete materials. Due to the increase in dynamic load and considerable speed of movement, they are simply not able to perform their functions.

Moreover, the lack of lubrication in the hinges or the fragility of the boot cover leads to dirt and water getting into the gap. This, in turn, increases corrosion and abrasive wear.

Reasons for replacement and rules for choosing parts

With significant wear of the ball, a large gap is formed between the spherical part of the pin and the plastic filler of the support body. This leads not only to a characteristic knock in the suspension, but also to the pin being pulled out of the body and the wheel folding under the car. At high speeds, the consequences can be unpredictable.

You should regularly check the condition of the boot on the ball joint for damage and cracks, especially after off-road driving. It is also important to control the wheel play in the vertical plane.

When choosing a ball, it is advisable to give preference to the original ones. Refurbished supports should not be used, despite their low cost. It is necessary to take into account the year of production of Largus in order to select a part with the correct groove and pin diameter.

Lada Largus 7 seats equipment 02D › Logbook › Changed the ball joints

I haven’t written anything for a long time, I don’t like to write banal things, but something brilliant doesn’t come to mind, the car is three years old, the warranty has expired, I insured for the next year, but who cares?