What Are Ball Joints? How Do They Work on My Car?

What is a Ball Joint?

A ball joint in simple terms is a bearing. This bearing allows movement on the X,Y,Z axis and reduces vibration in moving linkages. Ball joints in cars and trucks connect the upper control arm (UCA) to the steering knuckle. They have a taped rod that fits into the knuckle and are attached at the bottom with a castle nut. These nuts have cutouts that allow a cotter pin to be attached preventing the nut from spinning off.

What are Adjustable Ball Joints?

Due to normal wear and tear, and accident, potholes or even hitting a curb a cars alignment can be altered. If you ever have felt your car pulling to one side or the other, seen uneven or odd tire wear it's a good chance your car has an alignment issue.

If you have a clunking, or grinding noise when going over bumps or steering, it's a good change you have a joint issue.

Due to the ball joints location in the suspension system, it is the perfect place to change alignment angles like camber and caster. This is where adjustable ball joints come into play. These specialized parts feature a sliding section that allows a qualified technician to adjust alignment angles to correct a flaw in the vehicle, adjust for height change, and adjust for different tire configurations or even performance. These parts also let the tech adjust for caster, a steering angle which is critical when a car or truck has a height change.

How Do I Know If I Need New Ball Joints or an Alignment?

The first place to start is in the drivers seat! You know your car best. Do you find that the car is pulling to one side? Do you have feathering or cupping on your tires? Do you feel and hear a clunking noise when going over speed bumps? If you hear or see any of these symptoms, its best to head over to a trusted shop that can perform alignments. Then a technician can get the alignment readings for your vehicle and let you know if it's out of manufacturer specification. From there, an adjustable ball joint may be the solution to your issues.

Why Is Wheel Alignment Important To My Vehicle?

From the factory the vehicles manufacturer has taken into account the types of roads, driving and suspension within the vehicle. Each vehicle has different specs and even normal driving can cause serious and expensive problems. The problems can be as simple as your steering wheel not being centered, to more serious tire wear issues. These can be seen where the insides, or outsides of a tire are prematurely wearing, or where tires are wearing unevenly. A driver might also experience a "pulling" motion to one side or the other. These can be costly as a new set of tires for the average car now is about 400 dollars! Most alignments are under seventy dollars and can be completed by a reputable shop in under and hour. Check your local newspaper, yellow pages or mailers for specials.

How Much Do Adjustable Ball Joints Cost?

If you car does need ball joints, resist the urge to skimp. Ball joints are an integral part of the vehicles steering and suspension system and cutting corners could have consequences. Visit a reputable shop and make sure they are using a trusted brand.

Are Ball Joints Hard To Install?

This question really depends on the vehicle. Specialized tools are needed, along with an alignment to set the correct angles after installation. For these reasons its best to have a reputable shop install your new ball joints. Typical installation time is about 30 minutes per side. Do some research on your car and find out roughly how long it should take. Make sure your shop is quoting your the correct amount of labor time.

Where Can I Buy Adjustable Ball Joints?

Visit your local repair center and ask for a recommendation or preference for parts. Again, do your research, making a choice based only on money could lead to expensive repairs, loss of use or loss of control while your are driving down the road. Ask your friends, word of mouth is often the best way to determine a reputable repair facility

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Keeping Your Honda Together

It isn't for nothing that they call a fool a nut case. Imagine someone loafing down the street in an oblivious and careless manner as if he has lost his mind...

In the automotive technology, one way for a vehicle to hold itself together is through a durable tie rod. While the vehicle's steering system turns the wheels at the same rate and along the same plane in any condition, the tie rod secures the wheels firmly. It is the tie rod's function to prevent wandering and erratic steering.

The Honda tie rods can be connected to the vehicle in various ways, but it is advised that the strength of the connection should be at least equal to the strength of the rod. The tie rod ends may be threaded and fitted through drilled holes or shackles and retained securely by nuts. This is normally done on Honda cars that sport a conventional suspension system. In this case, the Honda tie rods connect the vehicle's center link to the steering knuckle, and re-circulate its ball steering gears to maintain fluidity of wheel motion. With MacPherson strut suspension and rack and pinion steering gears, the tie rods connect the end of the rack to the steering knuckle.

A Honda tie rod consists of an inner and an outer end. In principle, the Honda tie rods serve as conduit for the force from the steering center link or the rack gear to the steering knuckle, making the wheels turn. The outer end of the tie rod connects with an adjusting sleeve to allow the length of the tie rod be adjustable and suit the vehicle's requirement. This adjustment is used to set a vehicle's "toe," a critical alignment angle necessary for safe and comfortable riding.

You don't have to wait for any signs of erratic driving to know that your Honda?s tie rod has worn out. A worn tie rod end can be spotted by raising the suspension and shaking the front wheel back and forth. If there is any noticeable slackness, it means the tie rod ends are in bad condition and need replacement. Toe alignment must be reset once the new tie rods ends have been installed.

A worn out tie rod end can cause excessive tire wear. If tie rod replacement is necessary, a wheel alignment is also required because the tie rod replacement disturbs the toe setting. For best results, consult a qualified service technician for professional advice and service on your vehicle's suspension and steering systems.

The Honda tie rod may be simply a slender structural rod, but it is capable of mastering tensile loads at great speeds. The ratio of a tie rod's length to the radius of gyration of its cross section is usually very large, that it is prone to buckle down under the action of compressive forces. This is the reason why tie rods are model specific. Depending on the make of a Honda vehicle, tie rods sport a precision engineered finish aimed at servicing either speed or utility vehicles.

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Technical Car Advice - How to Change the Shock Absorbers on your Car

Worn or damaged shock absorbers are dangerous, have them checked on a regular basis. Worn shock absorbers allow the wheels to bounce and the body to roll and pitch. Tyre wear is accentuated due to the irregular battering encountered and braking efficiency is drastically reduced due to tyre-to-road contact being inadequate.

Here are a few important points to look for:

LOOSE OR DAMAGED MOUNTINGS

Check that the fastenings are firm, rubbers are not missing and that all bolts are tight. The shock absorber will not do its job unless it is fastened correctly.

LEAKING SHOCK ABSORBER

Look for tell-tale smears on the unit. Make sure they come from the body of the shock absorber and have just not been thrown up from the road, sump or transmission.

TEST METHOD

Where a test machine is not available an approximate idea of the condition of the shock absorbers can be obtained by the following method:

Bounce each corner of the car several times, releasing at the bottom of the stroke. Each corner should rebound to the top of its stroke and then settle in the normal position. If it bounces more than this, the shock absorber needs to be replaced.

If the car is difficult or impossible to bounce then the shock absorber has probably seized or has a bent piston rod perhaps due to a faulty mounting bracket. Always use the correct tools for any job, this can never be overstressed. Shock absorber fitment is no different. The following tools will make the fitment much easier:

· Spring Compressor

· Brake hose clamp

· Strut vise clamp

· Torque wrench There are three main types of shock absorbers, namely; the wet strut, the sealed strut and the telescopic.

Refer to the owner's manual for the type in your vehicle.

1. REPAIRING A WET STRUT

Here are the steps to the follow for wet strut repair.

Step 1. Loosen the piston rod nut and loosen o9ne turn using the correct size socket spanner. Loosen the wheel nuts. Jack up the car and make a match mark on one of the bolts and the rim before you remove the wheel. Use axle stands for safety.

Step 2. Clamp the coil spring with a spring compressor. Clamp the brake hose and remove the spring clip, disconnect the brake hose fittings, do not spill brake fluid, as it is corrosive.

Step 3. Disconnect the steering arm from the strut by removing the bolts. Remove the top three nuts and mark their position. Now, remove the strut together with the brake assembly, by lifting them out.

Step 4. Move to a workbench and remove the old internal parts. Clamp the strut in a strut clamp, compress the coil spring until it moves freely, and remove the piston rod nut. Note the position of the disassembled components so that they can be replaced in the correct sequence.

Step 5. Using the correct size spanner, remove the gland screw, take care as it may have to be re-used. The function of the gland screw is to centralise and clamp the internals. Remove the old internals and check for compatibility against the new insert.

Step 6. Drain the oil and discard it. Clean out the tube and threads with a solvent. Refill the tube with the necessary amount of oil, either SAE 30 or a suitable equivalent. The new insert can be slid into position.

Step 7. Carefully re-fit the gland screw and torque it to the correct specification. Ensure that the new insert is firmly positioned in the tube and make sure that the piston rod is centred with the correct amount of thread exposed. Prime the unit well to get the oil circulating.

Step 8. Align the spring with the seat hollows. Grease the bearings. Tighten the top nut just enough to secure the assembly. The unit can now be installed into the vehicle.

Step 9. Once securely positioned, the top three securing nuts should be tightened to the correct specification. Refit the steering arm to the strut knuckle and tighten the piston rod nut to correct specification. Replace the dust cap.

Step 10. Reconnect the brake hose fitting and replace the spring clip. Refit the wheel, make sure the match marks are aligned. Lower the vehicle and tighten the wheel nuts.

Step 11. Bleed the brake line. It is recommended that the tyre pressure and wheel alignment be checked and the car test-driven. The wet strut repair is now complete.

REPLACING A SEALED STRUT

Here are the steps to follow for front sealed strut replacement:

Step 1. The procedure up to this stage is exactly the same for the sealed strut as it was for the wet so we can go straight onto disconnecting the brake hose. Clamp the hose, remove the spring clip and disconnect the brake hose.

Step 2. Note the position of the adjustment cam by making a notch on the lower bracket. Support the suspension with a jack to prevent it from dropping. Remove the two securing bolts. The sealed strut can now be removed from the steering knuckle and lifted out.

Step 3. On a workbench clamp the strut in a strut clamp and compress the coil spring until it moves freely. Remove the top nut and disassemble the components noting their position. Remove the old strut from the strut clamp and compare it with the new unit. Now place the new unit in the strut clamp.

Step 4. Ensure that the new unit is well primed and carefully replace the components in the correct sequence, checking them for wear or damage. Ensure that the coil spring is aligned with the lower seat hollow. The "out" marked stamped on the upper spring seat must face the outside of the vehicle. Tighten the top nut just enough to secure the assembled strut.

Step 5. Remove the spring compressor, the sealed strut is ready for refitting. Tighten the top three nuts to the correct specification. Refit the steering knuckle to the lower bracket. Apply oil to the bolt threads and insert them from the rear side. Align the adjustment cam on the steering knuckle with the notch previously marked on the lower bracket and tighten the nuts according to specification. Finally, torque the piston rod nut to the manufacturer's specification and replace the dust cap. Reconnect the brake hose fittings and replace the spring clip. Bleed the brake line and it is recommended that the tyre pressure and wheel alignment be checked and the car test-driven.

2. REPLACING A TELESCOPIC SHOCK ABSORBER

Fitting a telescopic shock absorber is a lot easier than fitting wet or sealed struts. However, there's always those small but important points to keep in mind. Don't forget to lubricate the bushings, use a rubber lubricant, not oil. For stud applications, the top mounting should be fully tightened only when the full weight of the car is on wheels.

And remember, don't overtighten the bushings. When fitting adjustable shock absorbers please follow adjustment instructions on package ( 4 settings). General notes: To remove nuts, use Loctite penetrating oil. Never burn them off. For stubborn nuts use a "nutcracker" and throughout the job, always use the correct tools. Before installing the new unit, make sure it's the correct one for the vehicle.

Prime the unit before fitting it and check all components before replacing them - if they're old and worn, they too should be replaced. Don't grip the piston rod with pliers or place the unit itself in a vise, you'll damage it.

I hope this articale helps if you need to change or repair the shock absorbers on your car yourself.

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Technical Car Advice - How to Change the Shock Absorbers on your Car

Worn or damaged shock absorbers are dangerous, have them checked on a regular basis. Worn shock absorbers allow the wheels to bounce and the body to roll and pitch. Tyre wear is accentuated due to the irregular battering encountered and braking efficiency is drastically reduced due to tyre-to-road contact being inadequate.

Here are a few important points to look for:

LOOSE OR DAMAGED MOUNTINGS

Check that the fastenings are firm, rubbers are not missing and that all bolts are tight. The shock absorber will not do its job unless it is fastened correctly.

LEAKING SHOCK ABSORBER

Look for tell-tale smears on the unit. Make sure they come from the body of the shock absorber and have just not been thrown up from the road, sump or transmission.

TEST METHOD

Where a test machine is not available an approximate idea of the condition of the shock absorbers can be obtained by the following method:

Bounce each corner of the car several times, releasing at the bottom of the stroke. Each corner should rebound to the top of its stroke and then settle in the normal position. If it bounces more than this, the shock absorber needs to be replaced.

If the car is difficult or impossible to bounce then the shock absorber has probably seized or has a bent piston rod perhaps due to a faulty mounting bracket. Always use the correct tools for any job, this can never be overstressed. Shock absorber fitment is no different. The following tools will make the fitment much easier:

· Spring Compressor

· Brake hose clamp

· Strut vise clamp

· Torque wrench There are three main types of shock absorbers, namely; the wet strut, the sealed strut and the telescopic.

Refer to the owner's manual for the type in your vehicle.

1. REPAIRING A WET STRUT

Here are the steps to the follow for wet strut repair.

Step 1. Loosen the piston rod nut and loosen o9ne turn using the correct size socket spanner. Loosen the wheel nuts. Jack up the car and make a match mark on one of the bolts and the rim before you remove the wheel. Use axle stands for safety.

Step 2. Clamp the coil spring with a spring compressor. Clamp the brake hose and remove the spring clip, disconnect the brake hose fittings, do not spill brake fluid, as it is corrosive.

Step 3. Disconnect the steering arm from the strut by removing the bolts. Remove the top three nuts and mark their position. Now, remove the strut together with the brake assembly, by lifting them out.

Step 4. Move to a workbench and remove the old internal parts. Clamp the strut in a strut clamp, compress the coil spring until it moves freely, and remove the piston rod nut. Note the position of the disassembled components so that they can be replaced in the correct sequence.

Step 5. Using the correct size spanner, remove the gland screw, take care as it may have to be re-used. The function of the gland screw is to centralise and clamp the internals. Remove the old internals and check for compatibility against the new insert.

Step 6. Drain the oil and discard it. Clean out the tube and threads with a solvent. Refill the tube with the necessary amount of oil, either SAE 30 or a suitable equivalent. The new insert can be slid into position.

Step 7. Carefully re-fit the gland screw and torque it to the correct specification. Ensure that the new insert is firmly positioned in the tube and make sure that the piston rod is centred with the correct amount of thread exposed. Prime the unit well to get the oil circulating.

Step 8. Align the spring with the seat hollows. Grease the bearings. Tighten the top nut just enough to secure the assembly. The unit can now be installed into the vehicle.

Step 9. Once securely positioned, the top three securing nuts should be tightened to the correct specification. Refit the steering arm to the strut knuckle and tighten the piston rod nut to correct specification. Replace the dust cap.

Step 10. Reconnect the brake hose fitting and replace the spring clip. Refit the wheel, make sure the match marks are aligned. Lower the vehicle and tighten the wheel nuts.

Step 11. Bleed the brake line. It is recommended that the tyre pressure and wheel alignment be checked and the car test-driven. The wet strut repair is now complete.

REPLACING A SEALED STRUT

Here are the steps to follow for front sealed strut replacement:

Step 1. The procedure up to this stage is exactly the same for the sealed strut as it was for the wet so we can go straight onto disconnecting the brake hose. Clamp the hose, remove the spring clip and disconnect the brake hose.

Step 2. Note the position of the adjustment cam by making a notch on the lower bracket. Support the suspension with a jack to prevent it from dropping. Remove the two securing bolts. The sealed strut can now be removed from the steering knuckle and lifted out.

Step 3. On a workbench clamp the strut in a strut clamp and compress the coil spring until it moves freely. Remove the top nut and disassemble the components noting their position. Remove the old strut from the strut clamp and compare it with the new unit. Now place the new unit in the strut clamp.

Step 4. Ensure that the new unit is well primed and carefully replace the components in the correct sequence, checking them for wear or damage. Ensure that the coil spring is aligned with the lower seat hollow. The "out" marked stamped on the upper spring seat must face the outside of the vehicle. Tighten the top nut just enough to secure the assembled strut.

Step 5. Remove the spring compressor, the sealed strut is ready for refitting. Tighten the top three nuts to the correct specification. Refit the steering knuckle to the lower bracket. Apply oil to the bolt threads and insert them from the rear side. Align the adjustment cam on the steering knuckle with the notch previously marked on the lower bracket and tighten the nuts according to specification. Finally, torque the piston rod nut to the manufacturer's specification and replace the dust cap. Reconnect the brake hose fittings and replace the spring clip. Bleed the brake line and it is recommended that the tyre pressure and wheel alignment be checked and the car test-driven.

2. REPLACING A TELESCOPIC SHOCK ABSORBER

Fitting a telescopic shock absorber is a lot easier than fitting wet or sealed struts. However, there's always those small but important points to keep in mind. Don't forget to lubricate the bushings, use a rubber lubricant, not oil. For stud applications, the top mounting should be fully tightened only when the full weight of the car is on wheels.

And remember, don't overtighten the bushings. When fitting adjustable shock absorbers please follow adjustment instructions on package ( 4 settings). General notes: To remove nuts, use Loctite penetrating oil. Never burn them off. For stubborn nuts use a "nutcracker" and throughout the job, always use the correct tools. Before installing the new unit, make sure it's the correct one for the vehicle.

Prime the unit before fitting it and check all components before replacing them - if they're old and worn, they too should be replaced. Don't grip the piston rod with pliers or place the unit itself in a vise, you'll damage it.

I hope this articale helps if you need to change or repair the shock absorbers on your car yourself.

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