Why Replacing Balljoints in Sets Might be a Good Idea

Ever wonder what happens when a lower front balljoint comes apart on the
road?

http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/k...Carbroke1b.jpg

This is my parents '99 Civic, with 366,000km on it. The front lower
balljoint snapped without warning, fortunately thing they were only doing
50kph on a remote country road, and there was no oncoming traffic at the
time. As you can see in the picture, the damage will not be cheap to repair.
The most serious damage is to the differential - the gear is ripped out of
the casing which is probably damaged also. Other things possibly damaged
include the tierod end, CV joint, brake hose, and (brand new) tire. I
suspect my Dad's pants may have sustained some damage also....
This car had all the original balljoints on it until last summer, when the
shop replaced one during the annual inspection. Apparently the tech thought
the other 3 were still good, and left them on. Maybe now he'll be more
inclined to recommend complete replacement.
My folks are pretty upset about the damage, but probably should be
grateful they weren't killed.
Just thought this should be shared with fellow auto enthusiasts, hopefully
it will give you some food for thought.

On 05/02/2010 07:43 PM, Chris F. wrote:
> Ever wonder what happens when a lower front balljoint comes apart on the
> road?
>
> http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/k...Carbroke1b.jpg
>
> This is my parents '99 Civic, with 366,000km on it. The front lower
> balljoint snapped without warning, fortunately thing they were only doing
> 50kph on a remote country road, and there was no oncoming traffic at the
> time. As you can see in the picture, the damage will not be cheap to repair.
> The most serious damage is to the differential - the gear is ripped out of
> the casing which is probably damaged also. Other things possibly damaged
> include the tierod end, CV joint, brake hose, and (brand new) tire. I
> suspect my Dad's pants may have sustained some damage also....
> This car had all the original balljoints on it until last summer, when the
> shop replaced one during the annual inspection. Apparently the tech thought
> the other 3 were still good, and left them on. Maybe now he'll be more
> inclined to recommend complete replacement.
> My folks are pretty upset about the damage, but probably should be
> grateful they weren't killed.
> Just thought this should be shared with fellow auto enthusiasts, hopefully
> it will give you some food for thought.
>
>

I agree with you, but on the flip side, if a tech recommends complete
replacement, as often as not he'll get "just replace what's actually
bad" as a response.

At the very least I'd replace both on the same side to combine labor,
but that's just me. On a VW, I'd replace the ball joints whenever
servicing the struts, because a) they're dirt cheap and b) I'd need an
alignment anyway.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Chris F." > wrote in
:

> Ever wonder what happens when a lower front balljoint comes apart on
> the
> road?
>
> http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk275/packrat79/?
action=view&current
> =Carbroke1b.jpg
>
> This is my parents '99 Civic, with 366,000km on it.



That's only 227,000 miles.



> The front lower
> balljoint snapped without warning, fortunately thing they were only
> doing 50kph



That's only 30mph.




> on a remote country road, and there was no oncoming
> traffic at the time. As you can see in the picture, the damage will
> not be cheap to repair.


It will be a lot cheaper than you think.



> The most serious damage is to the differential
> - the gear is ripped out of the casing which is probably damaged also.



I don't think that's likely. Normally the inner CV joint pulls apart,
leaving the tripod housing in the diff.



> Other things possibly damaged include the tierod end, CV joint, brake
> hose, and (brand new) tire. I suspect my Dad's pants may have
> sustained some damage also....



The brake hose has /just/ enough slack to survive this trauma. The tire
is probably damaged, though, as is possibly the paint on the fender.





> This car had all the original balljoints on it until last summer,
> when the
> shop replaced one during the annual inspection. Apparently the tech
> thought the other 3 were still good, and left them on. Maybe now he'll
> be more inclined to recommend complete replacement.
> My folks are pretty upset about the damage, but probably should be
> grateful they weren't killed.



A broken balljoint is unlikely to kill anyone, even at 50mph.

Here's my personal experience, along with some others':
<http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/lowerballjoint/index.html>




--
Tegger

On Sun, 2 May 2010 16:43:44 -0700, "Chris F." >
wrote:

> Ever wonder what happens when a lower front balljoint comes apart on the
>road?
>
>http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/k...Carbroke1b.jpg
>
> This is my parents '99 Civic, with 366,000km on it. The front lower
>balljoint snapped without warning, fortunately thing they were only doing
>50kph on a remote country road, and there was no oncoming traffic at the
>time. As you can see in the picture, the damage will not be cheap to repair.
>The most serious damage is to the differential - the gear is ripped out of
>the casing which is probably damaged also. Other things possibly damaged
>include the tierod end, CV joint, brake hose, and (brand new) tire. I
>suspect my Dad's pants may have sustained some damage also....
> This car had all the original balljoints on it until last summer, when the
>shop replaced one during the annual inspection. Apparently the tech thought
>the other 3 were still good, and left them on. Maybe now he'll be more
>inclined to recommend complete replacement.
> My folks are pretty upset about the damage, but probably should be
>grateful they weren't killed.
> Just thought this should be shared with fellow auto enthusiasts, hopefully
>it will give you some food for thought.
>

Happened to me with my '67 VW Squareback.
Doing 35mph in the city. Right front lower.
Luckily the thing jerked itself over into an empty bus stop as I laid
on the brakes, just past a line of cars waiting to get plowed into.
And nothing was FUBAR except the right tie rod.
Transaxle in rear.
I had noticed the suspension felt funny going over bumpy roads shortly
before it broke, but that was my first - and last - suspension
failure.
Now I have a competent suspension man check it out every couple years,
or ANY time the suspension feels the least bit squirrely.
I've done lowers on a couple of my cars/truck, but never uppers.
Always did both sides.
No sense taking a chance, especially on an older car.
When that ball joints goes, you're at the mercy of luck.
At speed, there's a good chance of flipping.
That's what you think when it happens to you.
"What if I'd been doing 70?"
Or, "What if it hadn't happened by an empty bus stop?"

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
> On Sun, 2 May 2010 16:43:44 -0700, "Chris F." >
> wrote:
>
>> Ever wonder what happens when a lower front balljoint comes apart on the
>> road?
>>
>> http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/k...Carbroke1b.jpg
>>
>> This is my parents '99 Civic, with 366,000km on it. The front lower
>> balljoint snapped without warning, fortunately thing they were only doing
>> 50kph on a remote country road, and there was no oncoming traffic at the
>> time. As you can see in the picture, the damage will not be cheap to repair.
>> The most serious damage is to the differential - the gear is ripped out of
>> the casing which is probably damaged also. Other things possibly damaged
>> include the tierod end, CV joint, brake hose, and (brand new) tire. I
>> suspect my Dad's pants may have sustained some damage also....
>> This car had all the original balljoints on it until last summer, when the
>> shop replaced one during the annual inspection. Apparently the tech thought
>> the other 3 were still good, and left them on. Maybe now he'll be more
>> inclined to recommend complete replacement.
>> My folks are pretty upset about the damage, but probably should be
>> grateful they weren't killed.
>> Just thought this should be shared with fellow auto enthusiasts, hopefully
>> it will give you some food for thought.
>>
>
> Happened to me with my '67 VW Squareback.
> Doing 35mph in the city. Right front lower.
> Luckily the thing jerked itself over into an empty bus stop as I laid
> on the brakes, just past a line of cars waiting to get plowed into.
> And nothing was FUBAR except the right tie rod.
> Transaxle in rear.
> I had noticed the suspension felt funny going over bumpy roads shortly
> before it broke, but that was my first - and last - suspension
> failure.
> Now I have a competent suspension man check it out every couple years,
> or ANY time the suspension feels the least bit squirrely.
> I've done lowers on a couple of my cars/truck, but never uppers.
> Always did both sides.
> No sense taking a chance, especially on an older car.
> When that ball joints goes, you're at the mercy of luck.
> At speed, there's a good chance of flipping.
> That's what you think when it happens to you.
> "What if I'd been doing 70?"
> Or, "What if it hadn't happened by an empty bus stop?"
>
> --Vic
Stuff where there is a left and a right, when 1 goes, I replace both as
a matter of course. A good garage would make that a policy. I've said
for years, Stuff That Can Kill You is NOT the place to cut corners.
Brakes, tires, suspension all fall in that category. If engine or tranny
goes, you may be stranded, but you are unlikely to be dead, unless you
happen to be in the center lane of a 6-8 lane highway at the time. If
stuff that is attached to the wheels goes, you can be upside down rather
unexpectedly.

--
aem sends...

Tegger wrote:
> "Chris F." > wrote in
> :
>
>> Ever wonder what happens when a lower front balljoint comes apart on
>> the
>> road?
>>
>> http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/kk275/packrat79/?
> action=view&current
>> =Carbroke1b.jpg
>>
>> This is my parents '99 Civic, with 366,000km on it.
>> The front lower balljoint snapped without warning, fortunately thing they were only
>> doing 50kph on a remote country road, and there was no oncoming
>> traffic at the time. As you can see in the picture, the damage will
>> not be cheap to repair.
>
>
> It will be a lot cheaper than you think.

From the pic the only parts I see that likely have to be replaced are
the lower ball joint, the tire (have the rim checked for true running as
well) front valance/bumper cover. Replace the entire half shaft just in
case it got tweaked.

>
>
>
>> The most serious damage is to the differential
>> - the gear is ripped out of the casing which is probably damaged also.
>
>
>
> I don't think that's likely. Normally the inner CV joint pulls apart,
> leaving the tripod housing in the diff.

Hard to see in the picture.

>
>
>
>> Other things possibly damaged include the tierod end, CV joint, brake
>> hose, and (brand new) tire. I suspect my Dad's pants may have
>> sustained some damage also....
>
>
>
> The brake hose has /just/ enough slack to survive this trauma. The tire
> is probably damaged, though, as is possibly the paint on the fender.
>

I'd replace it just to be sure the inner liner didn't get screwed up.
Don't want to have a mystery locking caliper.

>
>
>
>> This car had all the original balljoints on it until last summer,
>> when the
>> shop replaced one during the annual inspection. Apparently the tech
>> thought the other 3 were still good, and left them on. Maybe now he'll
>> be more inclined to recommend complete replacement.
>> My folks are pretty upset about the damage, but probably should be
>> grateful they weren't killed.
>
>
>
> A broken balljoint is unlikely to kill anyone, even at 50mph.
>
> Here's my personal experience, along with some others':
> <http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/lowerballjoint/index.html>
>

All depends on the speed and what the reaction of the driver is.
On a road with little traffic and an open lane it isn't much of a problem.

On the beltway around DC during rush hour? All bets are off....

--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

aemeijers > wrote in
:

> Stuff That Can Kill You is NOT the place to cut
> corners.



A broken lower balljoint on a Honda does nothing more than strand you.

By now, I've seen enough of these incidents to conclude that Honda designed
it that way. Even the brake hose never gets damaged.


--
Tegger

"Chris F." > wrote in message
...
> Ever wonder what happens when a lower front balljoint comes apart on the
> road?



Have seen this before....

> This is my parents '99 Civic, with 366,000km on it. The front lower
> balljoint snapped without warning, fortunately thing they were only doing
> 50kph on a remote country road, and there was no oncoming traffic at the
> time.

We would assume that this was one of the old balljoints which was deemed
in good shape by the mechanic?

IMO, that is a lot of mileage on balljoints, no matter who makes them.

I have seen worn balljoints throw cars into almost uncontrollable shudder,
particularly in some cornering situations. As everybody else has posted,
these are critical items and should be given due importance.

My folks have their car back now, the total damages came to about $700
including the tow job. They needed a new tire, balljoint, transaxle, brake
hose, and differential gear(s). Yes it could have been worse, but $700 isn't
exactly pocket change, especially for low-income people like us. I now plan
to replace balljoints on my own vehicle after every 250,000km (or sooner if
necessary, of course), to prevent something like from happening. With my
luck I'd probably be doing 130 in rush-hour traffic at the time.....

"Chris F." > wrote in message
...
> Ever wonder what happens when a lower front balljoint comes apart on the
> road?
>
> http://s282.photobucket.com/albums/k...Carbroke1b.jpg
>
> This is my parents '99 Civic, with 366,000km on it. The front lower
> balljoint snapped without warning, fortunately thing they were only doing
> 50kph on a remote country road, and there was no oncoming traffic at the
> time. As you can see in the picture, the damage will not be cheap to
> repair. The most serious damage is to the differential - the gear is
> ripped out of the casing which is probably damaged also. Other things
> possibly damaged include the tierod end, CV joint, brake hose, and (brand
> new) tire. I suspect my Dad's pants may have sustained some damage
> also....
> This car had all the original balljoints on it until last summer, when
> the shop replaced one during the annual inspection. Apparently the tech
> thought the other 3 were still good, and left them on. Maybe now he'll be
> more inclined to recommend complete replacement.
> My folks are pretty upset about the damage, but probably should be
> grateful they weren't killed.
> Just thought this should be shared with fellow auto enthusiasts,
> hopefully it will give you some food for thought.
>