Thread: My Spiderbox
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  #59  
Old 01-20-2014, 09:57 AM
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SYCARMS SYCARMS is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Senatobia, Mississippi
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From what I see in your video is not a worn ball joint , but the ball joint moving in the top control arm where it should not. Let me try to explain the ball joint to you and what to look for. The ball joint is made up of 2 parts. The body which is held in the control arm by means of either press fit, screwed in, snug fit with retainer to secure, or sometimes welded if incorporated in the arm as a one piece design. This part is known as the joint or body. The stud that goes through the steering knuckle is known as the ball. The stud end has a ball at the opposite end in which the body is molded or pressed around, imagine an knee or elbow, same theory. What you look for in a worn out ball joint is the play between the ball(stud) and joint(body). The play you showed in the video is the body loose in the control arm which is not normal. You will need to find the reason of it being loose. Since I have not messed with many yerf ball joints and are not currently in front of one to see maybe someone who has replaced them can chime in to explain as to how they are fastened to the control arm. You will need to correct this problem before you can check the actual play in the ball joint it self. Once the body is secure in the control arm you will place a jack under the control arm at the very end so you will have to remove the tire. With it jacked up you will place your hands at the 12 and 6 positions. Lying on your back and looking at the top joint push the top in while pulling the bottom our then reverse the motion just as you did in the video. You will be watching to see if the ball (stud) has any movement. Then do the same check to the bottom ball joint. Next you will want to put a hand under the bottom of the hub and push strait up watching for any play between the Ball (stud) and body( joint). Normally as the control arms move up and down the ball will roll in the joint. When you have play then the ball will slam into the joint with the amount determined by the amount of play. After time due to the slamming (taking up of play) the ball or joint deforms causing more play until either the stud breaks or the ball pulls out of the joint. Your outer tie rod will be checked in the same fashion except you can check without jacking the unit up. Checking the inner tie rod you would need to move the boot back and move the front of tire in and out just as if steering. Hope this helps give you a better understanding.
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