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Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Discoja on 09 February 2016, 20:34:35

Title: play in balljoint
Post by: Discoja on 09 February 2016, 20:34:35
Hi again.
I've got an advisory on my MOT and did notice a slight knocking this evening.  Could anyon tell me if it a single ball joint or complete arm. If I hold the wheel and and rock it I can hear something knocking. The advisory was this:

nearside front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)8

Hope someone can advise. I seem to recall the bloke I bought it from telling me it was a top Ball joint. I've also noticed it doesn't matter which side of the car I rock I get the knocking noise. Any ideas on cost etc?
Many thanks
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: flyer 0712 on 09 February 2016, 20:40:14
If its the lower arm ball joint,then you can buy one and grind off the original rivets that hold it to the arm and then bolt the new one on....that is providing the rubber bush is in good nick,,otherwise just replace complete arm. :y
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: Discoja on 09 February 2016, 20:50:12
Seem to recall being told upper though? Unfortunately I don't have a great mechanical aptitude.  So looks like a garage job.
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: flyer 0712 on 09 February 2016, 21:03:19
Drop links are notorious to knock,,,,they have a ball joint top and bottom......cant be bad as only advised..
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: Discoja on 09 February 2016, 21:07:54
Still worth getting done or not? I can hear it both sides although advisory only says nearside.  Could it be anything else knocking?
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: Nick W on 09 February 2016, 21:22:55
Still worth getting done or not? I can hear it both sides although advisory only says nearside.  Could it be anything else knocking?


They're about a tenner each and a few minutes work per side. After a while, you will feel as well as hear the knock which spoils the car.
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: YZ250 on 09 February 2016, 21:33:47
nearside front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)8

The front suspension lower arm only has one ball joint and two bushes. If it was just an advisory you could just run with it for a while and take no action, or do as flyer 0712 suggested in his first reply.  :y

I've also noticed it doesn't matter which side of the car I rock I get the knocking noise.

As per flyer 0712 second reply, droplinks would be my first check. They are cheap enough to replace DIY.   :y
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: Discoja on 09 February 2016, 22:06:04
Showing my lack of mechanical knowledge.  Drop links, would they be classed as upper balljoint joint? When holding either front wheel at a 10 2 position and rocking roughly in and out. The knock appears to be high up, more so on the nearside. Sorry for my inexperience and thank for you advice.
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: YZ250 on 09 February 2016, 22:30:03
Showing my lack of mechanical knowledge.  Drop links, would they be classed as upper balljoint joint? When holding either front wheel at a 10 2 position and rocking roughly in and out. The knock appears to be high up, more so on the nearside. Sorry for my inexperience and thank for you advice.

If it was droplinks on the advisory it would have said ' slight play in anti-roll bar linkage' so the advisory was not linked to that.  :y
The knock could be droplinks or suspension strut top bearing related if it's high up.  :-\ Are you checking it jacked up or wheels on the ground?
The advisory was for the lower arm ball joint I would imagine.  :y
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: Discoja on 09 February 2016, 23:03:31
The wheel is on the ground, I only noticed the knock when I hit a pothole on y he way to work this evening. 
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: 05omegav6 on 10 February 2016, 03:52:38
If it knocks when you rock the wheel top and bottom then it's the lower ball joint... Change both wishbones and get the geometry reset as per the guidelines here.

If it knocks side to side then change the track rods and get the tracking reset...

If it only knocks over bumps, then that's droplinks... Change both and no geometry or tracking required :y
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: biggriffin on 10 February 2016, 06:30:46
Give serek a pm, only 20 minute drive from you. :y
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: Discoja on 10 February 2016, 11:45:20
And what a nice helpful chap Serek is.  :)  :y
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: Discoja on 10 February 2016, 18:35:58
Ran it into my local garage who informed me that the balljoint is fine, it's apparently a wheel bearing (not balljoint like it says on the advisory).  Went home and spoke to Serek, top bloke he is, and will be booking it in with him soon. :-)
Thanks for all the advice
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: TheBoy on 10 February 2016, 18:37:10
And what a nice helpful chap Serek is.  :)  :y
Indeed he is :y

I'd have no hesitation in recommending him to those in the Northants/Beds/Cambs area ;y
Title: Re: play in balljoint
Post by: EMD on 10 February 2016, 18:47:43
Ran it into my local garage who informed me that the balljoint is fine, it's apparently a wheel bearing (not balljoint like it says on the advisory).  Went home and spoke to Serek, top bloke he is, and will be booking it in with him soon. :-)
Thanks for all the advice

And on the previous mot it said rear wheel bearing failing ... turned out it was the diff on mine  :( Serek sorted that  :y