Warning - 2b Suspension Failure

[Guest TerryBarry]

Mine were fitted into the lower wishbones and appeared new.

To determine which way they are fitted in the 406 - I think you'll need a Haynes ( or similar) manual.

I've wondered about this myself but a quick "google" only left me as confused as before

[Graham B]

They appeared to be brand new in the lower wishbones. brand new gaiters anyway.

 

Do the marks on the ball mean that your suspension has been bottoming ?

 

Graham B

[Grizzly]

They appeared to be brand new in the lower wishbones. brand new gaiters anyway.

 

Do the marks on the ball mean that your suspension has been bottoming ?

 

Graham B

 

I don't think so, but the suspension did used to bottom out quite readily when the zimmers were on.

I can't believe that this amount of wear is usual for only 10000 miles.

I'm the first to admit though, that these Ball Joints have have probably not had the easiest of lives. The roads in Yorshire are atrocious and that run out from Smallways to Whitby a month or so back nearly shook my eyes out of their sockets!

If they were new, I wonder if they were OEM, or whether Tricky got them as a job lot from that place where the Olympics have just been held

Anyway, just picked up two QH Ball Joints and the socket for £21 - Not too bad. Ho Hum.

You may see me next weekend having a quiet word (or two) on the Robin Hood stand.

[Guest paul c]

I don't think so, but the suspension did used to bottom out quite readily when the zimmers were on.

I can't believe that this amount of wear is usual for only 10000 miles.

I'm the first to admit though, that these Ball Joints have have probably not had the easiest of lives. The roads in Yorshire are atrocious and that run out from Smallways to Whitby a month or so back nearly shook my eyes out of their sockets!

If they were new, I wonder if they were OEM, or whether Tricky got them as a job lot from that place where the Olympics have just been held

Anyway, just picked up two QH Ball Joints and the socket for £21 - Not too bad. Ho Hum.

You may see me next weekend having a quiet word (or two) on the Robin Hood stand.

Hi grizzly

the joints are fitted the other way round on pugs/citroens Iwould look into modifing to cortina audi or such like

regards paul c

[Mitch]

mine have done 20k plus now, and touch wood seem ok, Chris Browns have done some miles too, wonder if there was a bad batch?,

 

Will be checking tomorrow, off for a pint of Shandy with Lee and the Yorkie bunch now

 

mitch

[Bob Tucker]

I dont think any bottom ball joints on production cars take the weight of the car.

They just locate the bottom of the hub & provide a rotating movement.

 

Probably best to check for play every year....say just before the MOT?

Bob

[Grizzly]

Hi All,

The Ball Joint casing was an absoulute sod to get out.

Had to get my pal over. He's used to working on stubborn farm machinery and even he couldn't believe how tight it was!

Resorted to a bit of heat and stilsons on a long bar (oh and a hammer) in the end.

Anyway, two new Ball Joints now in place and tabbed so that they can't unscrew. Locknuts drilled and split-pinned too.

So, all fixed now and back on the road

Thanks to everyone for their help, info and advice etc.

See you at the weekend!

 

PS: I'll be bringing the offending items along if anyone wants to see them.

[Guest chris brown]

Hi All,

The Ball Joint casing was an absoulute sod to get out.

Had to get my pal over. He's used to working on stubborn farm machinery and even he couldn't believe how tight it was!

Resorted to a bit of heat and stilsons on a long bar (oh and a hammer) in the end.

Anyway, two new Ball Joints now in place and tabbed so that they can't unscrew. Locknuts drilled and split-pinned too.

So, all fixed now and back on the road

Thanks to everyone for their help, info and advice etc.

See you at the weekend!

 

PS: I'll be bringing the offending items along if anyone wants to see them.

Glad to see you are back on the road see you at Stafford.

As for the weight acting on the joint in the wrong direction. I have spoken to Richard about this in the past as I haven’t been happy with the design right from the start. But I can’t see an easy way round the problem other than going to rocker type suspension where the top wishbone takes all the weight. Richard didn’t think it was a problem as he had never heard of one failing

[Grizzly]

Hi All,

 

Just thought I'd add an update to this thread.

OK. The first pic is of the original Ball-Joint that failed after 10,000 miles.

....

[Grizzly]

...The second pic is of the one I've just removed after nearly another 10,000 miles.

Hardly any wear at all!

 

The only conclusions I can therefore come to is that either the originals were from a bad batch or they were never new in the first place???

[agent_zed]

They were new in mine. They must have been made by the same company that made the top balljoints on mine as they had the same transparent yellow boots, yours looked like normal black ones so not sure if they were different. I bought mine in 2002.

 

I don't think the quality was great as the boots split before i even got it on the road, ended up buying replacement boots.

 

This is certainly a worrying failure and will definitly check mine before i get it back on the road.

 

hth

[Grizzly]

My original ones had the transparent boots.

Maybe they split (I seem to recall someone saying they could be badly affected by sunlight) before I even got the car on the road and that therefore caused premature wear? The second lot had (and the pair I've just put on have) black boots.

[Longboarder]

Can I ask why you have changed them again. Just being cautious? The joints on the front of mine have done 20,000+.

 

Nigel

[Grizzly]

Hi Nigel,

Yes, just as a precautionary measure, as I wanted to see how much wear there was after 10,000 miles.

Answer: Next to nowt.

I guess I was just unfortunate with the originals.

So, I won't be changing them again for a while now.

[johnlrichardson]

Bit surprised there wasn,t a knock from the ball joint with the amount of ware on it.

I know the ware on ball joints can be difficult to find.sometimes the car has to be lifted under the w/bone to take the weight off the ball joint to find the ware,even then you have to use a lever to find it.

 

 

HTH jon

PS Most cars must not be lifted this way