Bottom Ball Joints

[Guest JohnS]

Had a great day out at detling, then on the way home the wheels fell off literaly.

The near side bottom ball joint had unscrewed its self from the wishbone.

as it was i had just turned into a friends drive, but had just finished a 125 mile run at speed, (more fun than is allowed)(MX5 baiting and beating). but if it had happened earlier who knows.

 

Two points

1.if you have a wish bone 2B please check yours,

2. do you know what type of car these came off as i now wish to replace that one as i guess its stiff in one direction

 

JohnS

[Guest Daz]

I had the same thing happen to me last year after I had driven all the way to Le Mans. We were just heading out for a trip round the road elements of the track before they closed them and before we got out of the campsite the offside suspension collapsed. It was a bit unnerving, to say the least.

 

At the time I had all my nuts still covered with those plastic caps that I fitted for the SVA and did not see the nut undoing. I went round and removed the lot afterwards. I have been promising myself I will fit some 'castle nuts' with a split pin through the thread, but never got round to it. The nuts seem to be OK whenever I check them now.

 

Daz

[Guest JohnS]

This was not the nut on the top this was the entire assembly (big thread) set into the wish bone, but as you say worth a regular check, and probably some lock tight on that one.

 

does unnerve you a bit one miniute your driving along next your sat on 3 wheels ploughing the gravel with the sump (must shorten that at some point).

 

JohnS

[Guest TerryBarry]

I remember that Richard states in the videos that these lower ball joints are screwed into the wishbone whilst it is still warm from the welding operations and shrinkage ensures a tight fit.

I therefore assumed that they would be a pig to get out if necessary - obviously not.

Did it just screw out leaving both threads intact ??

Terry

[Guest Julian B]

Hi guys

 

I had a very similar experience happen. The car went in for an MOT before the SVA and the examiner picked the car up on the fact that the bottom joint had come unscrewed . The car failed the mot test. I was expectingit to fail but not on that point. I now check these joints on a regular basis and i have done them up as tight as i can get them. The car has done 1500 ish miles and seems ok mow but you tend to get paranoid about serious things like this.

 

Julian Brewer

[Longboarder]

You could drill, tap and fit a 3-4 mm allen grub screw to secure into the joint casing. I'm off out to do that in a minute after I've refixed the nearside sidescreen which came adrift at speed as I passed a corsa on the way back from stoneleigh. Bent it in half but just managed to grab it while it was hanging on a pop stud. Fun driving at *** with a screen clutched in my left hand. Not! Otherwise 400 miles problem free.

 

Nigel

[Guest JohnS]

I've now put them in with loctite and drilled a hole though the wish bone and put a 3mm split pin in though the C spanner slot. and witnes marked them for quick visual checks as well, ive done 750 miles in the last 3 days and no movment.

 

In fact i havent even opened the bonnet.

shes run like a dream.

 

John

[Les Welsher]

John,

750 miles in three days, I hope your insurance is not limited in milage otherwise you'll be uping if fairly soon.

 

Les