Reply With QuoteAlso interested as mine is worn and knocks around a bit.
Master
Hey all, while road tripping from Bundi down to Cooma I noticed a squeeking coming from the rear of my vehicle. When I stopped in at a servo I crawled under it to have a peep as I thought maybe one of the rear shocks or some bushing had given up the ghost after the logging road I'd came down a short ways back. After rocking the vehicle from side to side from underneath I pin pointed the noise as coming from the ball joint connecting the rear axle to the top link/a-arm. I couldn't feel any play in it (which doesn't mean much since it was on the ground and I was just using my hands to shove on it), and couldn't perceive any knocking when reversing (or pulling forwards) that is a known symptom of this joint going bad, so I filled up and headed on to my destination.
Now it's several days later and when rocking the vehicle side to side I can't reproduce the squeaking noise. Of course at the time it first started there was a 150kg motorcycle in the rear so that may be why I'm not getting it now. Also when going down the logging road I went through a rather deep puddle/muddy bog that would have had water up to that point on the suspension where the ball joint is. Could water have gotten into and generated the squeaking until drying out several days later?
Like I said I've not noticed the knocking that occurs when this joint goes bad, so if it's not gone bad and isn't necessary to replace it I won't, but I'd like to hear your thoughts and theories on this. Can this ball joint be replaced in situ without removing the whole top link (if it can I may just do so for peace of mind).
Another option I'm considering is adding a grease nipple to back side of the ball joint (by drilling, tapping, and inserting one) which I've seen a write up for somewheres on the web. Has anyone here done this before?
Master
SupporterAlso interested as mine is worn and knocks around a bit.
Swaggie
SubscriberAs most of the labour is to remove the thing then IMHO you would be better off fitting a new joint with a grease nipple while at it rather than try to drill and tap the existing one which could be rusty inside if the grease has disappeared.Another option I'm considering is adding a grease nipple to back side of the ball joint (by drilling, tapping, and inserting one) which I've seen a write up for somewheres on the web. Has anyone here done this before?
Regards Philip A
AT RESTA frame ball joints are a consumable item, if it's done lots of Kms then it most like be sloppy.
As far as fitting insitue, cant see how as they are pressed into a housing, it's an easy job to pull the 2 mounting to rear link bar bushes bolts and take the whole unit to a press.
Tip to release the bottom taper of the ball joint to diff is loosen the nut right off, place a piece of wood under the tapered pin and use your jack to jack up the wood. When the vehicle weight applies it will pop that tapered sucker out easy with a bang/thud
Cheers, Mario
PS don't bother with those so called adjustable ball joints, piece of rubbish.
ChatterBox
SupporterI believe Lemforder is OEM.
Don.
Master
The plan would be to jack the rear of the car up and then do all the work with it insitu. I agree though that is the whole a arm has to come out you might as well just put in a new ball joint at that point.Originally Posted by PhilipA
Master
Thanks for the removal info. What's the purpose of the adjustable units? I saw them listed, but couldn't see what benefit they'd bring. A standard replacement ball joint with a grease zerk fitted is the only thing I'd bother using.
Master
Squeaking is often caused by the body-chassis mounts in that area rather than the ball joint. Ball joint is often bad as well, but may not make any noise.
AT RESTAs I said earlier, ball joints are a consumable with a limited life span, but those adjustable ones are supposed to allow you to screw the top plate on them to take up slack as they wear. They are a gimmick, I tried a couple and found that I was constantly underneath the vehicle adjusting them, it became a pain in the butt, they often clunked , they seemed to wear quicker than the standard non adjustable joint.
Replace it with a standard ball joint and forget it for the next K150 -K200 kms.
Cheers, Mario
AT RESTA frame ball joints usually make a clunk /knock noise as the slack from wear makes your rear axle move for and aft on take off or deceleration
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