Friday, November 1, 2013
How to Properly Check Vehicle Ball Joints
Vehicle ball joints often go bad over the course of vehicle ownership, and must be replaced to prevent uneven tire wear. The first sign of a bad ball joint is when you hear a distinctive "clunk" sound when the vehicle is being turned at a slow speed. Once you are suspicious of having a defective ball joint, you can take the next step to determining how bad the problem is.
Instructions
- 1
Position the vehicle on a flat, level surface and set the parking brake.
2Jack up the front of the vehicle and support the frame with jack stands so that both front wheels of the vehicle are off the ground.
3Place your hands on the tire, one at the 12 oclock position and one at the 6 oclock position. Work the top and bottom of the tire back and forth. If the tire moves back and forth, the ball joint is failing. If the tire moves more than 15 degrees, then the ball joint has already failed and must be replaced. If the tire does not move at all, then the ball joint is undamaged.
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