Discussion»Questions»Transportation» How dangerous is it really to drive with bad ball joints? Like how long have you driven before your front suspension came apart?
Very dangerous. Why would you want to take a chance that could happen while driving 70 mph on a highway. You think it would be fun to lose a wheel or, worse, to have that wheel smash into someone else's car and cause a fatal accident?
It's just that my mechanic wants over a thousand dollars to replace all four upper and lower ball joints also my front brakes need to be done while they're at it. My exhaust has a leak and my shocks are bad and I worry that my heater core may have a leak? I need new tires as well. I just took on more work at my job, but I don't really have all the money for the repairs just yet because I just did the back brakes and the front wheel bearing and that cist me over a thousand dollars. I have a child and I can't work as much as I need to to make the money I need to fix all of these issues. I would like to save a bit and finance a new truck and say to hell with this beat up on already, but I need it to last as long as it can while I work and save. I was just wondering how long it might last or if anyone knows a trick to keeping the front end together longer or how hard is it really for me to change these ball joints? I've never done ball joints before. I think yiu need a special tool to separate them? I may have it somewhere? Thanks for your concern, I'll try to not cause an accident? I'm trying.
I have nothing to offer in the way of advice. I don't know what all of the mechanical parts are and what they do. At my last oil change they said I needed bushings. Never heard of it. I let them replace them and later found out that I made the right choice. I hope you make the right choice too. Maybe your mechanic needs some kind of work you could do in exchange for the car work.
Considering how many serious issues you have with your car, you might be better off leasing a car for a year or so until you can save up enough money to put down on a better car. What you're driving now is a death trap. If you want to continue to be able to take care of your child, you may want to consider not riding around in the clunker you have.
I have a totally unhelpful answer, but I'll share it anyway.
A couple of months ago, I got to be the designated driver for a couple of drunk guys who happen to do most of their vehicle work themselves. (Oh joy, right?) Anyway, as I was pulling out of a parking lot, my front passenger side stared making a horrible banging noise. The menfolk then debated what said noise was, and made two possible diagnostic choices. Th first being the ball joints; the second being shocks. And, from that point forward, they gave me a hard time if I turned the wheel too much because they were afraid my van would fall apart on the road then and there from a ball joint issue.
Now, you know me. I don't need to tell you that I have not yet taken my van in for repairs. And, I put maybe 150 miles on it every week. It still hasn't bit the dust. And, it still makes the noise. And, I'm not careful. So, if the boys were right and it was the ball joints, I guess you never can tell. *knocks on wood* If their second guess is right, then this is totally irrelevant. I will let you know in January when I finally take my van in for its regular service. May both our vehicles last that long without issue. :o
I don't know what American garage prices are like but >$1000 seems very high for replacing two pairs of ball-joints and two pairs of brake-pads (unless the front brakes' hydraulics are worn out as well).
You do need a special tool to separate ball-joints but it's not anything unusual.
It looks as if that car is severely worn out and uneconomical to repair - coming to the end of its life, preferably before it ends some unfortunate person's life.
Very.....Worn ball joints just fall apart......even new one fail or can be defective...... Nothing man made apart from me is completly perfect...... I have a signed birthday card from my dad stating that I am.... :)D
That depends on how long they've been worn for. A ball joint is basically a a short shaft with a ball and socket that allows movement in the upper and lower suspension. They're made of hardened steel, and it would take a long time for the ball to come out of the socket. How long though is anyone's guess. How long is a piece of string?
I'd suggest you change them on your own, but most ball joints require a press to remove them - Something even a hobby mechanic doesn't usually possess.
You don't normally use a press to remove ball-joints, but a special separator available from most decent stockists of car-servicing tools. It is a toughened steel fork pivoting on a second piece of similar steel fitted with a jacking-screw to force the jaws apart and so break the ball-joint's taper grip. I have one, though I don't think I've used it more than once or twice in all the years I've owned it.
SpunkySenior 