Symptoms of Worn Ball Joints in Cars
2 Answers
Here are the main symptoms of damaged ball joints in cars: 1. Abnormal noises when driving on uneven roads. 2. Unstable driving with left-right swaying. 3. Excessive steering play, brake pulling, and steering failure. Here is more information about car ball joints: 1. The function of car ball joints is to transmit power between different axes through spherical connections, providing multi-angle rotation. This allows smooth steering of the steering mechanism, reducing vibration and ensuring smooth steering. 2. Car ball joints include outer ball joints and inner ball joints, equivalent to the front axle and steering knuckle. The ball joint consists only of the ball head and steel cup, with the steel cup divided into inner and outer steel cups. The inner ball joint is fixed on the front axle, while the outer ball joint fits over the inner ball joint and can rotate back and forth.
I've been driving this car for five years. Recently, there's always a clunking noise from the chassis when going over speed bumps, and the steering wheel shakes slightly. It's particularly noticeable during low-speed turns—the wheels seem to fight against the road, and there's a jerky sensation as you turn. During the last maintenance, the mechanic lifted the front wheels with a jack, shook the tires side to side, and said there was enough play in the ball joints to fit a business card. These parts act like joints in the suspension system. When they wear loose, wheel alignment gets thrown off, steering becomes less precise, and in severe cases, it can cause the car to pull to one side or wear tires unevenly. Better to fix it early to avoid more expensive repairs to tie rods and bearings.
