MUST SEE - ball joint failure
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Italy
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Gray ttop GTA
Engine: 5700cc
Transmission: auto 700R4
MUST SEE - ball joint failure
Hi guys,
this happened to me yesterday. I was leaving the gas station, super low speed (3/4mph?). Suddenly a huge sound, kinda small explosion from the front. I thought I hit a low wall with the car's bumper. I stopped, went out and saw this:
The nut went away ("popped out"), and the ball joint slipped out from the hub while turning at low speed
The right front side collapsed over the tired, and the car was "immovable":
WTF !!!
My mechanic is a great expert guy. He just put all brand new ball joints and bushings three months ago. High price stuff I bought from ACDelco. Apparently, he forgot to put the cotted pin to lock firm the nut.
I mean, what am I supposed to think? Is the mechanic a retarded?
What could have happened if I was running, maybe at high speed???
I DONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK
this happened to me yesterday. I was leaving the gas station, super low speed (3/4mph?). Suddenly a huge sound, kinda small explosion from the front. I thought I hit a low wall with the car's bumper. I stopped, went out and saw this:
The nut went away ("popped out"), and the ball joint slipped out from the hub while turning at low speed
The right front side collapsed over the tired, and the car was "immovable":
WTF !!!
My mechanic is a great expert guy. He just put all brand new ball joints and bushings three months ago. High price stuff I bought from ACDelco. Apparently, he forgot to put the cotted pin to lock firm the nut.
I mean, what am I supposed to think? Is the mechanic a retarded?
What could have happened if I was running, maybe at high speed???
I DONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK
Last edited by NiG; 10-23-2015 at 07:48 AM.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 839
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Car: 1988 IROC Camaro (RHD)
Engine: 350 ci L98 SBC
Transmission: T700
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt BW, Disk, Posi-traction
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
That's why threads need to be rolled rather than cut.
I've seen a few Ford ball joints fall apart at low speed and tight turning angles.
I've seen a few Ford ball joints fall apart at low speed and tight turning angles.
#3
Senior Member
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Golden, CO
Posts: 887
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes
on
9 Posts
Car: 87 IROC
Engine: L31 350
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 4.10 D44
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
Forgot to install cotter pin could do it. Are the threads ripped off? Are the nut thread ripped out? Or did the nut unwind itself?
#6
Supreme Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: CT
Posts: 2,740
Received 257 Likes
on
148 Posts
Car: 1984 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Engine: 5.0 Liter 4-BBL V8 High Output
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
Yep Looks Like He Forgot The Cotter Pin,Also The Sway Bar End Link Bolts Should Be Installed Threads Up.
Trending Topics
#8
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Huntsville AL
Posts: 3,938
Received 97 Likes
on
62 Posts
Car: 88GTA
Engine: 5.7TPI
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
That's freaking scary! Just think what COULD of happened. I'd be having a talk with this "so called mechanic!"
That's messed up.
That's messed up.
#10
Supreme Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Modesto, California
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
4 Posts
Car: 88 Firebird Formula
Engine: LO5 5.7 TBI/Ebl Flash
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73 stock rear end
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
Wow!! That is friggn scary! I just replaced my whole steering linkage couple months back, I'm going to go make sure everything is locked down and cotter pinned!!!!!
#11
Supreme Member
iTrader: (3)
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
There is NO way that nut got torn off.... The cotter pin has only ONE purpose. To stop the nut from backing off like it did here. It would take well over 100,000 pounds to tear that nut off. One 1/4 inch bolt can lift over 25,000 pounds. I would check everything your mechanic worked on. **** happens so I wouldnt be too upset with him. And threads on ball joints are rolled... Just about every nut and bolt made by a factory is rolled. Your average joe is who has a cutting style tap and die set..
Last edited by -=Z28=-; 10-23-2015 at 12:22 PM.
#12
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Italy
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Gray ttop GTA
Engine: 5700cc
Transmission: auto 700R4
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
Thanks guys!
Well, the other ball joint surely misses the cotter pin too. We didn't check yet but it's obvious. We temporary fixed it and drove the car to workshop. Next week we will recheck everything, and I'll tenaciously ask the cotter pins to be installed and checked.
Question: are there other parts (relative to front-end) that need the cotter pins?
Yeah, maybe this guy is ok with modern european cars, but not with USA classic muscle/pony cars Anyway, he didn't mention this, and assured me the job was ok. So I'm quite pissed of. Fortunately nothing went wrong (I could have destroyed the car or myself), so what could I ask him in order to be compensated?
After that fact, I asked myself the very same question: why did they attached 90% of the wheel force to the chassis by a single rod/nut (the ball joint screw)?
You've talked about the longitudinal force needed to break the (ball joint's) nut, which is ok. But about about the lateral force?
Well, the other ball joint surely misses the cotter pin too. We didn't check yet but it's obvious. We temporary fixed it and drove the car to workshop. Next week we will recheck everything, and I'll tenaciously ask the cotter pins to be installed and checked.
Question: are there other parts (relative to front-end) that need the cotter pins?
Yeah, maybe this guy is ok with modern european cars, but not with USA classic muscle/pony cars Anyway, he didn't mention this, and assured me the job was ok. So I'm quite pissed of. Fortunately nothing went wrong (I could have destroyed the car or myself), so what could I ask him in order to be compensated?
You've talked about the longitudinal force needed to break the (ball joint's) nut, which is ok. But about about the lateral force?
#14
Supreme Member
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,689
Received 745 Likes
on
505 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
Wow, have seen this once from the factory on a delta 88.
As said above the swaybar endlink bolts are upside down.
Anyway, I'd call it "mechanic failure", better find a new mechanic.
As said above the swaybar endlink bolts are upside down.
Anyway, I'd call it "mechanic failure", better find a new mechanic.
Last edited by TTOP350; 10-24-2015 at 07:46 PM.
#16
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: MN
Posts: 2,069
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Car: 85 SC, 86 Berlinetta
Engine: V6, V8
Transmission: 700r4, 700r4
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
Well, the other ball joint surely misses the cotter pin too. We didn't check yet but it's obvious. We temporary fixed it and drove the car to workshop. Next week we will recheck everything, and I'll tenaciously ask the cotter pins to be installed and checked.
Question: are there other parts (relative to front-end) that need the cotter pins?
Question: are there other parts (relative to front-end) that need the cotter pins?
IMO, tenaciously asking doesn't make it happen, it's time to take the responsibility to learn and check these things yourself. Always second guess this guy if you keep going back there.
This may help. From your description it looks like MOOG recommends replacing both ball joints.
http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/_pd...K11_101_En.pdf
WARNING:
Before attempting to remove
the old ball joint stud from the steering
knuckle, make sure the stud of the worn ball
joint was firmly seated in the tapered hole
of the steering knuckle. If the worn ball joint
was loose in the steering knuckle, or if any
out-of-roundness, deformation, or damage
is observed, the
STEERING KNUCKLE
MUST BE REPLACED
. Failure to replace
a damaged or worn steering knuckle may
cause loss of steering ability since the ball
joint stud
MAY BREAK
and cause the wheel
to separate from the vehicle
Before attempting to remove
the old ball joint stud from the steering
knuckle, make sure the stud of the worn ball
joint was firmly seated in the tapered hole
of the steering knuckle. If the worn ball joint
was loose in the steering knuckle, or if any
out-of-roundness, deformation, or damage
is observed, the
STEERING KNUCKLE
MUST BE REPLACED
. Failure to replace
a damaged or worn steering knuckle may
cause loss of steering ability since the ball
joint stud
MAY BREAK
and cause the wheel
to separate from the vehicle
#17
Supreme Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Howard Lake, MN
Posts: 1,293
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
Car: 86 Camaro
Engine: 355- hopefully a 5.3 this summer
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
a lot of newer cars (like, 90's and newer) don't use cotter pins in anything. they use lock nuts that are supposed to be replaced after one use. i don't think there is a single cotter pin in the whole front suspension of my 95 Neon, and i know for a fact that the '00 Bonneville that i put new outer tie rods in a few months back didn't have any..
if this "expert mechanic" only has any experience with newer stuff, then he might not have known what those goofy little pieces of bent wire that came with the new parts were for and just left them out, or maybe figured that the torque on the nuts was enough to keep it together- or maybe installed everything loose, got distracted by an NCIS marathon on the USA Network while taking his lunch break, and forgot to go thru and tighten everything up before throwing the wheels back on..
if this "expert mechanic" only has any experience with newer stuff, then he might not have known what those goofy little pieces of bent wire that came with the new parts were for and just left them out, or maybe figured that the torque on the nuts was enough to keep it together- or maybe installed everything loose, got distracted by an NCIS marathon on the USA Network while taking his lunch break, and forgot to go thru and tighten everything up before throwing the wheels back on..
#18
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Italy
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Gray ttop GTA
Engine: 5700cc
Transmission: auto 700R4
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
it's strange. Actually the castle nuts are an old method, but he knows it anyway. That's why I cant realize how he could fall in this huge and dangerous mistake. I'll ask next week.
thanks for that doc man I'll print it.
----------
Is it ever happened that a ball joint stud broke even if correctly installed???
thanks!!
This may help. From your description it looks like MOOG recommends replacing both ball joints.
http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/_pd...K11_101_En.pdf
http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/_pd...K11_101_En.pdf
----------
Is it ever happened that a ball joint stud broke even if correctly installed???
thanks!!
#19
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Italy
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Gray ttop GTA
Engine: 5700cc
Transmission: auto 700R4
#20
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
B]WTF [/B]!!!
My mechanic is a great expert guy. He just put all brand new ball joints and bushings three months ago. High price stuff I bought from ACDelco. Apparently, he forgot to put the cotted pin to lock firm the nut.
I mean, what am I supposed to think? Is the mechanic a retarded?
What could have happened if I was running, maybe at high speed???
I DONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK
My mechanic is a great expert guy. He just put all brand new ball joints and bushings three months ago. High price stuff I bought from ACDelco. Apparently, he forgot to put the cotted pin to lock firm the nut.
I mean, what am I supposed to think? Is the mechanic a retarded?
What could have happened if I was running, maybe at high speed???
I DONT KNOW WHAT TO THINK
From the pic it looks like you're also missing the cotter pin in the castellated nut on the outer tie rod end, and I'm guessing that you're missing them all in the front steering linkage. That nut looks loose also. Like other's have stated the end link bolt is installed upside down (will cause them to hang up on things and will destroy the threads so you won't be able to remove them later), and looks like the ball joint was installed without a ball joint boot or grease (I would suspect anything else he installed to be dry also, if you've driven it around much like that you may have worn all that out, and if not you've likely severely shortened the life of the parts).
Honestly, if he's failed at such simple things, I would be terrified of what he's done with more difficult work, if he's done other work.
Yes, some newer stuff uses sealed joints and assorted other means of locking nuts, but that's not everything, and virtually all older stuff is done like this including things like Fiats, Alphas... (I noticed you're in Italy)
#22
Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Germany / Romania
Posts: 321
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: Firebird
Engine: 5737cc
Transmission: 700R4
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
Wow dude change the mechanic....you can die from that type of stuffs.Its not normal when the wheels literally fell off and yes most mechanics in Europe are brain dead around american cars.Also all cars on earth have cotter pins...even Tesla.
#23
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Italy
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Gray ttop GTA
Engine: 5700cc
Transmission: auto 700R4
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
omg guys, I'm not only sad, but also pretty shaken and scared right now
sadly reasonable
Do you mean the magenta circle? I didn't even know that piece is supposed to have a cotter pin. BTW, I'm not a mechanic :/
In what way does it look loose? Some months ago we tested the steering system (because I put a brand new gearbox), and the linkage seemed to have ZERO play. As soon as you turned a wheel with hands, the other followed instantly.
do you mean the blue circle ( brand new ball joint) or the green circle (brand new sway bar bushings)? This stuff I bought from rockauto.com in the highest price available, and asked this mechanic to install. Happened three months ago.
Well, he put the grease, I was with him. He put it in every place needed, and asked me to drive the car some time and then come back to do another grease-check. Perhaps, maybe, he could have put more. I don't know.
He did other jobs on the GTA, like removing the torque arm, k-member, all the suspensions (arms and linkages), rear/front sway bar bushings and put a new torque arm bushing, plus all the filters and new spark plugs. Car seemed ok. The only think I noticed is that after having put new ball/bushings, the car became more noisy. Pretty strange, since I bought brand new stuff also to lower the noise.
Yeah I'm in Italy. However, this guy owns old cars, from 70s and 80s. European cars anyway. I personally resist the idea he didn't know the copper pins. IMPOSSIBLE. Even the dumber mechanic gotta know cotter pints. It has to be a huge mistake of him. Dangerous and very big mistake. I'll ask in the next days.
That's damn correct. I can't explain what happened... as I've already said, even the most stupid mechanic knows what cotter pins are. Expecially if you're working on the a-arm linkage, which is safety crucial
THANK YOU!!!!
OK, seriously, I don't know what makes you think that this guy has a clue, but wow, there is NO WAY IN HELL that I would go back to him for work on my car. I would go back to bitch him out and try to get a refund for the money you've spent on his incompetent work, maybe, maybe to tell him he can pay to have a competent mechanic go through and check everything he's done and fix what's wrong. But NO WAY would I let him near my car holding a wrench.
From the pic it looks like you're also missing the cotter pin in the castellated nut on the outer tie rod end, and I'm guessing that you're missing them all in the front steering linkage. That nut looks loose also.
Do you mean the magenta circle? I didn't even know that piece is supposed to have a cotter pin. BTW, I'm not a mechanic :/
In what way does it look loose? Some months ago we tested the steering system (because I put a brand new gearbox), and the linkage seemed to have ZERO play. As soon as you turned a wheel with hands, the other followed instantly.
. Like other's have stated the end link bolt is installed upside down (will cause them to hang up on things and will destroy the threads so you won't be able to remove them later)
and looks like the ball joint was installed without a ball joint boot or grease (I would suspect anything else he installed to be dry also, if you've driven it around much like that you may have worn all that out, and if not you've likely severely shortened the life of the parts).
Honestly, if he's failed at such simple things, I would be terrified of what he's done with more difficult work, if he's done other work.
Yes, some newer stuff uses sealed joints and assorted other means of locking nuts, but that's not everything, and virtually all older stuff is done like this including things like Fiats, Alphas... (I noticed you're in Italy)
THANK YOU!!!!
#24
Supreme Member
iTrader: (56)
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
my 92 z28 came from GM with out any cotter pins (no holes for them in the drag link).
cant remember but I think it had lock nuts. had the parts zink plated as with replacement parts for the car...but all the new parts have the holes for the pins.
cant remember but I think it had lock nuts. had the parts zink plated as with replacement parts for the car...but all the new parts have the holes for the pins.
#27
Supreme Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: CT
Posts: 2,740
Received 257 Likes
on
148 Posts
Car: 1984 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Engine: 5.0 Liter 4-BBL V8 High Output
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: MUST SEE - ball joint failure
do you mean the blue circle ( brand new ball joint) or the green circle (brand new sway bar bushings)? This stuff I bought from rockauto.com in the highest price available, and asked this mechanic to install. Happened three months ago.
End Link Bolts Should Be Installed Threads Up.
End Link Bolts Should Be Installed Threads Up.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jake Rose
Transmissions and Drivetrain
29
10-13-2015 10:47 PM