Guess I'll post this here. My passenger side front tire is wearing badly on the outside. The driver's side doesn't show this wear. Is this a ball joint problem or an alignment problem. I will be getting new tires next week probably and then an alignment, but I'll do the ball joints before if that's the problem.

Thanks all.

Ed

 

Have you checked the ball joints to make sure they are tight?If so..your alignment is out.If there is slop in the ball joint that will definitely cause wear..change it if so and then get the car aligned.If ball joint is tight,,you may have to much positive camber or excessive toe.

 

I have the same exact problem. and if I jolt the car from right to left it makes this popping noise kinda like the lugs arent tight but I checked em and there all good. what could it be??

 

I think I'll just bite the bullet and replace the ball joints anyway. Couldn't hurt after 80K miles.

Thanks..

Ed

 

Hey ed I'm up here at Winthrop in Rock Hill. Where are you? We should meet up sometime.

 

Cool!

I live in Fort Mill and work for Duke out at Catawba Nuclear Statioin.

Ed

 

I'm not my any means saying that this is your problem. More than likely its what was mentioned before, but just for the record, I'll say what happened to me. My car had the passenger tire wearing on the outside too. I had the alignment checked out, and it was alright. The tire dealer gave me this diagnosis, and it actually made sense. My driveway was a SHARP left hand turn on concrete. (A complete lock of the steering to the left) The daily turn in and out of that sharp turn on concrete was eating my tire to bits. I just changed my way of turning onto the driveway so It wouldn't be as sharp. No more problems since.

 

that bump sounds like a ball joint. ..did you check it with the car unloaded. ANY movement in the ball joint...even the slightest..requires a new one.

 

Yea it is movin a little. How do I go about changin one of these??

 

yeah I know where the catawba plant is. Why are you guys always setting that alarm off?? Or is that someone else?

 

I don't know, but I can tell you this: Before my passenger-side tire slammed into my fender and skidded across the highway when my ball joint separated, I'm pretty sure it did have that kind of wear, even though there wasn't any movement verifying the ball joint was about to go. There was however, a loud pop that occurred when I would go over a large bump that sounded like something was popping into place, then later popping back out. It went away after I replaced the bushings and ball joint so I'm not sure exactly what was the culprit. It mysteriously quit popping the day before the ball joint separated... I heard that if the grease fitting is receding into the joint then the joint should be replaced.

Believe me, having a ball joint go out while you're on the highway is worse than having your hood fly off! Hope this helps.

 

Alarms... What alarms??

I do have a sharp left turn that I usually take to get into the driveway..quite possibly it. It's a left hander that then goes up a littleand then levels off. I've been meaning to fill that curb in....

Gonna order ball joints today.

Thanks..Ed

 

Please post the price, manufacturer and place of purchase for the ball joints. I need some too.

 

Ball joints are around $25-40 depending on where you get them. Any auto parts store will have them in stock.

I've also heard that if the bushing at the top of your strut mount is worn that you can get the same type of wear.

On my GTA I replaced the passenger side ball joint but not the driver side. Now 10k miles later, the driver side tire is shot on the outside edge.

 

MCQUAY NORRIS FA921 $11.99 thats in stock at kragen. damn good price!!!!!!!!!!!! it has a lifetime warrenty too. do they make thse in polyurithane??

 

Ball joints wont' come in poly, they're a metal piece that you have to lube up.

I use Moog P/N K6145 joints, $25 each. Got them thru Summit, I needed an ES torque arm bushing for my RS, too.

Thanks guys.

Ed