Are you a Car Mechanic? Take a look at my pictures..

Alias_Omega

We have a car, well done..!

1st - Local car mechanic tells us that the lower ball joint is the cause of a squeek. If to cure the squeak we need a new lower suspension arm as the ball joint cannot be replaced.

Is he right?
Can this ball joint not be replaced?





2nd - The rust, we were under the car having the exhaust repaired when we spotted these 2 sections of corrosion. Its only through the first layer as we have had a poke. There is another sold section underneath.

The car recently passed an MOT.







Note - This is a £500 car.

Sgt_Pepper_2

You'll pay more on labour to replace the bush than you would do the whole arm.

fitter2000

1, Hard to see from pic would help if we knew what car it is from

2, That needs to be repaired as it is actually a hole in the chassis, wether it should have passed an mot is a different matter but an mot means it was ok to pass on that day

HTH

vaio

Some ball joints can be replaced but the bush on the inner end of the arm fails too so the volume (hence low cost) suppliers only supply complete arms.

On a £500 car squeaks add character and shouldn't be regarded as faults

TrickyWicky

Can't see that ball joint clearly enough to decide but on some wishbones you can press them out with a special tool to replace them. I've done this 3 or 4 times but the tool ain't cheap. It's basically a a big G clamp with some metal cups - hit youtube you'll find it.

vaio wrote: »

Some ball joints can be replaced but the bush on the inner end of the arm fails too so the volume (hence low cost) suppliers only supply complete arms.

Oh so how come I've managed to replace ball joints and not entire arms? How come i can get the bushes for arms too? I think you mean dealers because most parts suppliers I use will supply me the small parts while no dealers will.

vaio

Yep, I've also replaced ball joints over the years, some are pressed in and as you say can be pressed out, others are riveted from the factory and you can drill the rivets out and bolt a new joint in. Same logic applies to the inner bush.

My point was that it's generally not worth doing, last one I did the ball joint was say £18 and a complete wishbone inc ball joint and two inner bushes was £20 or less.

From a garages point of view it's madness to think about changing a ball joint when you take into account the time element and that's before you consider the customers coming back three weeks later complaining that the inner bush mas now failed or the mechanic orders ball joint and when he takes arm off notices the inner bush is failing too, then he either just does the ball joint and sends it out with a failing bush or leaves the car on the ramp (eating money) whilst he waits for a complete arm to arrive from the factors.

tberry6686

It really depends on the car you are talking about if its economical to replace either rhe arm or just the ball joint. I need to replace the ball joint on one of my cars for the mot. New arm = £450 plus fitting, new ball joint only = £12 + fitting.

Daz2009

Go to the euro carparts website,put your reg in and see if the ball joints are available on their own,some cars you can only buy the whole arms,

forgotmyname

Surely the whole are is not that dear and as already said it will save you money in labour.

Unbolt the arm and bolt a new on in. Or unbolt the arm and then take it to a hige expensive press to remove the old one and push the new one in.

Of course the new one will be from a dealer only and cost ££ more. As its pressed in im not risking my reputation on a cheap one that may fall out.

Strider590

Plaster the rust with a generous layer of hammerite = no more rust problems.

Daz2009

Strider590 wrote: »

Plaster the rust with a generous layer of hammerite = no more rust problems.

What a load of rubbish !!!
Once you have rust the only way to stop it spreading is to cut it out and weld new metal in.
As the OP has stated it has already gone thru one layer of metal...and you think a bit of paint is going to stop it,:rotfl: