Lower Ball Joint Question
09-01-2008, 02:00 PM
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Lower Ball Joint Question
Hi everyone. The other day while driving my Z, there was something unavoidable in the middle of the road, and it ended up making a slit in the boot for the lower ball joint on the passenger side front. Now the joint is making a terrible screeching sound whenever I turn the wheel to the right. Needless to say it needs to be replaced. My question is, what do I need and how difficult of a job? Nissan is telling me that I need to replace the entire front spindle ($450 for parts + an ungodly labor charge). Are they pulling my leg and I can really just replace the joint, or does the whole spindle need to be replaced like they're saying? Also, how big of a job is this? I have friends who work at shops and can do anything that need be, but if this is a huge time consuming job than I am not going to pull a favor, don't want to do that to a friend. If anyone with the required knowledge can chime in and givea fellow Z owner some info I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Chris
Chris
09-02-2008, 09:40 AM
#3
I find it terribly unlikely that a torn boot woud result in this screeching so fast. unless you have a rock in there...
Call a junk yard for part.
IF this happened recently, then the ball joint shouldn't be causing the noise, however the boot needs to be replaced to prevent premature wear of said ball joint.
IF the ball joint is for some odd reason the cause then buy one @ a junkyard, and slap it on...then take the car for an alignment.
I haven't crawled under my Z in awhlie to look at things...but typically the ball joint is on the control arm...but not always...typically when its on the knuckle (AKA spindle, HUB), it can be pressed in and out. I can crawl under my car later tonight and look at it. Ok just looked up a diagram for the suspension and if your ball joint is trashed it does appear (based on the diagram I'm finding) that you will have to replace the hub....refer to junkyard comment...find a low mileage part if you can....450.00 is a bit high
Look into whether MOOG makes a Lower ball joint replacement for our cars. I dunno..but they've been out long enough for it to exist. If MOOG makes one get it. Their suspension components are top.
FWIW I used to rebuild suspensions and brake systems for a living.
Call a junk yard for part.
IF this happened recently, then the ball joint shouldn't be causing the noise, however the boot needs to be replaced to prevent premature wear of said ball joint.
IF the ball joint is for some odd reason the cause then buy one @ a junkyard, and slap it on...then take the car for an alignment.
I haven't crawled under my Z in awhlie to look at things...but typically the ball joint is on the control arm...but not always...typically when its on the knuckle (AKA spindle, HUB), it can be pressed in and out. I can crawl under my car later tonight and look at it. Ok just looked up a diagram for the suspension and if your ball joint is trashed it does appear (based on the diagram I'm finding) that you will have to replace the hub....refer to junkyard comment...find a low mileage part if you can....450.00 is a bit high
Look into whether MOOG makes a Lower ball joint replacement for our cars. I dunno..but they've been out long enough for it to exist. If MOOG makes one get it. Their suspension components are top.
FWIW I used to rebuild suspensions and brake systems for a living.
Last edited by WTX350Z; 09-02-2008 at 09:48 AM.
09-02-2008, 10:09 AM
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Originally Posted by WTX350Z
I find it terribly unlikely that a torn boot woud result in this screeching so fast. unless you have a rock in there...
Call a junk yard for part.
IF this happened recently, then the ball joint shouldn't be causing the noise, however the boot needs to be replaced to prevent premature wear of said ball joint.
IF the ball joint is for some odd reason the cause then buy one @ a junkyard, and slap it on...then take the car for an alignment.
I haven't crawled under my Z in awhlie to look at things...but typically the ball joint is on the control arm...but not always...typically when its on the knuckle (AKA spindle, HUB), it can be pressed in and out. I can crawl under my car later tonight and look at it. Ok just looked up a diagram for the suspension and if your ball joint is trashed it does appear (based on the diagram I'm finding) that you will have to replace the hub....refer to junkyard comment...find a low mileage part if you can....450.00 is a bit high
Look into whether MOOG makes a Lower ball joint replacement for our cars. I dunno..but they've been out long enough for it to exist. If MOOG makes one get it. Their suspension components are top.
FWIW I used to rebuild suspensions and brake systems for a living.
Call a junk yard for part.
IF this happened recently, then the ball joint shouldn't be causing the noise, however the boot needs to be replaced to prevent premature wear of said ball joint.
IF the ball joint is for some odd reason the cause then buy one @ a junkyard, and slap it on...then take the car for an alignment.
I haven't crawled under my Z in awhlie to look at things...but typically the ball joint is on the control arm...but not always...typically when its on the knuckle (AKA spindle, HUB), it can be pressed in and out. I can crawl under my car later tonight and look at it. Ok just looked up a diagram for the suspension and if your ball joint is trashed it does appear (based on the diagram I'm finding) that you will have to replace the hub....refer to junkyard comment...find a low mileage part if you can....450.00 is a bit high
Look into whether MOOG makes a Lower ball joint replacement for our cars. I dunno..but they've been out long enough for it to exist. If MOOG makes one get it. Their suspension components are top.
FWIW I used to rebuild suspensions and brake systems for a living.
http://www.courtesyparts.com/betasit...5_800_801.html
Also, I took what you said about looking up a junkyard part, and I found an entire spindle off of a 2007 Z with 15k miles for sale. Now that Courtesy Parts link has 2 diagrams, one for 03 and one for 04-07, but both seem to be the same. Will the 07 piece not fit on my car? Thanks again.
09-03-2008, 01:31 PM
#6
40014 looks like all you should need...it shows that its replaceable. Assuming you actually need a new ball joint.
You said pass side correct?
parts appear the same...and the p/n do as well. at least from the quick scan I did.
sry I often forget where I post, so PM me if I don't get back to you in a decent amount of time.
You said pass side correct?
parts appear the same...and the p/n do as well. at least from the quick scan I did.
sry I often forget where I post, so PM me if I don't get back to you in a decent amount of time.
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