Ball Joints


R1PPU

R1PPU

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Jan 1, 2011
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This is a question from both @Steve M and I as we're having similar issues. Basically, we're getting a clicking noise from our ball joints, but it keeps happening.

Steve's tried Hardrace ones, Buddyclub ones and Blueprint ones and it keeps happening to him. I've been running blueprint ones for years and been fine, replaced a ball joint a few months ago with a blueprint one and its started clicking?

So the question is really in a few parts:

A) Has anyone had this happen before?
B) Why is it happening?
C) What ball joints should we replace our currents ones with?

We both run our cars fairly low but its not stupidly low, so I don't think its down to that.

Thanks for any input!
 
How strange, only way I could see it clicking is it slowly creaping out the hub.

Just a thought, are you sure it's not the outer CV joint clicking?
Or a top strut bearing worn...
 
B16Swt said:
How strange, only way I could see it clicking is it slowly creaping out the hub.

Just a thought, are you sure it's not the outer CV joint clicking?
Or a top strut bearing worn...
Click to expand...

Yeah I thought of that but every time its been a tight fit with circlips so in theory they shouldn't be able to move.

Its not a CV noise, I've had that before and that different haha. This is more when moving off or slowing down at slow speeds, with no lock.

Also I don't see it being a strut top bearing as every time we've changed the ball joints the click has gone away?

Not shooting down your idea's, just trying to explaining my thinking, hopefully we're missing something daft! Thanks for the reply :)
 
R1PPU said:
Yeah I thought of that but every time its been a tight fit with circlips so in theory they shouldn't be able to move.

Its not a CV noise, I've had that before and that different haha. This is more when moving off or slowing down at slow speeds, with no lock.

Also I don't see it being a strut top bearing as every time we've changed the ball joints the click has gone away?

Not shooting down your idea's, just trying to explaining my thinking, hopefully we're missing something daft! Thanks for the reply :)
Click to expand...
No worries man, just throwing ideas out there.
Maybe worth trying OEM Honda ones?
 
Yeah it's strange. I checked everything the first time the noise appeared, no movement etc in anything at all. Took a punt at the balljoints and put cheapo ones on it, totally fixed it for about 1000miles. Then decided to put hardrace ones on so I knew it had a decent set on there. They lasted less than 500 miles before the started making a racket. Put the same name of cheap balljoint on again and I've got about 500 miles + a track day out of them and the drivers side is really noisy again.

Circlips are fitted correctly so they can't back out the hub, the boots etc are ok so there's no grease leakage.
It's a clicking noise that's most noticeable when moving off/coming to a stop, just whenever there's a load change tbh. Always goes away when the balljoint is replaced, really strange!
 
Maybe the nut is slightly loose so the ball joint has slight movement in the lower arm , I've had this on other cars over the years and didn't have any play in the wheels
 
I had a noise that appeared in similar circumstances which I found to be the inner cv joint, it had some how developed a tight spot and made a noise when moving off slowly or coming to a stop
 
DC17 said:
Maybe the nut is slightly loose so the ball joint has slight movement in the lower arm , I've had this on other cars over the years and didn't have any play in the wheels
Click to expand...

Thats a shout, although I'd imagine the fact the weight of the car is on the joint should stop this?

b16 mini said:
I had a noise that appeared in similar circumstances which I found to be the inner cv joint, it had some how developed a tight spot and made a noise when moving off slowly or coming to a stop
Click to expand...

Hmmm...I just got a louder click today that sounded alot like a CV joint but I didnt have any lock on... This could be the solution to another problem!

I hate cars lol
 
Clicking definatley points more so towards the cv joint that a ball-joint. Have you tried the extended height ball joints at all?
 
I had buddyclub extended joints originally and they were the first ones to become noisy. If it makes any difference, I've had the drivers side become noisy 3 times and the passenger side only once. As I say, once the balljoint is replaced the noise disappears. I also have no clicking from the cv joints when on full lock. I have noticed this time that the noise appears when the car is moving at a low speed, maybe up to 25mph or so. I thought a cv issue originally but I can get it to make the noise when in neutral and coming to a relatively sudden stop, so there's no real load through the shafts
 
Would a strange wheel alignment cause extra stress on a ball joint? Say a bent lower arm or something causing the wheel to essentially pull against the ball joint?
 
I aligned my car recently and everything was looking alright tbh, would be strange how it's affecting both cars too. I got a couple of videos this morning in a car park as it was really clear to hear. It's never made the noise while turning before so whatever it is must be getting worse.
I'm now thinking along the lines of a cv issue, if the outer joint is binding then removing the hub maybe relieves the tension on the joint?

http://s285.photobucket.com/user/St...9-4122-8236-7D3B54012549_zpsybaqd78w.mp4.html

http://s285.photobucket.com/user/St...2-436A-A1E3-BBDA2E19F458_zpszxuookbr.mp4.html
 
The ball joint will only squeak if you are turning your steering wheel or unless the is vertical play in the joint if you test it with a lever bar. Circlip or no circlip the joint can't move up or down in the hub simply due to the configuration of the front suspension!

I think you have a wheel bearing/dust shield/CV/drive shaft carrier bearing issue.
 
We both don't have dust shields so can't be that! I've just replace both my wheel bearings too so shouldn't be that. Seems like its pointing towards the driveshafts!

Thanks for the help guys :)
 
R1PPU said:
We both don't have dust shields so can't be that! I've just replace both my wheel bearings too so shouldn't be that. Seems like its pointing towards the driveshafts!

Thanks for the help guys :)
Click to expand...

Just double check your wheel bearings!

Ive had two times with 2 different cars where i've had issues wheels bearings after changing them, both were using EK4 hubs, both got new genuine honda wheels bearings first, fitted correctly but failed after about 30km's, were replaced with blue print ones and failed again. Replaced the entire hub and had no issue.
 
Thanks for the advice Eoghain! Definitely no play in any suspension components in mine when I last replaced the balljoint, so unless a check tonight shows anything different it'll definitely point me more towards a driveshaft issue. My bearing has only done around 5k, it's interesting that you've had those issues in the past, did you find the cause of them failing?

If I've got no play in the bearing then what other way can I confirm/eliminate that as the issue? Just as the noise only happens when the cars moving!
 
try and rock the bearing from the rear using a pry bar between the cv joint and the hub. Have you checked the carrier bearing? or have you checked the inner cv cup splines that goes onto the carrier shaft? they can often have a 2-3mm play along the length of the shaft, that could be squeaking!
 
Never got a chance to hack the car up tonight but will give that a go, hadnt thought of trying that! For the carrier bearing, are you meaning the one for the half shaft on the passenger side yeah?
 
Steve M said:
Never got a chance to hack the car up tonight but will give that a go, hadnt thought of trying that! For the carrier bearing, are you meaning the one for the half shaft on the passenger side yeah?
Click to expand...

Ya that's the one
 
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