Although replacing ball joints is not always simple, a DIYer who is skilled in replacing suspension and braking parts should be able to handle the work.
In This Article...
A Toyota RAV4 has ball joints, right?
There are a variety of signs that a ball joint has failed, including a squeak or creak that is more noticeable at low speeds or when turning, as well as perhaps a clunk sound. If you experience any of these signs, have our Toyota technicians check your Toyota RAV4 for a faulty ball joint.
Are ball joints difficult to replace?
Hello there In order to replace a ball joint, specific tools are typically needed to press the old ball joints out, the new ones in, and to compress and hold the vehicle spring while the ball joint is being replaced. Therefore, replacing ball joints is challenging since it requires more than just the fundamental equipment and expertise of a do-it-yourselfer. A compressed spring that has enough force to do major harm if it comes loose and the safety aspect of being in close proximity to a suspended car are additional concerns. I advise getting your ball joints changed by a competent mobile technician, like one from YourMechanic, who will visit your site, analyze this issue, and provide you with an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
What Do Ball Joints Do?
The automotive equivalent of the human shoulder is a ball joint. Consider a ball and socket arrangement where the stem fits into the tire/wheel assembly and the base attaches to a control arm.
The stem (socket) rotates to keep the wheel assembly on the ground when the control arm oscillates up and down in response to shifting road conditions. This stem has a separate rotational capability from the base.
When we spin the steering wheel, this pivot point enables the tire/wheel system to revolve smoothly.
At the Shop
A basic service check at the shop or a yearly state inspection will reveal the majority of damaged ball joints. The specialist “shakes the car’s front end while it’s being lifted (off the ground). Worn portions will move excessively when a tire is slowly rocked from side to side and up and down “play, demonstrating that they are worn.
Symptoms While Driving
A worn ball joint will sound like it is snapping while making a slow, abrupt rotation. Imagine removing the ball from the socket, then releasing it. The same goes for your tires, which may show worn ball joints or other front end parts. Any unequal wear should call for a visit to the shop for an inspection.
Replacement: Urgency, Repair Time & Costs
Repairs shouldn’t be put off because doing so could increase costs because worn-out ball joints will cause uneven tire wear and accelerate the deterioration of other front end components.
Typically, worn ball joints are identified early on, before they pose a danger to your safety, allowing you to plan the repair and weigh your options from nearby auto repair businesses. Ball joints can typically be worked on by most businesses, and turnaround is same day. Generally speaking, ball joints cost between $20 and $80 per unit. By model, labor will vary significantly. Some cars only cost between $60 and $80. Others, particularly trucks with four wheels, can cost between $160 and $200 per ball joint.
Prevention
We can’t really do anything to stop ball joints or any other front-end component from deteriorating.
Some ball joints have grease fittings that allow for the regular addition of fresher, cleaner grease to tighten up crevices and extend the life of the joint, although these fittings are usually found on older model cars. The best plan of action is to keep up with suspension maintenance in order to reduce overall wear.
Are you looking for a nearby technician to complete the inspection or are you confident you can handle the repair yourself? Start with Openbay to compare prices from reputable neighborhood stores, and then book your service with a single click.
Can you replace the control arm without replacing the ball joint?
Two upper and two lower ball joints are present. Since they support the bulk of the truck’s weight, the lower ball joints are typically the ones that need replacement the most. Despite being fixed to the lower control arm by ball joints, they can be changed.
The ball joints are sold separately by General Motors for roughly $95 each, but I’ve also seen high-quality aftermarket ball joints for as cheap as $25.
Using a unique tool, the ball joints are pressed into and out of the control arms. Only the ball joints need to be replaced if the control arms and bushing are in good condition.
A: As a 75-year-old DIYer, I read your column every week, and I find that it truly keeps guys like me up to date on all of the numerous changes in cars nowadays.
For my 2018 Ford Escape, I recently purchased a gallon of Motorcraft yellow concentrated antifreeze from a Ford dealer. I want to top off the radiator with it.
The antifreeze’s actual hue is orange, but the bottle lists it as yellow, and when I tried mixing it with water, the result was light green.
When I asked the parts counter employee about the color, he responded that it was okay to mix this replacement antifreeze with the antifreeze in your car.
I was curious if you had learned anything about this modification and if using it for topping off is okay.
A hybrid organic acid technology-formulated yellow coolant was used in place of the orange Ford coolant (HOAT). This coolant can last up to ten years and 200,000 miles, which is an incredibly long lifespan.
The cooling system can be topped off with the yellow HOAT coolant, which is backwards-compatible with the orange OAT fluid.
In my 2015 Honda CR-V, the 4-cylinder engine has never totally satisfied me. It might be because my previous vehicle was a Toyota Camry with a V-6 engine.
I like Toyota goods and was considering a RAV4, however it is now only available with a 4-cylinder engine. Salespeople claim that the engine has greater power than certain 6-cylinder engines, but I’m not sure.
For me, the Toyota Highlander is too large. I considered a Lexus, but they are fairly expensive. I like the thought of driving up high and not having to wait till the car has enough power to join into traffic after a half-mile in the breakdown lane.
Although I enjoyed the RAV4, I’m concerned that after I get one, I’ll want more power for passing and merging. Exist other choices?
A: You certainly have choices, but the Toyota RAV4 seemed fairly capable to me with a little bit more than 200 horsepower.
There are plug-in hybrid and hybrid versions of the RAV4. The hybrid offers a strong amount of torque and 219 horsepower overall. The RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid has a combined output of just over 300 horsepower from its gasoline engine and electric motor.
The RAV4 Prime is the most potent, fuel-efficient, and pricey of the RAV4 vehicles, with a roughly 40-mile all-electric range.
How long does it take to replace a ball joint?
Replace a damaged ball joint with a new one. Fortunately, the price of a single ball joint is not as high as that of other auto components.
Depending on the car in issue and whether the parts are OEM or aftermarket, a single ball joint can cost anywhere between $40 and $140.
The OEM item is typically the greatest option when it comes to quality, but they can be significantly more expensive. However, a cheap aftermarket ball joint might not be of high quality.
Therefore, while purchasing a ball joint, ensure that the supplier is reputable and/or that the product has a strong track record. A fantastic approach to do this is to check automotive forums and reviews.
It is also important to keep in mind that certain automobiles have ball joints that are more difficult to replace, and others have ball joints that are integrated, necessitating the replacement of the entire control arm.
If so, the overall cost will be more, but the task itself will be simpler because a press is required for the installation of the ball joint.
The price of labor should also be taken into account because it can vary depending on the shop and the area.
Ball joint replacement is a quick process that takes only an hour or so, though it may take longer depending on the car.
What occurs if a ball joint malfunctions?
The need to address a worn ball joint should not be postponed.
Your front suspension will disassemble catastrophically if any ball joint, leading to loss of vehicle control. If you suspect worn ball joints, you should have your car inspected by a dependable mechanic who is skilled at identifying and resolving suspension problems.
Should you swap out both ball joints at once?
Chassis parts like ball joints eventually need to be changed because of wear and tear. However, rather than being a separate component, ball joints are now included in a unitized control arm assembly on many late-model automobiles. The goal of the car manufacturers is to reduce weight and costs (not for you, but for them!). Therefore, if your customer’s vehicle requires a new ball joint, they must purchase a complete control arm assembly rather than a single ball joint on many of these applications.
Even though the control arm was not intended to be replaced independently, it is possible to do so on some of these unitized control arm applications. If it’s possible to push a ball joint out of a unitized control arm, aftermarket chassis parts providers are highly creative in finding methods to save your clients money, thus they probably have a replacement joint that will fit. However, if the joint cannot be replaced, your customer will require a completely new control arm assembly.
It may be necessary to push out the joint, drill out the rivets holding the previous joint in place, or unbolt the joint in cases where the ball joints can be replaced. Some DIYers might not be aware of what they’re getting into until they start disassembling their car because the level of difficulty varies dramatically between applications.
Clunks and rattles from the suspension when hitting bumps are a classic sign of worn ball joints, as are inner shoulder wear on the front tires from camber misalignment. Raising the wheels off the ground and using a tiny pry bar with light pressure only to check for excessive movement in the joint or looseness will reveal ball joint damage. When the wheels are on the ground, some ball joints include built-in wear indicators that signal wear.
If wear exceeds manufacturing specifications, it’s time to replace the joint in any case.
Short long arm (SLA) suspensions on vehicles and trucks have four ball joints: one upper and one lower on each side. The joint that bears weight is the one that sustains the most wear; depending on where the spring is positioned, this joint may be upper or lower.
There are no upper ball joints in cars with MacPherson strut suspensions unless the suspension is a “wishbone strut suspension with upper control arms, in which case there are upper ball joints.
It is likely that the ball joint on the opposite side is worn out or has reached the end of its useful life if one ball joint is worn out. Many mechanics advocate replacing both joints at once (both lowers, both uppers or all four).
The stud hole in the steering knuckle should also be inspected when ball joints are replaced, particularly if the ball joint stud has cracked or is loose. An irregular hole can cause flexing, which can cause metal fatigue and stud fracture. Only the stud’s threads should protrude above the hole as the new ball joint stud needs to fit in the hole tightly without wobbling.
The pinch bolts used in front-wheel drive suspensions that lock the ball stud in the knuckle are frequently torque-to-yield and should not be reused; instead, they should be changed out for new bolts.
Tie rod ends, control arm bushings, idler arms, steering rack bellows, and rack mounts are some more steering and suspension components that may be worn out and require replacement. When the ball joints are replaced, these components should also be inspected and repaired as necessary.
The installation of new ball joints or unitized control arm assemblies should be followed by a check of the wheel alignment and any necessary adjustments to bring it into compliance with specifications. Tire wear, steering, and handling may all be impacted by misaligned wheels.
How can you tell if your ball joints need to be replaced?
Four indicators that your car needs new ball joints
- Rattling and clunking sounds.
- Uncertain, erratic steering feeling
- Strong cabin tremors.
- uneven tire wear on the front. One of the front wheels might become misaligned with the other due to “play” caused by a loose ball joint in the front suspension.
Should you replace your ball joints in pairs?
A ball joint is one of several parts of your car that are essential for safe driving. Part of the front suspension is a ball joint. As seen in the figure, it joins the control arm to the steering knuckle, which is the component that supports the front wheel.
The front wheel may steer and move up and down thanks to the adaptable connection. Most trucks and modern cars have four ball joints at the front end.
Many cars have a ball joint that is integrated into the control arm and is changed as a single piece. Control arms were covered in a different article: When should control arms be changed? Here, we’ll concentrate on the kind of ball joint that is sold separately, as seen in these pictures. Why should it be replaced, and what does it do?
A ball joint is a flexible joint that consists of a housing (socket) and a stud with a ball. Some vehicles include grease fittings on the ball joints, which require regular lubrication. The majority of contemporary vehicles feature lubricated, non-serviceable ball joints that are covered in rubber or polyurethane dust boots at the manufacture.
When should ball joints be changed? There are no distance restrictions. Ball joints must be inspected regularly and changed if they are worn. Although we have seen them last for more than 160K miles, potholes, speed bumps, and wintertime road salt do them in. A severely worn ball joint may potentially detach while driving if it is not detected in time. A car will lose control if it splits. One of the front wheels of an older car may have fallen beneath the car. See the image below of a broken ball joint.
A “visual inspection” cannot adequately inspect ball joints. The front wheel must be elevated off the ground to inspect a ball joint, like when an automobile is hoisted up in a garage.
Checking ball joints in some trucks can take some time; to examine load-carrying ball joints, for instance, they must be emptied. Manufacturers of automobiles have provided mechanics with detailed instructions on how to inspect ball joints and determine when a ball joint is faulty.
For instance, if a ball joint has excessive play or is loose, it is typically replaced. In addition, if the dust boot is ripped or broken, it is replaced.
Grease can leak from a cracked dust boot, and water and dirt can enter the ball joint. A ball joint won’t last long in either scenario. Grease fittings can function as a ball joint wear indicator in some trucks. Driving an automobile with a damaged ball joint is dangerous.
A ball joint should also be replaced as a preventative measure if it exhibits early signs of deterioration, such as when it seems dry (lacks lubricant) or has extensive rust damage. Failures of ball joints are frequently caused by corrosion damage. When driving slowly over significant bumps or when moving the steering wheel, a ball joint that is lacking lubricant may make a creaking or squeaking noise.
Of course, there are a lot of steering and suspension parts that can creak; the noise’s origin must be correctly identified.
What signs indicate a damaged ball joint? When driving over bumps, a faulty ball joint might make a knocking or cracking sounds from the front end. When traveling over bumps, the steering and the entire front end may feel sloppy as well. However, a damaged ball joint may go undetected in some automobiles despite the fact that it is bad. To keep the car safe, it’s crucial to have frequent inspections performed on it.
Check with a nearby dealer and do some research if your automobile requires new ball joints and is no longer under warranty. In the past, several automakers conducted servicing campaigns and ball joint recalls.
Use high-quality components when replacing ball joints; it’s an investment in your safety. Cheap aftermarket ball joints have been known to fail within a year or two.
What is the price of replacing a ball joint? Ball joints are not very expensive ($45-120 for one), therefore labor costs account for the majority of the repair cost.
Ball joints are simple to replace and in some cars are fastened to the control arm or the steering knuckle. For instance, the Toyota Highlander in this image features a front ball joint that is fastened to the lower control arm on each side. This type of ball joint would cost between $240 and $420 to replace in a repair shop.
Ball joints are sometimes welded or threaded into the control arm of cars and trucks. This variety is a little more expensive to fix and a little harder to replace.
Ball joints are frequently press-fitted into the control arms or steering knuckles of automobiles, sport utility vehicles, and pickup trucks (spindles).
A press and specialized tools are required to push out and press in a ball joint during replacement. It costs more and requires more time. If a replacement ball joint cannot be securely pressed back in, the control arm or steering knuckle must also be replaced. Press-fitted ball joints can range in price from $600 for a car to $2,000 for some pickup trucks.
Should you replace your ball joints in pairs? No, it’s not necessary, however frequently when one ball joint is worn out the other might be as well. If the labor is overlapped, the upper and lower ball joints on one side are frequently replaced at the same time in pickup trucks with double-arm front suspension.
In some cars, replacing the ball joints must be followed by wheel alignment. The price range for wheel alignment is $50 to $180.