LOWER BALL JOINT CAME OFF WHLIE DRIVING!

im2bad4ya · Post by **im2bad4ya** » March 26th, 2006, 12:58 am

I just need to write for a bit. okay, listen, for whoever feels my pain, I really LIKE the MX-3. REALLY I DO! But the car doesn't like me back! Every step foward that I take, I take two steps back. After I buy a replacment radiator gaurd, I got into an accident, which cracked my windshield and dented the paint out of my hood (literatlly). Don't believe me? Check out this forum, and its date. http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... &&start=90
You have to understand, I was driving from the junkyard to my house, a 5 min ride when this happened. And after purchasing new headlights on Friday, on Saturday morning, I let my friend drive the car to a job interview, even though the car has a cracked headlight, cracked windshield, and no issurance (should I be mentioning that?) Which brings me to this forum. We both noticed the car was acting up yesterday, when we drove it to his house. The ride was all bumpy and shakey. So long story short, the lower ball joint on the passenger side gives way, but thankfully he was driving local, and hadn't gotten on the highway yet. If so I would have probably lost my car and my friend.

So I have to ask, has this happened to anyone else? I plan on replacing both lower ball joints, but what else should I be checking for? Axels, bushings? I'd like to know, because I will end up towing the car to a mechanic, and I want to get all the parts I need for him or her (let's not be sexist!) to get it fixed for me to drive away. The only truly visible damage that I saw was the lower ball joint missing and a cracked mud flap.

im2bad4ya · Post by **im2bad4ya** » March 26th, 2006, 12:59 am

Also, for everyones information, I have a '92 4-cyl 5spd

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » March 27th, 2006, 12:52 am

Bro, the car is almost 15 years old. Things are going to break especially if it as not taken very good care of. Ball joints are a wear item that should be checked and probably won't last much more than about 100,000 miles at the VERY most. So them breaking is no suprise. The good news is that if when they came out they didn't damage anything else then all you need are two pretty inexpensive parts. 2 ball joints

However, it sounds like you are money crunched. (driving without insurance, one of my biggest pet peaves since I pay so much b/c of people like you)
You might be able to find a decent ball joint in the junk yard that will get you through for another few months.
While you are checking the ball joints you need to check the sway bar links, upper strut mounts, wheel bearings, brake hoses, axles and axle boots. Those are the closest parts to the ball joints that you can look for problems with.

Also, I'd just like to vent a bit here.
What would you do if your ball joint came loose, you lost the wheel of the car, lost control of the car and hit someone and killed them or worse seriously injured them. Do you know that
1. they might live an incredibly hard life b/c you didn't have the proper coverage to pay for their injury.
2. they would sue you and garnish your pay for the rest of your life or untill you had fully paid for thier injuries and other related bills.
3. in most states you will go to jail for a good amount of time for such and accident, loose your driving privledge for some time and when you can drive again have to pay for your insurance for 6 months at a time all at once.
Imagine what your life would be like just because you needed to drive that one small trip. Most people don't believe it, but driving is a Privledge not a right. You should follow the rules or at least be educated as to what you are risking...

im2bad4ya · Post by **im2bad4ya** » March 27th, 2006, 11:06 am

I'm sorry PATDIESEL, you most certaintly got the wrong impression. I don't 'DRIVE' the car without insurance per say. The car belonged to my friend who got into a fender bender last December, around the same time his insurance expired. Since he had an inoperable car (for the road anyway) and nowhere to put it, he gave it to me. I'm not going to pay insurance until the car is fully-op. Since then, I only drive it from the parking lot where I store it to my house for fix ups, or to mechanics. (and once to the junkyard, since no one else could lend me their car). This car is in no way my daily driver, and I don't plan on really driving the car UNTIL I get insurance.

So yeah PATDIESEL, I will definitly tell my mechanic to look into the other parts that you mentioned of the suspension/steering to check for wear and replacement. As I said, I will replace BOTH lower ball joints, and so far found the best price, including S&H, from RockAuto.com.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » March 27th, 2006, 11:33 am

Well while that is better, and yes I had the wrong impression, it is still not good practice to drive it at all without insurance.

Rockauto is a great site and I use them for most of my parts too. They are great with shipping and have a good help desk if you have a parts question.

If letting the mechanic take a look at all that why don't you just pay for a 100 point inspection. I do that with any new car I buy. Before I buy it, but since yours was free....
That will give you a better idea of the wear condition of the car and what items need to be replaced. You don't want to spend the money on a upper strut mount when it needs something more pressing like a fuel filter or something much more expensive like a new exhaust.

Post by **Custommx3** » March 27th, 2006, 12:19 pm

a 92 MX-3 actually had smaller balljoints than 93+ depending on VIN.

IF you are the second owner.. maybe they bored out the hole to user the newer balljoints?

A friend of mine did this.. (BAD mistake) and he had the same issue. He ended up buying new control arms and balljoints.

im2bad4ya · Post by **im2bad4ya** » April 6th, 2006, 12:28 pm

OK, so yesterday, I received my lower ball joints (although I only need one set, I'm going to replace both of them). The instructions say, and I quote, " The steering knuckle must be replaced in any and all cases of broken, bent, or loose ball joint studs in knuckle." The stud is not at all broken or loose, as it is still is bolted on the car. As far as I can tell, it is not bent either. The ball separated from the piece that connects to the lower arm.

So what I am trying to ask is, should I play it safe and replace the steering kncule? I already am playing it safe by replacing the non-broken ball joint. And I honestly don't think the steering knuckle is bent or actually caused this problem. I'm not trying to be a penny pincher, but I have a LONG way to go to get this car back on the road.

Also, as a result of the lower ball joint separating while driving, the joint axel (or passenger side axle) also popped out of the transfer case (is that what it's called?) So I just wondered, should I just buy the necessary nuts and bolts to get it fixed, or should I just invest in a new (or used) axle?

Bochek · Post by **Bochek** » April 6th, 2006, 3:13 pm

if it just poped out, then it just popes back in

no bolts needed

give it a good push n' wiggle and it will get in there.

Bochek

2fazed · Post by **2fazed** » April 7th, 2006, 11:48 pm

I can't believe your lower ball joint came off, when every time mine needs to be replaced, I have a hell of a time getting it off the front spindle. When I got my new ball joint, I noticed the part you slip in the spindle was different than what was on it. It was bigger/fatter. I ended up having to buy a used one, because it wouldn't go on.

On a side note. If your in California, you never want to drive a car without insurance. I'm not sure about felony accidents, but DUI's stay on your record for life. Employers(especially city/government) won't hire you, because it's on your record.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » April 8th, 2006, 2:41 am

The knuckle would be an expensive part to replace I'd bet sice only Mazda is going to have them. You could get a used one, but who is to say it is in any better condition than your is.
(I used to have a ton of them, but threw them away b/c no one was buying them and they take up a ton of space

)

The reason they say that is b/c it could be that the spindle is worn and that is why the ball joint dropped out. Which could very well be the case. There is also no good way to tell that I know of. You could try and get a micrometer that reads inside diameter and check the size of the hole. Also look for score marks, metal shaving and a lopsided ball joint hole in the knuckle. Otherwise, you really don't know what caused the failure. I mean you didn't notice anything wrond with the ball joint did you?

I'd say look at the knuckle and the ball joint. Make your best guess as to which part failed. If it even "might" have been the knuckle the replace it. You don't want to loose that wheel while going down the highway...
If it is the ball joint and the knuckle look perfectly fine then just replace the ball joint. Also, make sure the ball joint is a good TIGHT fit. There are two sizes of ball joints for the MX-3 and they are hard to tell apart. If it slips into the knuckle with ease and can wiggle back and forth at all you have the wrong one.

Good luck.

im2bad4ya · Post by **im2bad4ya** » April 8th, 2006, 8:04 pm

Thanks you guys, for all your feedback.

Well, I'm not doing the installation of the ball joints, I'm going to have a mechanic do it for me. They should know that the ball joint has to be a tight fit right? Well, once again, I have a '92 VIN #110832, and I got MOOG Part #K9967. So I'm pretty sure I'm good. Can anyone confirm that that's the part for this car?

There actually was a steering problem for a few months prior. When I would make a right turn, either in idle or city driving 5-20 mph, I would hear a clunking noise. This would happend when I turn the wheel towards 45 degrees to the right from center. When I found the 'sweet spot' I would turn the wheel back and forth in that range, and something was definitley up with the steering. I really do hope this was caused by the ball joint, so as not to throw more money towards other parts. I read a post with someone having a similar problem.

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... ight=joint

All I have left after these repairs are getting my windshield installed, buying new tailights and getting a new hood and front bumper. And that's just to get the car on the ROAD......

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » April 9th, 2006, 2:27 am

That usually denotes a worn ball joint and you probably wore it out by "finding the sweet spot" and kept listening to it clunck.

Just tell the mech about the difference and let him check the vin vs the part number.

im2bad4ya · Post by **im2bad4ya** » April 12th, 2006, 11:02 pm

YAY!!! FIXED TODAY! Now I have the car on all four wheels, instead of on its left side with the right side jacked up. But now, I have some follow up issues.

The right side is lower by about two inches. When I turn the steering wheel all the way to the left, the right tire scrapes the inner wheel well. This definitly resulted from the accident, as this didn't happen before. So does anyone think they can diagnose this? Is this a problem with the strut? spring? Can this be fixed or would I need to buy a new piece?

yurbabezmama · Post by **yurbabezmama** » April 27th, 2006, 12:09 am

God Dayummm
I am wondering was your car making a click click click noise every time you make a turn..... someone told me its my balljoints and then I heard bushings I love my mx and like you 2 steps forward 5 back.....I am eventually gonna be the hottest chick in Nevada with the hottest mx...ok just the hottest mx...lol..good luck...and please let me know if it was clickin every time you turn....
E

im2bad4ya · Post by **im2bad4ya** » April 27th, 2006, 12:51 am

Well yurbabezmama, it wasn't a 'clicking' per se. It was ONE CLICK at a certain spot at the turn of the steering wheel. If you hear 'clicking' (plural), then it's probably coming from a rotating part (wheel, axle, etc)

To follow up what I've done, and look at my car, I've posted on this forum:

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=50730

MX-3.com

LOWER BALL JOINT CAME OFF WHLIE DRIVING!

LOWER BALL JOINT CAME OFF WHLIE DRIVING!

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