ball joint keeps on poping off

MX3ze@7psi · Post by **MX3ze@7psi** » September 8th, 2005, 10:53 pm

Hey this is the story....I always have to check the bolt that locks the ball joint in place because the bolt would always wear out and the ball joint will pop out. I need some serious help here. Its been doing this for about a year now and I'm getting really sick of changeing the bolt out like every three weeks. Could it be my alingment? Sometimes the steering wheel pulls to the right and some days it pulls to the left. I really don't know whats going on but I am always worried about the ball joint poping out on me on the highway. It has happened before and it was not pretty. It took the whole driver side axle out and the only thing holding my tire and hub assembly in was my struts. It only happens on the driver side. If you have any ideas on what it might be let me know. Thanks!

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » September 9th, 2005, 1:21 am

Mazda made two different ball joints and two different spindles to go with the two different ball joints for the MX-3. The chage was mid year 1993. Have you replaced the spindle or ball joint lately? If so then that is probably your issue. You have a larger ball joint spindle with the smaller ball joint and it is letting the ball joint slip out.

MX3ze@7psi · Post by **MX3ze@7psi** » September 9th, 2005, 1:00 pm

I know that the 92's have the smaller ball joint and thats what I have. I have never changed the hub assembly at all. I just don't know why it keeps on wearing down the bolt and then poping back out.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » September 9th, 2005, 3:11 pm

Are you sure that you are getting the bolt in the middle of the ball joint where the inverted part of the joint is supposed to hold the bolt. Also you keep replacing the bolt, but are you using a Mazda ball joint bolt? Your bolt could be too thin or maybe not strong enough metal that the weight of hte car while turning and going fast are crushing hte bolt slightly to make it thinner in a spot.
You are right it doesn't make any sense, but something is going wrong to let the joint slip out. Take both ball joints off and make sure they are the same. Also put your pinky finger in the ball jo0int hole and makesure they are the same diameter. (you can feel that your finder will go further into the larger ball joint hole if you have two different lower controll arms)
You need to do a through visual inspction to find what is wearing or different to let it slip out.

MX3ze@7psi · Post by **MX3ze@7psi** » September 9th, 2005, 10:14 pm

No I'm not using the mazda ball joint bolt cuase they won't just sell it with out you buying a new ball joint. Yes I'm getting it in the grove where its suppose to lock it in. The other side has the mazda dealer ball joint and also bolt and has no probs. I got the bolts at advance auto parts its a 10.9 harden bolt. The strongest they got too.

reaper of souls · September 25th, 2005, 6:57 pm

two words LOCK TIGHT

and find a nice heavy codderpin that should work

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » September 26th, 2005, 1:20 am

No way Reaper, don't do that. Just get one from a junk yard. Or maybe try a parts store or RockAuto.com. The bolt is your problem, but if that bolt falls out while traveling down the freeway you stand a good chance of dieing.