Which ball joint lasts longer?

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

The ball joint was developed long before the first automobile. Simply put, it is a hinge that rotates in all planes. Its disadvantages include limited travel, as well as some fragility. It usually results in poor quality material. Unfortunately, this also applies to the domestic auto industry. Often up to 30,000 - 40,000 resources are declared on the box, but the ball joint starts knocking after a couple of thousand.

Furthermore, one particular manufacturer cannot be blamed, since the products of the same company differ significantly in the results shown. The classic independent front suspension uses two ball joints on each side. They provide suspension travel and serve to allow the wheels to turn. It is worth remembering that such a scheme is applicable only for independent suspension, since when using a cross beam, ball joints are replaced by pivots.

The ball joint is the most vulnerable "organ" of the front suspension, even shock absorbers have a longer life. By the way, the wear of the first significantly reduces it. And not only himin addition, all rubber products that are used in the suspension suffer. So be sure to keep an eye on them. Unfortunately, until the ball joint does not knock, it cannot be diagnosed in any way without disassembly, which, in fact, interferes.

But don't put it off just because "a good knock should prove itself". This means that she can take off at the most inopportune moment. Well, if this happens in the summer in the village and at low speed. Even under such conditions, bruises are inevitable. The lower ball joint suffers the most, because it accounts for almost the entire mass of the car. When falling into a hole, it is unloaded, and under the action of a spring it is “pulled out” in the opposite direction.

Such a scenario sooner or later causes wear, because there is an anvil effect that not every grade of steel can withstand. Unfortunately, modern manufacturers neglect this particular aspect of production, which leads to premature failure. A VAZ ball joint costs, as a rule, 300 rubles, replacing all of them will cost 1200, moreover, you will have to do the work yourself. And these are nerves, time, perhaps even injuries. If we take into account the resource of work, then they have to be changed twice a season, depending on the operating modes.

I would like to dispel the myth that ball bearings wear out only on domestic cars. The fact is that most of the parts are produced under license, which means that they can be manufactured in Russia or abroad. For example, in France there is a factory that supplies spare parts for the "classics", in addition, they are produced for another 27 brands of the world. The quality does not depend on the brand of the car, not on the manufacturer, not on the country in which the plant is located, but on the metal from which this or that spare part is made. For most of them, this factor is the most important. But everyone has their own opinion.