Bad ball joint?

[oilpsi2high]

If I grab the tire at 3 and 9, there's a ton of play.

If I take the wheel off, the ball joint moves but everything else seems good.

Everywhere I read says tie rods at 3 and 9, but mine look good. Zero play in them.

https://youtu.be/4QSGofHqbZY

So I guess my question is, what else would allow a ball joint to move around like this when wiggling at 3 and 9, other than a bad ball joint itself?

 

[mattd]

What kind of vehicle?

 

[oilpsi2high]

2007 Cobalt SS Supercharged.

MOOG says it shouldn't have play like that. I might just replace them on both sides and see if there's an improvement. I checked everything else.

 

[mk378]

Definitely replace that.

With the tire off it's easy enough to grab the arm on the knuckle and check for play in the tie rod end and steering rack.

 

[oilpsi2high]

Originally Posted by mk378
Definitely replace that.

With the tire off it's easy enough to grab the arm on the knuckle and check for play in the tie rod end and steering rack.


Just ordered a new set.

Zero play in the tie rod end or the inner/rack.

 

[Dave9]

From the video, the play isn't just side to side but in and out, so yes it looks like the BJ has excessive wear. Whether that is ALL you need, is hard to tell from just a video focused on that one part. I assume the top strut mount seems secure and when you wrote the tie rod end is good, that it isn't moving the steering rack enough that it looks like that is bad too?

Pretty much anything you see under there with play, is bad, though a lot of force could move the rack, as it has to have a way for force to move it in case the power assist goes out and you need the steering wheel force alone to steer.

 

[oilpsi2high]

The tire also was worn on the outer edge.

The strut mount was good, I grabbed the spring and pulled on it as hard as I could. No clunking or play. Same with the inner and outer tie rods, I also checked the outer in the knuckle for play and it was good. Boot is also good. I think when the racks go bad on these (electric) they develop play around the steering shaft. I actually don't even see anywhere in the service manual that says you can replace the inner tie rod - according to GM, you need to replace the whole "steering gear" which is the rack.

 

[The_Jeff]

Great video and yup lower ball joint is shot. I've had cars where it shows up worse shaking at 9 and 3 like you did.

Yours is so bad you're going to think you have a different car when you get it fixed.

 

[oilpsi2high]

I knew something was up but I thought it was the steering rack.

 

[zzyzzx]

Thanks for not making a three minute video for only 15 seconds of an obvious bad ball joint.

 

[Nick1994]

Ball joint is definitely bad. But after you replace, check again, might be able to then see play in tie rods, rack, control arm bushings, or wheel bearings.

 

[WyrTwister]

Good to hear you narrowed it down . Best of luck with the repair !

 

[1978elcamino]

Get the whole control arm because it comes with the ball joint and the compliance bushing where it connects to the chassis. Im sure both are worn, I also went through this with a cobalt, the arm is cheap and its a simple R&R. You will need to seperate the tie rods from the knuckle so may as well replace the outer tie rods while your at it, there like 9 bucks each. Sway bar bushings are also a very, very common wear item, tackle that too, their about 12 bucks.

 

[oilpsi2high]

I actually already upgraded to spherical CAB's.

No need to separate the tie rod when doing ball joints. Swaybar bushings are also good, although endlinks will probably have to be done soon.

 

[1978elcamino]

Oy yeah, thats right its got a pinch bolt, forgot about that. I also used the MOOG spherical bushings, the rubber/poly OEM's are terrible.

 

[oilpsi2high]

Fixed it. Here's a video in case anyone is bored:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMyg-1Y5Isg