Diagnosis And Testing - Lower Ball Joint
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2005 Jeep Liberty. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- Raise the vehicle on a drive-on hoist.NOTE: If a drive-on hoist is not available, use wooden blocks with jack stands to support the lower control arm in the ball joint area. Place the jack stands appropriately and lower the hoist placing weight on the lower control arm. The lower control arms should now be supporting the vehicle weight.
- With the use of jack stands, lift the front end off the hoist and position wooden blocks underneath both lower control arms supporting the vehicles weight.
- Remove the tire and wheel assembly.
- Attach a dial indicator to the base of the lower control arm and align the dial indicator's contact point with the direction of the stud axis, touch the machined flat on the knuckle and zero the dial indicator. See Fig 1NOTE: Use care when applying the load to the knuckle, so the parts are not damaged using care not to tear the boot.
- From the front of the vehicle, insert a pry bar to get it rested on the lower control arm and use lever principle to push the knuckle up until the arm of the dial indicator no longer moves.
- Record the ball joint movement on each side of the vehicle. The end play is acceptable with no more than 1.5mm of end play back to back.
| 1 - PRY BAR |
| 2 - BALL JOINT |
| 3 - DIAL INDICATOR |
| 4 - WOODEN BLOCK OR SUPPORT |
| 5 - CLAMP |