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tight ball joints
lauzboy - October 18th, 2011 at 03:45 PM

Ive just replaced my ball joints in my '71 Bug. The steering is now mega heavy and the steering wheel won't self correct.

I'm pretty convinced that its the ball joints as nothing else has changed besides the ball joints. Will these loosen up or am I likely to need to change them?

mackaymanx - October 18th, 2011 at 04:04 PM

Something is definately wrong. Did you index the ball joints properly when you installed them?

68AutoBug - October 18th, 2011 at 04:44 PM

New ball joints are very tight normally...

with heavy steering at parking speeds...

DiD You put the location mark at the front???
with the camber adjusters??

check the rubber boots are turning when You turn the steering wheel...

If You have the incorrect Caster ... the steering won't self center...

is Your front lowered??

LEE

lauzboy - October 18th, 2011 at 04:55 PM

yes they've been indexed properly with the notches aligned. Im going to have a alignment done next
yes its lowered and narrowed with 1 set of castor shims.

i'll check the boots

the steering was pretty light prior to changing the ball joints

68AutoBug - October 18th, 2011 at 04:58 PM

that is good...

the castor shims =

these were fitted before the lowering and narrowing??

You haven't adjusted the steering Box??

LEE

Aussie Dubbin - October 18th, 2011 at 07:20 PM

Good germn ones are tight to start with and take a fair bit of work to loosen up, but that means good things for your front end
my 2c

lauzboy - October 18th, 2011 at 08:40 PM

the beam was narrowed and adjusters welded in about 3 years ago. the shims were added then. ive been driving it for the last 3 years like that and the steering has been pretty light

steering box hasnt been touched. the only thing thats changed in the last few days is the balljoints

68AutoBug - October 18th, 2011 at 08:47 PM

well, it seems that it may be normal....

it depends on what You were used to before....

I didn't drive Mine for about 8 years after I replaced the ball joints... so, I don't know what they were like...

My Wife still says My steering is too hard for her ... when parking etc..

Do You have a small steering wheel???

that will make a difference .....

LEE

matberry - October 18th, 2011 at 09:31 PM

It's not normal and definately not right. I've seen more of it lately, mostly with type 2's. In my experience you may help it by driving over a rough road, giving the suspension a workout. If this doesn't make a change relatively quickly it can take a long time to free up and replacement may be the safest option.

68AutoBug - October 18th, 2011 at 11:48 PM

they don't let the chinese make ball joints do they?????

YIKES


Lee

vlad01 - October 19th, 2011 at 02:18 PM

They sure do. I bought ball joint for my commy and the rubber boots failed completely within a week or two, same thing happen to the wheel bearing seals and grease leaked all over my rotors.

Of course my brakes didn't work. Chinese knock off bs parts :grind: They sell this crap marketed as OEM. I try to buy NOS for even modern cars now, its the only way you can ensure safety.

The automotive industry is a disgrace. :no:

Lucky Phil - October 19th, 2011 at 03:50 PM

Maybe the wheel will turn?
A business opportunity is there for quality guaranteed parts!
Chinese made is NOT a guarantee of poor quality.They are, after all, manufacturing to spec's.
Like Brazillian parts, Some are of good quality. The question is, which ones are okay?

lauzboy - November 5th, 2011 at 11:40 PM

so with some driving in the steering has loosened up. still weighty but no where near as bad as it was

68AutoBug - November 6th, 2011 at 12:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Lucky Phil
Maybe the wheel will turn?
A business opportunity is there for quality guaranteed parts!
Chinese made is NOT a guarantee of poor quality.They are, after all, manufacturing to spec's.
Like Brazillian parts, Some are of good quality. The question is, which ones are okay?


Most Brazillian parts are Ok in that they usually fit most of the time... but the quality can be very bad...

Chinese parts can be made identical... but for some reason MOST are nowhere like the original specs...

and I don't know why anyone would make something that isn't the same specs as the originals... unless You don't know what You are making ?? You can make some things smaller or larger with no problems... like a hair comb- knife - or many other things... but when they have to FIT into another item
they need to be Perfect.... Especially if used on a car - the chinese haven't achieved this as yet... they are in urgent need of QUALITY CONTROL...

I have a rear Brazillian bumper and Brazillian running boards...
all are OK... and have been on My car for over 5 years..

I had a chinese alternator pulley that lasted less than a week before it fell apart..

LEE

68AutoBug - November 6th, 2011 at 12:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by vlad01
They sure do. I bought ball joint for my commy and the rubber boots failed completely within a week or two, same thing happen to the wheel bearing seals and grease leaked all over my rotors.

Of course my brakes didn't work. Chinese knock off bs parts :grind: They sell this crap marketed as OEM. I try to buy NOS for even modern cars now, its the only way you can ensure safety.

The automotive industry is a disgrace. :no:


My ball joints and tie rod ends were made in Switzerland and the rubber boots all ripped apart over the past few years..
what happens is that the centre part of the rubber boots is not lubricated, so when the ball joints etc turn, the main part of the boots doesn't turn naturally, but the small part does with the shaft... which it shouldn't...
even after replacing the boots they keep ripping open...
so, I'll keep replacing them... I'm lubricating the small end of the boots too.. sometimes they pull the large part of the boot off the ball joint....

I wouldn't use any chinese bits on any cars... lol

but soon it will all You can get... lol ????

LEE

vlad01 - November 6th, 2011 at 07:50 PM

My ball joint boot on my commy crumbled not ripped. Over the years I have learned what Chinese rubber smells like.

Its apparent soon as you open the packet, smell like strong non sweet 10 year old licorice.

My wheel bearings on my commy failed. A week ago the left front, then few days after I changed that one the right one failed.

I think they were china bearing as there was no brand on the box, neither any on the bearing. oh and they lasted 45,000km.

My tie rod boots are going the way of the ball joint boots too. All my suspension parts only have 45k on them.


Only bits that are doing great are the superpro bushes and the IBS disk rotors. The nolthane bushes are holding up ok but have signs of some deterioration. They are no where the quality of superpro.

Its just getting harder all the time. Its all greed that is to blame for this problem.