Wold 20Yr Old+ Lower Out Ball Joins Be Worn?

[sonicz]

Hi guys,

i got a bunch of parts ready to go in the car.

I seem to have overlooked these

Would mine be worn on a 1993 model by now?

http://www.kudosmotorsports.com/catalog/kudos-motorsports-ball-joint-front-rear-outer-lower-nissan-200sx-s14-s15-skyline-r32-2wd-front-only-r33-2wd-r34-2wd-p-214.html

The tie rod ends had a fair bit of play in them when I took them out if thats any indication.

Edited May 13, 2013 by sonicz

[GTSBoy]

Absolutely. Better than even chance. The thing about Skylines is that things like the wheelbearings can be shagged and you don't even notice, because the overall design of the suspension gear etc is fairly robust. One part fails and the rest hold it together pretty well. You'll often not find out how bad things are until you take it apart, for the most part.

[zoomzoom]

If youre pulling everything apart, might as well do the ball joints.

I replaced them all on my 96 stagea. Inner front 2 were well worn, outer 2 were borderline, rear 2 were fine. At most I wasted $50 on a rear set.

So many factors go into their life. How much weight is on them, if water and dirt gets into the socket etc.

[sonicz]

Ok will add to the list, but I'm pretty confused here. Where can I find the inner lower ball joint to buy in addition to the outer?

Kudos only seems to have the outer like i posted above for the r33 gts t

Is this the inner one?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/skyline-r34-r33-gtst-front-lower-ball-joint-2wd-/251118232783?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a77d024cf

Also, the ball joints don't come with bushes do they?

So I need a set of these as well?

Control arm - lower inner bushing

http://www.whiteline.com.au/product_detail4.php?part_number=W53467

The more i keep looking the more parts i find I've overlooked. I Havent jacked up my car and had a proper look what parts are where, I just have a vague idea of generic suspension components in theory.

I am doing ONLY the front now consumable parts, minus the sway bars or their bushesh.

So far I have bought new.

-Tie rod ends

-Wheel Bearings

-Radius rod bushes (caster)

I am yet to order but know of

-Lower outer control arm ball joint

Shock absorber bushes (are the whiteline ones ok?)

The thing i cant figure out

The lower INNER ball joints.

Camber ARM to Body bushes.

Other parts I'm sure im missing.

Edited May 14, 2013 by sonicz

[sonicz]

Ah it seems only the stagea, gtst-4 Gtr etc have an inner ball joint. The GTS has only one lower arm ball joint and a bush?

Im not sure why that ebay link ball joint looks different to the kudos motorsports one though.

Edited May 14, 2013 by sonicz

[GTSBoy]

No car has an inner ball joint.

[sonicz]

Ah ok, what zoomzoom said threw me off then

"If youre pulling everything apart, might as well do the ball joints.

I replaced them all on my 96 stagea. Inner front 2 were well worn, outer 2 were borderline, rear 2 were fine. At most I wasted $50 on a rear set."

Any explanation why the difference between the two ball joint pics I posted?

They are both for the same car

Edited May 14, 2013 by sonicz

[xALmoN]

replace

inner tie rods, rack tie rods, as well. could be your "inner ball joints" bursons does a replacement at 37$/piece +-

[ARTZ]

control arm bushes I think you mean, there is lower and upper ones...

what are inner tie rods?

[zoomzoom]

Ah ok, what zoomzoom said threw me off then

"If youre pulling everything apart, might as well do the ball joints.

I replaced them all on my 96 stagea. Inner front 2 were well worn, outer 2 were borderline, rear 2 were fine. At most I wasted $50 on a rear set."

Any explanation why the difference between the two ball joint pics I posted?

They are both for the same car

Sorry. Mine is 4WD. 2WD has an outer ball joint. 4WD has an inner and outer ball joint.

[GTSBoy]

Sorry. Mine is 4WD. 2WD has an outer ball joint. 4WD has an inner and outer ball joint.

Um. No it doesn't.

http://www.whiteline.com.au/product_detail4.php?part_number=W53467

[zoomzoom]

Um. No it doesn't.

http://www.whiteline.com.au/product_detail4.php?part_number=W53467

What are you even trying to say? First you say that "No car has an inner ball joint.", which is completely false, now you're being a contrarian to who knows what.

[sonicz]

I'd like to take a small detour. Does anyone know if the hole where the ABS sensor goes in the hub leads to the wheel bearings? i.e if you were to pour grease down there it would grease the bearings themselves?

[GTSBoy]

What are you even trying to say? First you say that "No car has an inner ball joint.", which is completely false, now you're being a contrarian to who knows what.

I have at no time contradicted myself. There are ball joints at the outer end and there are bushes at the inner end. They are not the same thing.

[GTSBoy]

I'd like to take a small detour. Does anyone know if the hole where the ABS sensor goes in the hub leads to the wheel bearings? i.e if you were to pour grease down there it would grease the bearings themselves?

Ask yourself.......would you expect it to?

[sonicz]

Ask yourself.......would you expect it to?

I would expect it to yes. That doesn't mean it does or it doesn't. So I'm back to square one which means I have to ask someone else anyway.

Asking myself gets me nowhere.

[GTSBoy]

I wouldn't expect it to. I would expect that to be a VBT.

[Ty1]

ok man heres a complete list of what needs replacing. I recently went through this myself and did notice a huge difference and no more knocking noises

tie rod ends

tie rods ( these screw onto the tie rod ends and go straight into the steering rack)

upper inner control arm bushes

upper outer control arm bushes

lower control arm bush

lower control arm ball joint (which is the one you posted a pic of and is the only ball joint on the front end like that one for a r33 gtst)

radius rod bush

that's pretty much everything on the front end without doing engine mounts and gearbox mounts.

I'm not sure about the shock absorber bushes as I have coil overs and don't recall seeing any associated bushes with them. and with regards to greasing the wheel bearings through the abs hole it won't work as the bearing is an enclosed unit. anyone, if i'm wrong feel free to correct me

[sonicz]

Thanks for that list.

A few Q.

What exactly is there to wear on the tie rods? I though only the tie rod ends wear. Do they connect to the steering rack via a ball joint too? I have no idea how I would replace that. Maybe pick up another low km steering rack for around $50?

Upper inner control arm bush - Do you mean the ones that are actually attached to that little light A arm and bolt to the body of the car via 2 horizontal bolts? on each side that people replace with camber adjustable arms?

If so I had a feel of mine and the A arm moved up and down nicely with almost zero play sideways or forward or back. I'm not sure if there is a point spending money on a bush there? Then again they keep camber soo...

The rest I am 100% on top of and fully understand

About greasing the bearings via the ABS hole. I poured some machine lubricant grease there and the noise reduced. I am not sure if it was a passage of time or there is some placebo effect but its a definite decrease. It seems likely to me a liquid lubricant would get in the bearings from there just based on that, but I wanted to confirm for sure.

I have no ABS so so theres nothing to mess up sensor wise.

Edited May 15, 2013 by sonicz

[Ty1]

yep that's the inner control arm bushes. I personally would change them as it's hard to tell the condition of them without removing the bushes but totally up to you. I simply did it for peace of mind and knowing exactly when they've been replaced. with regards to the tie rods i'm not exactly sure if they wear or not. They're the only things i didn't end up replacing.