Mot advisory says slight play in arm of ball joint

[rosie]

Over the last few months i have felt/heard that something wasn't right with the offside wheel. I can't pinpoint when i would feel that, but i 'thought' maybe the cv joint was going like the the nearside one last yr.

So is it dangerous, if they say 'slight' play. could my wheel drop off or something!!?

I have booked her in for the end of next week but altho it's not a major expense it's one i could do with putting off if i can.

so dangerous or not?

cheers x

[SammoVWT]

If its an advisory, then it needs doing pretty soon but passable (but you already have this covered), but from what ive been told, they are quite hard to knock out of place (but never assume I should say).

Slight play means a bit loose, a lot of play would be quite dangerous. i.e MOT failure

You should be ok until it gets fixed, but I would try and use the car as little and as gently as possible if you have to. If i was you i would get it done to be on the safe side, if the other side hasnt been replaced (sounds like it has), be aware that might follow suit soon after.

Not worth the risk of life/writing off your car for a relatively small cost to get it repaired and have some peace of mind motoring, Also, make sure you get the front wheels retracked when it gets repaired, otherwise it may cost you two new front tyres from uneven wear

[Crasher]

There is not way of saying what it is or how dangerous it is/isn’t until someone has inspected it. If it is a ball joint on a 4 stud wheel car these are very cheap and easy to change.

[rosie]

hi there, thanks.

It's 3 stud apparently. i will go ahead with it next week then, get it over with. The part is only about £12, and it's a fairly quick job.

Just had new tyres and tracking and alignment (different garage), will make sure they check it. That tyre on the the dodgy side had really bad wear down the centre and uneven wear too.

Not sure about the nearside needing doing, that had the cv joint done, which is a totally different thing i assumed?

x

[SammoVWT]

Yeah it is seperate sorry, i think you should have an upper ball joint, lower ball joint and a cv joint.

If i remember correctly, the upper and lower are basically for smooth up and down movement and to allow steering, and the CV joint is the main joint that can turn the wheel at an angle and rotate at the same time (connected to front axle). (Please correct me if im wrong!)

I think, but usually if one goes the other one might not be far behind as they wear at a similar rate, but you might be lucky and only have one side worn.

[Crasher]

The ball joint is 3 bolt, the WHEEL is either 4 or 5 stud depending on what the car is, the 5 stud ball joint is harder to change. It only has a lower ball joint. Looking at your picture it does not appear to be a GTI or VR6 so it will be 4 stud and that makes the ball joint easier to change.

[BobProperty]

The ball joint is 3 bolt, the WHEEL is either 4 or 5 stud depending on what the car is, the 5 stud ball joint is harder to change. It only has a lower ball joint. Looking at your picture it does not appear to be a GTI or VR6 so it will be 4 stud and that makes the ball joint easier to change.

IIRC Rosie's Golf is an AEX 1.4 like mine. So it will be a 4 stud. Like others on here, I found it more economical to change the entire arm (apart from "that" bolt) but then mine were wearing out in several places anyway.

[Crasher]

The trouble is, new arms do not come with the ball joint fitted as 4 stud wheel wishbones are not sided until the ball joint is fitted the appropriate way up for the side it is being used on.

[BobProperty]

I think I bought them as a pair already assembled; so no concerns about which way up on which side.