How do you tell a bad balljoing (rear) from a good one with the strut off the car and lower control arm?

Check to see if there is play in the joint. If there is "slop", then it's pretty much bad and should be replaced.

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Robbie
88' Formula

quote Originally posted by SibERThuG: Check to see if there is play in the joint. If there is "slop", then it's pretty much bad and should be replaced.

On one side if i mount the strut and the trailing arm, the strut stays up. On the other, it falls out even with the trailing arm connected to it. They are original b.joints. Riveted. They are both kind of sloppy if I move them around by hand. But I noticed that even a NEW ONE, with grease, gets a little sloppy. They are expensive.

What year is it?? If it's an 88 like mine, your right. It's extremely expensive. Like $250 a side; parts only! Any other year, I think your all set. I would definitly re-invest in some balljoints. It'll save your car in the long run.

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Robbie
88' Formula

I wouldn't worry as much about saving the car as I would saving your butt. Unless I've got the part mixed up with another, it would be a really bad thing to have that go out on your at speed.

On my old 84 I had a ball joint separate. Fortunately, I was only driving 20mph. It was the front left lower. I have never had a car with that symptom before. Ironically, I was hauling ass right before that.

Since you've got it apart,try and squeeze the balljoint with a clamp or some very large channel-locks;any movement by compressing means they're bad.
The front ones are detected bad by accellerating hard with the steering wheel held firmly in the straight ahead mode(freeway),if the car steers significantly with the torque,it's time to take apart and check things out closer.

so, if the rear wiggles on a strait road. does that mean that the rear ball joints are bad?

caus, occaisionally, i will get a wiggle from the rear of the car, on the parkway at about 60 mph. also, if i move the wheel back and forth then stop, the rear feels like it is still wiggling a bit.

i had just thought this ment worn out cradle bushings.

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hoop
Red '86 GT

I don't agree with the acceleration test indicating bad ball joints. It could be sway bar bushings, control arm bushings, ball joints, tire pressure or condition, tie rod ends, or steering rack. If you change your ball joints, be aware that GM does us the favor of applying 2 spot welds on the bottom side of the control arm.

quote Originally posted by EdsB52: I don't agree with the acceleration test indicating bad ball joints. It could be sway bar bushings, control arm bushings, ball joints, tire pressure or condition, tie rod ends, or steering rack. If you change your ball joints, be aware that GM does us the favor of applying 2 spot welds on the bottom side of the control arm.

Actually it's (3) spot welds on the rear a-amrs that you have to drill out or carefully grind off. I just replaced both ball joints at a cost of about $66 for the parts. I don't take my car to shops.

Originally posted by EdsB52 in response to ZORBA:

I don't agree with the acceleration test indicating bad ball joints. It could be sway bar bushings, control arm bushings, ball joints, tire pressure or condition, tie rod ends, or steering rack. If you change your ball joints, be aware that GM does us the favor of applying 2 spot welds on the bottom side of the control arm.

I previously posted:

"On my old 84 I had a ball joint separate. Fortunately, I was only driving 20mph. It was the front left lower. I have never had a car with that symptom before. Ironically, I was hauling ass right before that."

I was referring to the front ball joints and there are (2) welds approx. 1/2" long retaining the ball joints to the control arms. I didn't provide information as to the rear ball joints. I'm real sorry if you don't like the way I refuted your extremely scientific method of establishing wear in the front end steering and suspension in your cars. I'm also real proud that you don't take your car to the shop to have it repaired, do you think many people in this club do that?

i doubt my problem could be related to the sway bar, as i have replaced the endlinks on both front and rear bars.

strangly enough, i dont notice anything under fard cornering.

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hoop
Red '86 GT

quote EDSB52 You need to read the messages...I am not the one criticizing the way your described your problem. You sent the message to the wrong writer. ALl I said was that I thought there are 3 welds on the rear...but I realize you are referring to the welds on the fronts ones... our rebuttal is with the other guy's statements not mine. I understand what you are saying...

When I bouhgt the 87 coupe for my daughter the car felt like the rear end wanted to steer itself. It just seemed to wander from the back end. After checking everything carefully we found a good deal of play in the left rear wheel. After further checking we found that the movement was coming from the inner tie rod that attaches to the cradle. The joint at the cradle was bad, causing the rear wheel to provide some very undesireable rear wheel steer effect.

I think in many cases you can find and indentify where the excess motion is coming from when inspecting the front or rear suspension. Once indentified you know was to replace.