Bad Control Arm Problems

[isusho]

I have searched but I want to be sure...

I recently found that my control arm (ball joint) is bad on the passenger side. I have to drive about 8 hours to get back home and need to know the worst case scenario if I try to drive it with it bad.

I will be fixing it as soon as I get back home but I need to get back home/work ASAP.

 

[Racer X]

How bad is bad?

Worst case scenario is that it separates, you lose control of the vehicle, and you **** yourself and other motorists.

If it's bad enough that you had to make this post,you need to get it fixed before you go home. Don't be selfish and put other lives in jeopardy.

 

[isusho]

At 70 there is a vibration I mistook for a wheel or brake issue. Everything checks out but I stuck my head underneath and saw a tear in the ball joint in the control arm.

The vibration isn't bad and it may have been around for a bit but I just started to notice a noise along with the vibration above 70.

 

[greengiant]

a tear in the boot doesnt mean its bad, it means crap will get in there and the grease will come out which leads to early failure. X2 and the not killing other people, 8hrs is a long ways, especially if this is highway problem and youll be doing that time on the highway.

 

[frosho]

Highway driving isn't too ******* balljoints. Constantly loading/unloading them on backroads is another story. (I had one separate in a cul-de-sac.) Unless you can already feel a lot of play in the steering, I think you'll be fine. Just drive cautiously and fix it when you get back.

 

[sperold]

I think the real test for a ball joint is to jack the car up so the wheel just clears the floor, enough to get a bar under the tire. You then lift the end of the bar up (and down) and listen and look for a large amount of play. Try it first on a car with good joints (or the other side of your car if it is OK) to get a feeling for how much play is allowed....... there is always some play. After you do that, you will have an idea of the true health of the joint.

 

[AREA 91]

I have searched but I want to be sure...

I recently found that my control arm (ball joint) is bad on the passenger side. I have to drive about 8 hours to get back home and need to know the worst case scenario if I try to drive it with it bad.

I will be fixing it as soon as I get back home but I need to get back home/work ASAP.

Take my advice, as I have had a ball joint seperate while driving. :scared: It is NOT FUN!!! Carefully inspect the play at the joint to determine how bad it is.

 

[svtnos]

Take my advice, as I have had a ball joint seperate while driving. :scared: It is NOT FUN!!! Carefully inspect the play at the joint to determine how bad it is.

me too.. on my mustang.. but there wasnt too much play.. just real bad squeaking.. it dried out and just let go..

and yea highway driving, granted would be terrible to have a failure at those speeds but, with it being pretty level and not much movement in the suspension is gonna do the least damage to the ball joints

 

[JRA2000TL]

Did yours vibrate only above 70? I cannot track a bad vibration down in mine. Sounds like a card-in-spokes vibration or thumping and can be felt in the gas pedal; used to only happen when I let off the gas, now it's no matter what. It's suspension related because when it starts doing that, if I rapidly **** the wheel back and forth hard, I can make it stop. I feel the vibration in the gas pedal. It does it on and off, not constant, and it's typically when the car has been driven a little bit and warmed up.

CV axles seem fine and I've replaced outer tie rod ends on it.