Ball Joint: Service and Repair

Front Ball Joint

REMOVAL
1. Remove the front wheel.
2. Pull out the cotter pin from the ball stud, remove the castle nut, and extract the ball stud from the transverse link.





3. Remove the bolt securing the ball joint to the housing.
4. Extract the ball joint from the housing.

INSTALLATION
1. Install the ball joint onto the housing.
Torque (Bolt): 50 Nm (5.1 kgf-m, 37 ft. lbs.)

CAUTION: Do not apply grease to the tapered portion of ball stud.

2. Connect the ball joint to transverse link.
Torque (Castle nut):
Turbo models: 30 Nm (3.1 kgf-m, 22 ft. lbs.)
Except turbo models: 45 Nm (4.6 kgf-m, 33 ft. lbs.)
3. Retighten the castle nut further within 60° until a slot in castle nut is aligned with the hole in ball stud end, then insert the new cotter pin and bend it around castle nut.
4. Install the front wheel.

INSPECTION
1. Measure the play of ball joint by the following procedures. Replace with a new one when the play exceeds the specified value.





1. With 686 N (70 kgf, 154 lbs.) loaded in the direction shown in the figure, measure dimension l1.





2. With 686 N (70 kgf, 154 lbs.) loaded in the opposite direction shown in the figure, measure dimension l2
3. Calculate plays from the following formula. S= l2 - l1.
4. When plays are larger than the following value, replace with a new one.

FRONT BALL JOINT
Specified play for replacement: S Less than 0.3 mm (0.012 inch)

2. When the play is smaller than the specified value, visually inspect the dust cover.
3. The ball joint and cover that have been removed must be checked for wear, damage or cracks, and any defective part must be replaced.
4. If the dust cover is damaged, replace with a new ball joint.