Balljoints Question

Does anyone know if a car's wheels will actually fall off if the balljoints are totally worn and don't get replaced? Mine are worn and I was told that the wheels can just fall off if I don't fix them!!!!! Ever since then I'm kind of afraid to drive, and I'm really poor so I'll have to save $$$ to fix, although they can't be toooooo expensive to fix.

Thanks ;)

Iv seen some pretty wrecked ball joints in my time, but I have never heard of one comeing apart due to wear.

However I guess that if let to get to worn its possible it could over heat, sieze and break, which would be catastrpohic if you were traveling at any speed.


You should get it replaced simply to save excess wear to your tyres.

OK...Thanks. Do they wear on the tires a LOT ???

Well it means the wheel is able to move around with the lose joint, its its worn enough then the alignment goes out, which increases tyre wear.

The cost of a new ball joint, and the 20mins it will take to fit it will easily pay off in savings to tyre wear and stress on the rest of the suspension.

Do you know if this situation could cause problems with my tires aside from wear? They are only 40,000 km's old, the tread is still "like new" but, recently I have just noticed something that looks like a manufacturers defect --- or something like that. The tread is good but it looks like there's little "dents" or small pieces missing or .... like scratches almost, hard to describe... not all over the tires, but there are a lot. Anywayz, thanks for your help, I will for sure get new balljoints soon....

sounds like your tire is chunking, where small bits are broken off due to bad suspension setups.

yes you should change the ball joints, becasue although the tire wont fall off, on two seperate occasions i have broken balljoints, one resulting in a wreck. one time the balljoint shaft snapped, and the control arm came off the knuckle, and the other time the threaded end of the shaft broke right where the cotter pin goes in at, which resulted in the castle nut coming off and then the balljoint coming out.

i do drive my car like a lunatic though.

I used to drive like a lunatic... I won't till I get new joints.... though.
I wouldn't be surprised about my tires... whoever had my car before me lowered it and who knows what's going on with the suspension, I know they aren't chopped springs, they were actually proper new lowering springs, but I don't know the condition of my shocks, etc. Damn I wish I had more $$$

Thanks for your input guys!

About the chunking tires... how does that actually happen to them???
Thanks...

chunkin happens cause of a bad alignment. camber wears the edges, and toe can cause chunking.

I cannot get the castle nut back on the ball joint......why? what is the problem?

the threads are probably damaged. sounds like you are gonna need a new balljoint. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RETHREAD

Yeah I kind of figured that and already planned on it...so that is what I am going to do! thanks man!

new ball joints are a must in that case ! you dont need to go dealer tho, carquest,napa,autozone will be fine..there all made the same and the dealer will be a furtune ine comparison