When you are driving your car, one of the most common actions is turning the steering wheel. This in turn moves the wheels thanks to the ball joint. A ball joint is a steel socket that connects your steering wheel to the wheels, allowing you to move and turn your car with ease.
Because of the essential role they play in your ability to steer your car, it is important for every car owner to take car of the car’s ball joints. Routine checks can keep your ball joints working properly and your car handling at its peak performance level.
Most people wait until they notice a problem before they pay attention to their ball joints. The most common signs of a failing ball joint are a tightness when you try to turn your steering wheel, a loud thump when you are driving, or a squeaking sound when you accelerate or decelerate.
By performing regular inspections, you can make sure that the ball joints are working properly and catch any potential problems early on, ensuring that you have to replace the ball joints less often and saving your car from unnecessary damage.
Part of the inspection process is to make sure that your ball joint is adequately lubricated, if needed. For ball joints that require lubrication, the most common timetable is once a year. If you are unsure if you ball joints need lubrication, or are unable to do it yourself, you can get help and advice from your local repair shop. If you have a sealed ball joint (which doesn’t require any lubrication), then you will want to regularly check the seal to make sure that it hasn’t rusted and dried out.
Inspecting the ball joint regularly and replacing it when needed will help ensure the overall performance and safety of your car.
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