Does your vehicle have a knocking noise over bumps or a rattle when driving?

Is your car creaking when cornering or is there play in a ball joint? has your steering rack boot worn or split? Autoexperts Medway in Gillingham can replace or renew all types of suspension ball joints and components.

A ball joint is a spherical bearing that connects the control arms to the steering knuckles. They are used on virtually every vehicle made and work similarly to the ball-and-socket design of the human hip joint

Advantages:

A ball joint is used for allowing free movement in two directions at the same time, including rotating. Combining two such joints with control arms enables motion in all three directions, allowing the front end of a vehicle to be steered and a spring and shock absorber suspension to make the ride comfortable. The modern ball joint used on vehicles today are sealed ball joints, they do not require lubrication as they are “lubed for life”.
Using a ball joint allows for adjusting the camber and caster of the wheel suspension. Both systems allow adjustment of the toe angle. This ability to fine-tune the suspension allows manufacturers to make the vehicle more stable and easier to steer, compared to the older kingpin style suspension. The smoother ride also increases tyre tread life, since the ball-joint suspension allows the vehicle’s tracking to be adjusted.

Disadvantages:

While there is no exact lifespan that can be put on sealed ball joints, they can fail as early as 80,000 miles in modern vehicles. Signs of a failing ball joint start with a clicking, popping or snapping sound when the wheel is turned and eventually turn into a squeaking, creak, rattle or knocking sound. Dry ball joints have dramatically increased friction and can cause the steering to stick or be more difficult.

If a ball joint completely fails, the results can be dangerous as the wheel’s angle will become uncontrolled. Worn suspension will cause the tyre to become worn unevenly because the wheel will be at an unintended angle. Adjusting the tracking is not the answer see more about tracking on our tracking page. If there is play or excessive movement in a ball joint a replacement is the answer. A creak, rattle or knocking noise will be due to a lack of lubricant. The rubber boot that retains the grease around the joint eventually perishes and the grease begins to leak out. Renewing the boot is a possibility but the better solution is to replace the complete ball joint and on many occasions this will be as a complete arm.

Why Choose Autoexperts Medway?

We at Autoexperts Medway have established a superb reputation for high quality replacement services. Refer to our testimonials from our customers from Chatham, Gillingham and Rochester on our testimonial page.
On many occasions when carrying out a diagnosis a partial strip down is necessary. Should you agree to have any necessary work completed at this time, this initial diagnosis becomes free due to the fact that your vehicle has been partially stripped down already.
So if your vehicle has a knocking noise or a rattle when driving? If it is creaking when cornering or there is play in a ball joint? Has a boot worn or split. It may be need to be renewed. Come to Autoexperts Medway in Gillingham we are close to both Chatham and Rochester in Medway making us the idea garage for shoppers and commuters.