The dust boot's to both of my front lower ball joints on my driver side arn't attached to the bottom, I'm sure they probably got contaiminated. What are symtoms of these going bad? Can you get new ball joints w/o replacing the whole arm?

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

I'm not sure about the replacement, but when my ball joint was replaced, they replaced the arm along with it. I'm not sure if that is required but thats how they repaired it. Correct me if im wrong, but I believe it makes a popping noise when they are going bad. Not sure though.

-Trevor

I know that satan won't replace just the joint, they will make you replace the whole arm, but I was wondering since I'm on a budget if I could replace just the ball joints.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

just to make sure i'm on the same page w/u, that is the rubber boot part that attaches to the ball joint that your talking about?

*EDIT* these parts?


if so i'm in the same situation and need to know asap...

tia

WTB: Dodge Omni


http://www.geocities.com/shadyporshe851proof/frame_content/indexframe.html

mods: star stage III clutch + 60mm tb + the normal mods, bass, lights well u get the picture

its an annoying squeak if the car is on or off......u will know it!!!

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

I got a recall notice in the amil for my ball joints, perhaps yours falls in the recall too. Check with Satan (Mitsubishi Dealership) or look for a recall notice in the mail.


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Replace them before they fail. If your car hasn't had the ball joint recall done, Mitsu will replace both sides for free. If not, the whole arm is only ~$40 per side. Not worth crashing over, IMO.

Greg

'19 Genesis G70 3.3t AWD
'88 Chrysler Conquest TSI

Will this make a kind of clicking or clunking noise? Mine makes this noise when I back up...same thing?

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ball joints going bad may make any kind of noise or will not make any noise at all. Jack up the car, put it on stands by the frame. Put a jack under tire or spindle and raise it to see how much the ball joint moves. If yours moves at all it needs to be replaced.

If you guys cant get your replaced by recal i have two (l and r) for sale. They were on a car that had the recall done and the owner parted the car out for stupid reasons. They have appx 3000 miles on them and still have the mitsu part no. sticker on them. Both need new boots, i ripped them when i separated them, tiny rips. new boots are a couple of dollars at autozone.

since they are so new i would like to get 65.00 shipped to your door. thats about 32.50 each arm and you need to buy boots so about 35.00 each arm.

you have to be careful some dealers are charging full price for these babies, i think i paid 47.00 each arm when mine went bad (obviously before i had these).

Terry

where can i buy the boots? and what exactly do i call them, i went to 3 auto stores today and they didn't have it, i was asking for ball joint boots...

also how would i take them apart to replace them?

thanks

WTB: Dodge Omni


http://www.geocities.com/shadyporshe851proof/frame_content/indexframe.html

mods: star stage III clutch + 60mm tb + the normal mods, bass, lights well u get the picture

13.5 @108 MPH-2.2 60ft(stupid FWD!)
S16G @ 18 PSI/FMIC/Running on MegaSquirt II (Now with sequential
fuel injection)
My webpage: http://eclipsed4evr.home.comcast.net
-1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS-T- "Toy"
-1992 Plymouth Laser Turbo AWD(SOLD)
-2000 Honda CR-V(daily)

When going to Autozone do not talk to the idiots they hire. go to the "Help" products aisle and look for the boots. You will nothave a hard time finding them since they are a wearable item for all ball joints out there. True they are not mitsu parts but they work just fine. As an automechanic i have replaced shit load of boots only, especially on antique cars because ball joints are rarely 30.00. Anybody who tells you that the boots cant be found need to remove their head from their A$$.

If you can get the compression arms for 33.00 then go for it. if you have to replace the compression arm because of a ripped boot and get slammed with a price of 230.00 each you will remember i told you that universal boots can be purchased. 33.00 is a good price if your local dealer will sell them for that. Joliet mitsu and dodge here is IL thinks these joints are rare therfore charge full price...70.00

They are easy to replace, you may find the bolt going through the wishbone is frozen in the bushing, be prepared with a sawzaw to cut the bolt and most hardware stores have the metric bolt long enough. if you get in a pickle i have every bolt on the car from a eclipse i cut up.

Terry

I wouldn't just replace the boot, if it was torn, or missing. Just think of all the crap that can get into the ball joint. Not something I'd mess with, considering the lower lateral arm is cheap. Go the safe route guys, dont go cheap on something like this..thats just dumb to replace a missing/torn boot. Would you replace just a boot on these??? You have got to be kidding me...



Just think of all the dirt that got in there, and all the grease that got out of there..

13.5 @108 MPH-2.2 60ft(stupid FWD!)
S16G @ 18 PSI/FMIC/Running on MegaSquirt II (Now with sequential
fuel injection)
My webpage: http://eclipsed4evr.home.comcast.net
-1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS-T- "Toy"
-1992 Plymouth Laser Turbo AWD(SOLD)
-2000 Honda CR-V(daily)

Yeah once it's contaminated it's like sandpaper acting on those ball joints.

My arn't torn to hell like those, but rather teh boot just pulled up when I was changing an axle. I'm still going to replace the lower laterial arm, and compression arm.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

The symptoms of mine going out was a horrible screeching noise. Whenever I turned the wheel it was like the end of the world, but it would also squeek on every little bumb in the road. I looked at my ball joints and couldn't visibly tell that they were bad. However, when I went to Satan they replaced them as well as the whole arm and no more noise. Not only that, but my steering was twice as responsive as before they were replaced. Don't worry about fixing them yourself...just go to Satan and say you want the recall fixed and they should replace both arms without question. I love free stuff!!

Keepin it clean!!

Both arms? there are 3 control arms, I thought the recall was only for the upper, both my lower ball joints (on the lower control arms - lower lateral, and compression arms) are the problem. I've already had the recall done for the upper ones.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

ah no idea on the recall, i know a many members on chicago dsm have had the lowers replaced on recall. Call satan and ask....did you get a price on the compression arm? I heard they are 230.00

Terry

...wonderful.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

yup 230 shells for the compression arm... i can't afford that along with the clutch (230), and lateral control arm (40)...

i'm gonna try one of those "help" boots from the store and see if that is ok...

it pisses me off cuz the boots were fine before i took them off to get my axels out... popping the ball joints on the passenger side were easy to get off, but the driver side ball joints gave us hell

we ended up slamming the ball joint popper tool with a sledge hammer to get them off...

WTB: Dodge Omni


http://www.geocities.com/shadyporshe851proof/frame_content/indexframe.html

mods: star stage III clutch + 60mm tb + the normal mods, bass, lights well u get the picture

what you can do...not sure if recommend it but i have wanted to do it; i have seen other mechanics do it. very carefully drill a hole in the bottom of the ball joint for a grease fitting, install a grease fitting, remove the old boot. pump a load of grease through the joint to get any dust out that may have gotten in there and put a new boot on it. keep an eye on them every 6 months so you can catch them before they go bad. good luck.

Terry

I tried squirting some white lithium grease in my ball joints but it only worked for about 2 days. There are 3 ball joints...1 upper and 2 lower. The one that Satan replaces in the lower one that points straight towards the middle of the car (if you were looking at it from the side of the car).

Keepin it clean!!

Just for my own clarification as well as others reading this, who knows what the recall covers? Does it cover the upper or lower?

My upper driverside started squeaking the other day, and I do a lot of high speed runs when tuning on the car, so I think it may be time to give satan a call

The recall replaces your upper A-Arm, and lower lateral arm (control arm pointing toward other wheel).

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

I just found my recall notice, and it says the lower lateral... I called mitsu and scheduled an appt but he also said just lower lateral :/

Then what's with people saying upper ball joint recall?

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

Not a clue, I will get the low down next week when I go get it done..

Hey Guys and gals, I have checked with Mitchell on Demand, AllData, and a couple of the Mitsu dealers around Hampton Roads. They are all saying the same thing. Only the lower lateral is covered under recall. I will grab the recall #'s tonight that are on the cars as of now.
On a side note, the service manuals all say if the boot is torn replace the affected control arm since they are an integral unit.
Parts range from $56-$235 here at satan for the three pieces.

Got the recall done, they just replaced the lower lateral arms. They just put it up on the lift and had it done in no time... I think they spent more time on the "test ride" than they did replacing the arms.

I already bit the bullet and bought a new lower compression arm ($194 w/ %15 discount from Bob Kise ) and a new lower lateral arm (since I checked and the recall has already been done on my car), so I can replace those damn ball joints.

Joel Baldridge, ASE Certified Master Technician, Audi Certified Expert Technician

well, you can feel a little bit better cause I need a new upper arm which = more $$ than the lower :/ sucks.

the upper control arms i have are fine if anyone needs one.

Terry