Had the unfortunate occurrence of catastrophic failure in wife's 1994 Town Car.

I have put 100k on my 2005 T&C - total now 179k.

My question is "What it the nominal failure mode of this ball joint?"

Catastrophic!

That seems to be bizarre design. To say it another way, 'The working load puts ball/socket joint in tension.' !!!

Shouldn't the loads put a joint in compression? I must be ignorant of some considerations that demand the loads put the joint in tension.

Anyway, I'm going to rebuild the front end suspension including half shafts in the next few paydays.

Cant afford to all the parts in one shot. Need to break the work own into stages, can't put the veh out of service but half day at a time.


New struts.
New half-shafts.
New rack and pinion.
New rotors and calipers.
New wheel bearings? Or repack'em?

Where does the ball joint fit in here?

What order would be best for these stages?

I'll be doing the work. In my driveway, under canvas 'garage'.

Comments and suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

I take it we are talking about your 2005 T & C here, if you are here goes. Strut/spring takes the load & tension. Ball joint at the Hub/Control arm is a locator, keeps the strut in position, lets it turn, rise and drop. The control arm with its two bushes and ball joint need looking after. Our MOT usually keeps out Control Arm in check.
Why change the struts unless top bearing is away or broken spring.
Are half shafts clicking or out of balance.
Wheel bearings if rumbling renew, quite cheap, £72 for two in UK.
Rotors, if scored, rusty, below wear limit, renew with pads.
Rack and Pinion, if its rattling, usually ball joint on track rod end or stick between.
Oh and drop links don't seem to last long.

 

Thanks goggs,

I appreciate your comments.

All this kinda revolves around a couple of issues or considerations.
Here's one item, I've only ever had one breakdown on the road. Drive line joint at output shaft of trans (1950 Ford coup 2door) separated as I accelerated away from a stop sign.) That was a catastrophic failure in that the bolts didn't loosen and give any indication of failure.

Been doing my own maintenance (everything except short block overhaul) for 60 years now. Still learning, have to to keep up with times. Other issue is the nominal failure mode(s).

Struts; I think the pivot bearing(s) top of the struts are making noises.
Shocks seem to be effective. (Chrysler shocks seem to be long lived Based on
my experience with 1988 Dodge B250 van and this 2005 edition van.)
Appears that to replace the pivot bearing - gottta pull the strut. Yes?
Then it's a judgement call whether or not the strut should be replaced.
Catastrophic failure mode(s) seem a remote consideration. Yes?

The CV joints are not clicking and the boots are intact.
Ever use a needle and inject grease thru the boot into the CV joint?
I'm tempted. Takes lotta pressure to force the grease thru a needle but it can be done. I've checked that. Again - catastrophic failure without warning seems remote.

Second set of pads on the rotors. They are grooving. I've seen rotors ready to separated from hub (catastrophic failure) but never have let mine go to that extreme.

It still puzzles me how the ball can be pulled out of the joint with the weigh of the car on it unless the load (at least momentarily puts the joint in tension. Lotsa a tension...
Need to take a longer look at the geometry I guess. Will do that now.

And thx again

 

As I said there's no load on the ball joint, but there is Torque, from forward motion. You could remove the control arm, if you could, with the wheels on the ground and the car would sit how it is. But move car and strut suspension would collapse due to no bottom location, except for track rod end and drop links. So how does ball joint pull out. With a very worn joint it would, due to the torque of the wheel wanting to move forward. Bottom of strut tries in this occasion to turn, but ball joint stops it, or in your case pulls out as it was worn.
Then on thinking, how much torque can this ball joint take. Well for a certainty wheel spin would take over.

 

No load is consistent with test method referenced in manuals sold in parts stores which says raise tire off ground and apply pry bar between wheel and fixture to check for movement. Should be no discernible movement.

I checked. Could not force any movement.

The tire, wheel, calipers and steering knuckle assembly are bolted to the steering knuckle, which is bolted to the ball joint stud. Wondering if I was not putting enough muscle in to the pry bar. I could remove the tire/wheel assembly, release the caliper and hold it up. Then release the nut bolting the steering knuckle to the ball joint stud and crack the knuckle loose from the ball joint stub. Not much to lift then. Surely I could make it move the if it is worn? Worth the trouble?

Or is there a simpler way?