I can't believe what just happened.

[POPEYE]

Good job it did'nt happen on the M way, very lucky, it happened to me on a marina van doing about 30 ish on a back road and that was bum clenching enough, after that i always grease up the ball joints well on all vehicles i've owned, this was a works van, also had the prop shaft come off on a works transit doing 80 on the M way years ago, hell of a bang and it took most of the gearbox tail end with it, the ball joints themselves aint too expensive tho from roughtrax, thought of replaceing em when i did the lift but mine were good so did'nt bother, make sure you bend the split pin ends over so they dont fall out, common sence i know but thats what looks like happened in that link, or someone could'nt be arsed fitting em, (and always fit new ones)

[charvell]

I have just replaced all but one of my ball joints we left one of the top ones because it was such a pig to get in and out we are going to do it a a week or so. one thing is you cant grease the ball joints on a 3rd gen there is no nipple. Roughtrax say that the ones they sell have a grease nipple but believe me they dont. So i have emailed Barry to let him know that there ones dont do what it says on the tin.

[langtounboy]

This went with almost no prior warning.
The steering went a bit light, then I was driving a 3 by 4
I've worked out what has happened, the bottom ball joint came apart first I think that was what the crack from underneath was, the top ball joint then flexed beyond its pivot point and popped out. The wheel went backwards pulling out the drive shaft. The truck came to a stop with the bottom ball joint scraping the tarmac and the truck surfing on the tyre.

There doesn't appear to be much damage, I know how lucky I've been, but I'm waiting on the prognosis from the garage.

I'm pretty good when it comes to greasing etc but there are no nipples on the 3rd Gen ball joints, so I thought they wouldn't need greasing. They look clean in the pictures because I wiped them over to see if they had sheared.

If anyone would like my lottery numbers pm me

[Albannach]

This went with almost no prior warning.
The steering went a bit light, then I was driving a 3 by 4
I've worked out what has happened, the bottom ball joint came apart first I think that was what the crack from underneath was, the top ball joint then flexed beyond its pivot point and popped out. The wheel went backwards pulling out the drive shaft. The truck came to a stop with the bottom ball joint scraping the tarmac and the truck surfing on the tyre.

There doesn't appear to be much damage, I know how lucky I've been, but I'm waiting on the prognosis from the garage.

I'm pretty good when it comes to greasing etc but there are no nipples on the 3rd Gen ball joints, so I thought they wouldn't need greasing. They look clean in the pictures because I wiped them over to see if they had sheared.

There's no nipples on the 2nd gen ones either, got to take the wee blanks out and fit nipples.

As I said before, you're incredibly unlucky to have a ball joint fail with no warning, yours is actually the first one I've ever heard of (there will be others no doubt). But at the same time, you're incredibly lucky you came off the Motorway when you did.

If it's only the 2 ball joints, it should be an easy and cheap fix.

[da SLUG man]

my ball joint did exactly the same... at 60mph on the way to work.

all down to not being arsed when they advised it on the MOT!



it was fun though!.... no brakes, little steering and lots of noise!!

[si tate]

my ball joint did exactly the same... at 60mph on the way to work.

all down to not being arsed when they advised it on the MOT!



it was fun though!.... no brakes, little steering and lots of noise!!

That really does'nt sound like fun to me.

[stormforce]

That really does'nt sound like fun to me.

You don't know what the slug is like yet Si.He is as mad as a mad thing can be..
Ain't that right Matt

[da SLUG man]

You don't know what the slug is like yet Si.He is as mad as a mad thing can be..
Ain't that right Matt

who, me?....


surely not that bad!... hehehe!!

[stormforce]

who, me?....


surely not that bad!... hehehe!!

i must say tho Matt we don't get much of your old humour like we used to.
I think the last mrs slug has calmed you down..

[da SLUG man]

nah, she lived 30 miles away, so didn't get on here much!...

current Mrs Slug is much nearer, so i'll be back!!

[goodcat]

Albannach you mention a knocking first
mines knocking its nuts off from both front sides

let the imigrants out now and then as they need air. otherwise they die under there and you'll get a nasty smell come through the vents for months!
i learnt this the hard way so im happy to help out a fellow surfer.