what are the signs for a bad ball joint?


im getting a loud creeking noise at times around the front right of the car..almost like its rubbing sound at times....its real bad at low speed...i pulled the tire...didnt find anything obvious....

 

is it a squeaking noise or a click? is it only when the wheel is turned or does it happen going straight too?

 

it happens going straight as well...and its a squeaking noise...i can stand above the right front..and push it down rapidly and it squeaks real bad...


i inspected the bushings..they all seemed in pretty decent shape...

 

that sounds like your control arms

 

control arms...not a spring?

i checked the bushings..they look in decent shape....i'll have to do a test...spray some WD40 on each bushing one by one..and see if goes away....


what are some signs of a bad ball joint? thats my worst fear at this point..heh..

 

ball joints will make more of a clunking sound..pull into a few driveways at a moderate speed, and listen for a clunking noise...

 

thats how i first noticed it..pulling into my driveway...is it a dull clunk? mines more of a squeaking at moderate speed....

 

it's more commonly a fairly low-pitched clunking noise...if it's your tie rod ends you'll also feel the steering wheel loosen up pulling into driveways, it will jitter slightly, in synch with the noises you hear...almost every time i hear about a squeaking problem it turns out being a control arm issue.

 

Squeezing or scrunching sound like two balloons being rubbed is shrunken control arm bushings, not a safety issue, but annoying.

A clunk when going over a bump, pothole or a speedbump is ball joint.

 

Im actually getting both of these noises, which is making me quite scared. im getting a high pitched squeaking noise when i go around turns, and im getting the clunking noise when i go over small bumps or driveways. have any ideas? ball joints and control arms?

Dustin