Uw auto heeft veel bewegende en bewegingsabsorberende onderdelen. Namelijk uw kogelgewrichten. We often forget about parts like these because we don’t typically see them unless we’re purposefully looking at them.

Als ze echter bederven, voelen we ze zeker. Elk onderdeel dat aan slijtage onderhevig is, zal zich anders presenteren. Een sensorprobleem kan er bijvoorbeeld voor zorgen dat uw auto wordt uitgeschakeld, terwijl een slechte verdelerkap ervoor kan zorgen dat uw motor niet goed werkt.

There’s a lot to learn about your car, which can get overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. To learn exactly what bad ball joint symptoms feel like, keep reading.

De gevaren van slechte kogelgewrichten

Balls joints are vital to your car’s suspension. They have a ball-and-socket design that allows your suspension system to pivot, much like the hip joints in your body. Inside each ball joint are a bearing and stud, encased in a snug, lubricated casing. Depending on the type of car you have you may have either front or front and rear ball joints.

Each ball joint on your car is there to keep your tires flush against the road while your suspension moves around while you’re driving. The Balls joints sit on the furthest edges of your upper and lower control arms, connecting them to the steering knuckles. Like most of the parts on your car, ball joints wear down over time and need replacing.

If you don’t replace your ball joints when it’s time, you run the risk of damaging your car. Or worse—you may end up in a fatal accident.

Slechte kogelgewrichtsymptomen en tekenen

Ball joints usually last between 70,000 and 150,000 miles depending on the wear and tear you put on your car. Incidentally, they’re easy to forget about. Your owner’s manual will tell you when it’s time to replace the various parts of your car, but there are other ways to tell when it’s time for a ball joint replacement.

Dit zijn de zes ernstige tekenen van een slecht kogelgewricht. Onthoud ze:

1. Overmatige trilling vanaf de voorkant

Wanneer kogelgewrichten verslijten, verliezen ze hun smering en beginnen ze te roesten. Dingen als roest, vuil, gruis en wrijving zorgen ervoor dat de verbindende greep die ze moeten losmaken. Zodra ze loskomen, beginnen ze onevenredig en buitensporig te trillen terwijl uw auto in beweging is.

You’ll notice the vibrations on either side of your front end, depending on which ball joint is worn out. In some cases, you’ll feel the vibrations through your steering wheels. In extreme cases, it may cause your front end to not only to vibrate, but shake at high speeds.

2. Clunking, kraken en piepen

One of the most common symptoms of ball joint wear and tear is a clunking noise coming from your front suspension. Once a ball joint wears out and becomes loose, it’ll rattle and knock around within its socket as you drive. The clunking noise will get louder the more they wear down.

Additionally, you’ll hear the clunking accompanied by creaking or squeaking as you take turns and any time your suspension moves. Remember, the louder the noise, the worse shape your ball joints are in.

3. Ongelijke bandenslijtage

Slechte kogelgewrichten veroorzaken het binnen- en buitenprofiel van uw voorbanden to wear down quicker. This is also known as “feathering.” You may not notice at first, which is why you should inspect your tires every once in a while, to make sure all the treading is even.

Als elk kogelgewricht en elke kogel losraakt, wordt je hele ophanging uitgelijnd. Dit veroorzaakt stuurproblemen en zorgt ervoor dat het rubberen loopvlak inconsistent contact maakt met de grond. Dit kan gebeuren met slechts één band of beide tegelijk, afhankelijk van hoeveel van uw kogelgewrichten slecht gaan.

4. Een zwervend stuurwiel

When your ball joints and alignment are in good condition, your steering will remain straight and responsive. Of course, once your steering wheel starts drifting to the left or right on its own, it’s a good indicator that your ball joints are shot.

EEN zwervend stuur draagt bij aan het bevederen van banden, evenals de andere hierboven genoemde slechte kogelgewrichtsymptomen. U, als bestuurder, zult het gebrek aan veercontrole moeten compenseren.

5. Schorsingsschade

A worn-out ball joint has the potential to lock up. When your ball joints lock up, they’ll no longer absorb the bumps and uneven roads you’re traveling on. All the normal motion that your ball joints typically compensate for gets transferred to the other components of your suspension.

The other components of your suspension aren’t meant to absorb the same motion and force as your ball joints. The result is suspension damage, starting with your control arm bushings. Your control arm bushings are made of rubber, which damages easily, causing the aforementioned shaking at high speeds.

6. Auto-ongelukken

Car accidents are more of a side effect rather than a symptom of bad ball joints. However, it’s important to understand what could happen if you ignore these critical suspension parts.

A severely worn out ball joint or, ball joints, can result in complete breakage. When your wheels are moving in whichever direction they please, the ball joints can break in various ways. This could cause you to lose control of your steering, or worse—cause a wheel to break off at the control arm or steering knuckle.

Deze soorten ongevallen eindigen vaak met gewonden of doden.

Houd uw kogelgewrichten in de gaten

Don’t wait around for bad ball joint symptoms to present themselves. Keep an eye on your alignment and how your car feels as you’re driving. Check the treading around your tires, and inspect for rust and worn out sockets from time to time.

Replacing your ball joints isn’t exactly a job for the amatuer mechanic, especially if they’re extremely worn out. If you’re unfamiliar with your suspension system and its components, it’s best to leave the job up to a professional mechanic.

Voor meer informatieve artikelen over autoverzorging en andere how-to-tips, uitchecken de rest van onze site.