Ball joint? Cutlass sitting on the ground

[JohnS]

It was a nice morning out so I figured I would take the Cutlass to work. I made it about 1/4 of mile and heard a loud bang and the car was on the ground, scared the crap out of me. Anyway the drivers tire is in the wheel well and sitting in the rear of the opening. I looked under car best I could, I can see the the lower control arm is on the ground. My main concern is how far back in the wheel well the tire is.

I got it to a service station and left for work, what do you think possibley happened and how much you think this is going to cost?

John

 

[pontiacgp]

sounds like a broken lower ball joint. When the car is lifted the shock will keep it the spring in place so it shouldn't be more than a hours labor plus the part...The wheel is back since you probably applied the brakes and the lower ball joint is broken so it won't keep the wheel in place.

Might be a good idea to take a look at the other 3 joints

 

[axisg]

I agree with GP. Lower balljoint is about $60.00, hour or so labour hoping , lucky you werent going faster or do more damage

 

[JohnS]

Thanks guys. I got the call. says lower ball joint, bent control arm inner and outer tie rods. Minimum $500.00 plus alignment which he does not do. I am going to try to get it home tonight and fix this myself when I get some time.

.

 

[bill]

wow....where do you live, NYC? thats just crazy money to fix a ball joint and a few tie rods. Good Luck!

 

[Bonnewagon]

Hey, I resemble that remark! You had better shop around, and then do the whole shebang, both sides, bushings too. I would bet the farm everything else is just as shot. Aside from the springs, it's only a dirty disgusting job.

 

[bill]

Hey, I resemble that remark! You had better shop around, and then do the whole shebang, both sides, bushings too. I would bet the farm everything else is just as shot. Aside from the springs, it's only a dirty disgusting job.

I agree on doing both sides at the same time...and replacing it all while its apart. Ball joints, bushings, tie rods, springs, swaybar links and bushings, etc....heck, for $500.00, you could buy all those parts and do it on a weekend.

 

[richp85elco]

definitely get it home and fix it yourself for $500 you could rebuild the whole front end and have money left over for beer...the job itself is simple as can be but you will have to have new ball joints pressed in and might as well have new bushings pressed in as well..i believe they might sell new control arms with new bushings and ball joints, so you might want to look into that as well

 

[Bonnewagon]

If you are short on tools and experience or even time, you can have a decent auto parts shop install the bushings and ball joints into the control arm for you. And by decent I mean shop that has a machinist on duty.

 

[pontiacgp]

I've seen the lowers take a good shot without bending so I'd take a look at it before planning to replaced it...