Replacing a ball joint for a VAZ 2110 without a puller

The suspension life of front-wheel drive cars depends not so much on the design features of the suspension, but on operating conditions. One of the most heavily loaded and critical components is the ball joint. Both in the double-wishbone suspension of classic VAZs and in the MacPherson spark plug, the support performs two functions at once. It connects the arms to the steering knuckle, while keeping it from moving horizontally. And if we take into account that the connection must be movable within certain limits, then the design of the ball becomes completely more complicated.

Ball joint design 2110

The service life of the suspension of front-wheel drive cars, as in the photo, depends on operating conditions

True, in the VAZ 2110 and other front-wheel drive models the unit no longer has such strategic importance as on the classics, where a loose support could lead to complete destruction of the suspension, and fives and kopecks lying teeth on the asphalt with the wheels turned out were constant attributes of bad roads. You still need to be able to bring the suspension to this state. In both front-wheel drive and classic models, the task of the support is simple - to provide an articulated rotary connection between the knuckle and the upper or lower arm, and the design of the unit has remained virtually unchanged, except for the landing planes.

A ball joint is a cone-shaped pin with a ball or mushroom-shaped end that can rotate and change angle through the range of operation of the suspension. The ball is placed in a plastic liner and pressed on both sides with a metal case with a top and bottom cover. At one time they produced supports with a collapsible body, but later this idea was abandoned. There were too many factors influencing the wear of the support - here was the quality of assembly during repairs, the quality of the liners, and the quality of lubrication. And the unit had quite a strong influence on traffic safety, and besides, it was more profitable to sell the entire support than to just replace the pins and bushings. Therefore, collapsible supports are practically never found. They are all welded, assembled at the factory, and lubricated there with lubricant, which, however, must be added immediately when installing a new part.

Video on replacing a ball joint on VAZ family cars

The quality of the support depends not only on the design. It just doesn't differ in variety. The support can be of only two types - with a metal-ceramic bearing, they are used as lower supports, and a filler one. The latter are installed on the upper arms of the front suspension and work only on compression, so there is little demand for them. And the main load falls on the lower supports with a metal-ceramic plain bearing. Visually, they differ in the shape of the hole for the finger and the shape of the boot, which protects the sliding bearing from dirt and moisture.

Ball joint life 2110

Replacing the VAZ 2110 ball joint, oddly enough, becomes relevant only after 150-200 thousand mileage. Not 15-20, but precisely 150 thousand. That's how long a quality support for ten goes. Another thing is that buying one is not so easy. The supports are falling like leaves in October, and the producers are multiplying. Therefore, choosing a human support becomes increasingly difficult. But it is possible. To do this, you need, without paying attention to the boxes and colored packaging, just carefully examine the support, and the scorched part will show itself.

After 150,000 km on the “ten” you need to think about replacing the ball joint

Replacing a VAZ 2110 ball joint, lubrication details

Changing the support on the ten with your own hands is quite simple. Having placed the car on the handbrake and put the gearbox in first gear, tearing off the wheel bolts, the front part is raised with a jack and installed on a stand. The wheel is removed, the pin fastening nut is unscrewed, after which the pin is pressed out of the lever using a puller. You can remove the finger without a puller; in this case, a pry bar and even tapping on the conical part will help. The support is unscrewed from the steering knuckle with two bolts; now you can install a new support, having previously coated it well.

Special attention must be paid to the lubricant, and the recipe for its preparation is special: a quarter of the transmission, a quarter of the lithol, the remaining part is the CV joint. The new support is clamped in a vice, the pin is sprayed with the transmission, and after that the required compound is filled into the boot. The consistency should not be too thick, because after 5 thousand km there will be no lubricant left in the joint. If you lubricate every 45-50 thousand, the support will come off for a very long time, regardless of the brand.

The front suspension of McPherson-type front-wheel drive VAZ cars does not cause as much trouble as in traditional 2101-2107. The design of the linkage front suspension of the Zhiguli is more vulnerable to the lack of road surface due to its design features. But even on front-wheel drive cars it is necessary to monitor the condition of the suspension components, since they are not endless. First, it goes to the ball joints.

Tools and materials for replacement

Tools for work.

To replace the ball, you will need to prepare. To do this you need:

Keys and gates.
Liquid WD-40.
Litol or ShRB lubricant.
Puller.
Hammer and crowbar.

Ball location

The ball joint connects the lever and the steering knuckle.

They are located on both sides of the car on the bottom of the lever.

It is used to attach the lever to the hub.

Replacement time

When driving a car on a bad road, you will need to change the ball joints often.

Initially, when it fails, a knock will be heard.
Then the car will begin to pull to the side even when driving on a good road.
Then the tires will begin to wear unevenly.
When turning the steering wheel, squeaks may appear.
It will become more difficult to turn the wheels.

If the finger moves freely with little hand force, the ball joint requires replacement.

Checking the condition of ball joints

There are several ways to check ball joints, and we will look at all of them, because there are only three of them.

We hang the car on a jack, having previously placed the wheel chock under the diagonally opposite rear wheel, and it is better to put the car on the handbrake. We take the wheel with our hands in its upper and lower parts. We are actively swaying and trying to catch the play.

There can be a catch here, since the wheel bearings can lead to horizontal play. Just in case, let's check the bearing. To do this, shake the wheel in a vertical plane. If there is no obvious play, then the support is still to blame.

Ball joint diagnostics

There are several options for this activity:

The first option is to regularly visit your favorite service station and have the chassis diagnosed there. The diagnostic price is usually about 150 rubles.
The second option is to do this diagnosis yourself. Here's how it's done.
Place a jack under the car and lift it so that the wheel comes off the ground.
Place something under the vehicle - do not work on a jacked vehicle.
Grab the wheel from the top and bottom.
Make sudden movements - shake the wheel. Push the top away from you and the bottom towards you and vice versa.
When the wheel wobbles, a dull knock will be heard.
Ask a friend to shake the wheel, and you yourself place two fingers on the connection between the ball joint and the suspension arm (see Suspension repair - how to do it correctly).
If the ball joint is out of order, vibration will be heard at the point where the fingers are applied.

Remember. The ball joint does not necessarily change as a pair.

You can also make assumptions about ball wear for the following reasons:

The car does not move steadily on a flat road. If the ball joints are loose, this is quite possible.
The rubber on the front wheels shows significant uneven wear. Although it may be an incorrect alignment, it does not prevent the ball joint from wearing out.
When a car wheel hits a hole, a dull knock is heard - this indicates that the ball joints on your VAZ 2110 have become unusable.
The steering wheel became harder to turn.

Results

If you follow the above recommendations, you can fix the problem and change the ball joint yourself. Do not allow the ball joint to wear out completely. In this case, it may lead to an accident.

When operating a car on bad roads, the ball joint can quickly fail. At low speeds, a worn part will create a knocking noise, and at high speeds the car will become difficult to control . Also, a worn part will cause the tire to wear unevenly. It also affects the fact that other suspension parts will begin to wear out heavily.

It would be dangerous to drive such a car.

Choosing a quality ball

You can buy any ball joint at the nearest store and drive it for quite a long time, but this is a matter of chance. Therefore, let's look at what a high-quality ball should be:

Ball joint housing. It must be welded in two parts. The seam should be visible on one side, but not on the other.
Ball joint pin. Must be hardened, gray in color, must have scale and no paint on it. Rolled thread.
The ball should rotate with great effort, but not bite. It is often very difficult to turn the finger with your hands - you have to take a knob.
The kit should include a boot and a nut.
Remember - most VAZ 2110 owners install Track balls on their car. Also good options are BelMag, Trial-Lux and others.

Main manufacturers

To make a quality purchase, it is better to purchase from the most rated manufacturers.

These include:

"Belmag". The “Favorit” series is specially manufactured for the VAZ 2110.
"Cedar". The body is solid forged. The rod is rolled with diamond rollers, which ensures high manufacturing precision. After this, a zinc coating is applied to the surface. The boot is made of rubber with high elastic characteristics.
"Track". Often used in vases. The support is capable of traveling up to 60 thousand km.

Replacing the ball joint

Now let's look at how to replace a ball joint correctly with your own hands.

Removal

Advice! Don't forget to set the parking brake and install wheel chocks.

On a VAZ 2110, replacing the ball joint begins with raising the car. This is done using a jack and stand.
Then, using a balloon tool, unscrew the wheel mounting bolts and remove it.
Take a metal brush and clean the area around the ball joint to make it easier to unscrew.
Spray the ball pin with HP spray to make the nut easier to unscrew.
Take a 19mm socket and a long wrench. Unscrew the ball pin nut completely.
Now we need a ball joint remover. Place the connection between the suspension arm and the ball joint into the puller and unscrew the rod until the pin comes out of the arm.

Replacement of ball VAZ 2110

Advice! Tap the suspension arm with a hammer periodically - the vibration will help remove the pin.

If you can’t get such a puller, you can remove the ball joint using a hammer and a pry bar.
The pry bar must be placed between the lever and the steering knuckle, rest against the fist and press on the lever to create pressure.
At this time, it is necessary to apply clear and strong blows to the suspension arm with a hammer until the finger pops out.
Next, using a pry bar, in the same position, you need to bend the lever and move the ball pin away.
Using a 17mm socket, unscrew the two bolts securing the ball joint to the steering knuckle.
Remove the ball.

Ready!

Preparing a new ball

You can just install a new ball joint, but it would be better to apply some tips:

Lubrication. Clamp the new ball joint into the planks.
Remove the nut and boot.
Place a wrench (a small tube of suitable diameter) onto the ball joint pin.
Take Litol or other lubricant and fill the ball joint housing with it.
In this case, you should make rotational movements with the finger of the ball joint so that the lubricant is better distributed in the housing.

Lubricate the ball-to-knuckle bolts.
Drive the threads on the bolts with at least nuts.

Remember! Do not lubricate the ball pin, because it will rotate when you try to tighten the nut directly on the car.

Installation

First of all, clean the seat for the ball joint on the steering knuckle.
Screw the ball back to the knuckle using a 17mm socket.
Using a pry bar, bend the suspension arm and place the finger of the ball joint into the hole in the arm.
Tighten the ball joint pin nut.

Attention! If the finger scrolls, then it is necessary to create a load. This is done with the same mount, only the pressure needs to be created in the opposite direction.

Then put the car wheel back in place.

It doesn't matter on which side of the car you change the ball joint - it's done the same way. In the same way as the replacement of ball VAZ 2110 is done, it is done on other models of this family. Apply these tips from the article, look at the process in the photo and this will make your repair as fast and high-quality as possible!

What should the new ball joint be like for the VAZ 2112?

We all don't want to drive a car that has low quality parts and have to make frequent repairs. Therefore, replacing ball joints on a VAZ 2112 requires a serious approach. Let's list the characteristics of a really good ball joint.

Technical description of the ball joint

Type of good ball joint

The ball joint housing must be welded in two parts.
Carefully inspect the ball body for cracks and chips.
The ball joint pin must be hardened, not painted.
The finger should not dangle loosely in the body - in a good ball joint it is difficult to turn it by hand. Only using a crank will it turn.
Modern ball joints come with a nut and boot.
The nut should not be weak and have a Teflon insert, or a ball nut should be made with a cotter pin hole and a castle nut.
The boot must be intact, without cuts, cracks, or scratches. There should be a metal retaining ring inside the boot.
Well, the price, of course, for a good, decent ball joint is not the cheapest.

Manufacturers of ball joints:

Each car owner chooses the ball manufacturer himself.
There is only one principle - do not buy ball joints that are too cheap. There is a very high probability that they will not be of good quality and will have to be replaced again after a very short mileage.
Among many motorists, ball joints are considered the best.

Track – for VAZ 2112 ball joint

Ball joint puller

Puller for VAZ 2112 ball

Set of heads
Vorotok
Hammer
Crowbar or crowbar
Lubrication
Metal brush
Rust Cleaner
Jack
Car stand

As you can see, the price of a replacement tool is low, since most of the list is available to every motorist.

Jack;
Wheel bolt wrench;
Penetrating lubricant;
Open-end wrench for seventeen, nineteen;
Hammer;
Wire brush;
Copper grease;
Torque wrench;
Ball joint pin remover.

Loosen the wheel bolts, jack up and remove the wheel.
Apply penetrating lubricant to the lower ball pin mounting nut, as well as to the two bolts securing the support to the steering knuckle.

Unscrew the nut securing the ball joint pin using a nineteen wrench.

Install the puller and press the ball pin out of the fist. To remove a pin without a puller, hit the eyelet where it is inserted with a hammer. After two or three hits the finger will pop out.

Using a 17mm wrench, unscrew the two bolts securing the support to the knuckle.

Move the steering knuckle to the side and remove the support.

Clean the landing area and install a new support.

Install and tighten the bolts securing the support to the knuckle. The bolt threads must first be cleaned and coated with copper grease.

Apply copper grease to the threads of the ball pin and tighten the fastening nut.

Ball joint pin nut - 70 Nm.
Bolts securing the support to the knuckle - 55 Nm.

The procedure for replacing the ball joint for VAZ 2110, 2111, 2112 is clearly shown in this video: