Failing lower ball joints?

[John A. Heer]

Ben:

I have had so many ball joints go out, I know the sound all too well.
It's a thunking noise on starting up from a stop or sometimes when you
stop.  It's not a clicking - it's harder and deeper than that.  You can
feel it in the frame of the car.

All you need to do is look at the ball joint to tell if it's bad. It
will either be loose in the socket/hole it fits into in the arm or the
boot will be torn.  Just buy a new control arm which comes with a new
ball joint.  Don't bother with trying to pound in a new ball joint into
the old control arm - it will only be a matter of time before you are
back to needing another ball joint and the hole in the arm will be too
big to hold it.

Ask how I know.

John Heer
93 SE-R

-----Original Message-----
Ben Wrote:
What are the symptoms (noises?) of a failing front lower ball joint?
I think mine are way past failed, but I'm not sure.
I hear a pronounced thumping sound everytime I accelerate from a stop.
I feel like when I stop, I re-seat the ball joint, and then when I
accelerate, I pop it loose again. I'm going to fix an engine mount
problem I have, and then see if it continues. But, does anyone know for
sure what happens when a front lower ball joint is failing? Aside from
sudden death.