Ball joints VAZ-2110: which ones are better to install on a car?

Ball joints are one of the most important components of a car, because a sudden failure of the joint can create an emergency situation on the road. This is exactly the detail on which it is completely impractical to save. Our review presents manufacturers who produce balls with the best performance characteristics. All of them are distinguished by their endurance, reliability, and have a longer service life compared to products not included in our rating. Brand positions are based on manufacturer claims and reviews from direct owners who have had the opportunity to personally experience the performance of these ball joints.

Which manufacturer's ball joint is better?

Spare parts stores offer products of varying quality. When answering the question of which ball joints are best, it is difficult to choose one company. Europeans create good spare parts for cars that drive on ideal roads. Americans have better off-road parts. Japanese and South Korean brands attract attention with innovative materials and technologies. The VyborExperta.ru team recommends the following brands, taking into account the scope of application of the components:

• CTR Suspension – for business class cars and budget models;
• Lemforder is the choice of car owners of famous European brands;
• Moog is a good solution for owners of heavy crossovers and SUVs;
• Trek is the best manufacturer of suspension parts for Russian cars.

All brands presented in the review deserve the trust of customers and the title of the best brands among companies producing spare parts for car suspensions.

How to choose a ball joint

The question of which brand of ball joint should be installed on a personal car is not idle. The part ensures safety while driving and performing complex maneuvers. It is not enough for a car owner to find out which manufacturers are the best in this segment. It is necessary to understand the types of ball joints that require replacement, their quantity, and pay attention to compatibility. Basic knowledge will help you conduct a qualified dialogue with sellers of spare parts and avoid buying counterfeit goods.

Types of ball joints

They produce ball joints for the steering end, straight and triangular levers. Based on the type of construction, stamped-welded, rolled-up and solid-forged components are distinguished. Parts differ in price, service life, and reliability. Stamp-welded ones do not hold lubricant well. Sunset ones have a low price, but a low resource, and under increased loads, play appears in them. Solid forged ones can withstand 10-fold overload and are recommended for equipping vehicles used off-road.

Compatibility

The rear upper ball joint on a Nissan may be similar to a similar part for a Mazda in design and geometric dimensions. This does not mean that the parts are completely compatible. If you try to replace it, problems will arise, and during operation the support may not be able to cope with the load. Before purchasing, you need to find out compatibility using the online spare parts catalog or the database in the store. It is recommended to check the codes using the WIN code. It is necessary to purchase products that are completely identical to the parts of the assembly line.

Number of ball joints

The number of components requiring replacement may differ for cars of the same class. This is due to the design features of the suspension. Each manufacturer has its own requirements for the chassis. Owners of cars with MacPherson front suspension just need to buy lower ball joints. The multi-link design will double the number of workers. Some models also have a rear suspension with ball joints, which are traditionally installed at the top.

Manufacturer

During operation, ball joints experience high loads. When choosing a manufacturer, preference should be given to companies that use high-quality metal, wear-resistant plastic, and good lubrication. Owners of domestic cars can choose products created by Russian companies. There are many brands in the country that produce suspension parts. The products of these companies meet the standards of domestic automakers and are supplied for assembly line assembly. The catalogs contain standard and reinforced spare parts with extended service life.

When purchasing consumables for foreign cars, it is better to give preference to a company that cooperates with the car manufacturer. This will allow you to obtain replacement parts that are not inferior in characteristics to standard spare parts. Reliable ball joints are produced by American companies, where there is a tradition of producing reinforced suspension components.

TREK

Manufacturer of ball joints, divided into series with different distinctive characteristics. The main advantage of the parts is the absence of defects, due to the latest materials with high resistance to environmental influences.

The equipment varies depending on the type of series. In addition to the ball, the kit contains a boot, lubricant and original fasteners. In most cases, they are produced for VAZ models.

The warranty period is 2 years with a mileage of 50 thousand km. With proper care, the extended service life of the ball will be over 5 years, even on rough roads.

Positive features:

• The quality of the roads does not matter;
• Good correlation between price and quality;
• The parts are not afraid of the cold;
• Before packaging, all parts are lubricated with oil;
• The body is seamless, which increases the safety margin and makes its service life longer;
• High safety margin.

Negative features:

• There are many fakes of poor quality.
• Series with low wear resistance are not suitable for our roads.

Sergey Timofeevich, car owner, 32 years of driving experience

After diagnostics, the ball joints were ordered to be replaced. I thought for a long time about what to buy, Trek was advised. I read a sea of ​​reviews, reviews, analyzed everything, and took the Trek. The quality looks decent, the boot is transparent in color - unusual, there is enough lubrication underneath it. Since then, 37 thousand kilometers have passed, the flight is normal.

MEYLE

Ball joints from this manufacturer are divided into two series: HD - high quality and comparable to similar equipment; Original - average quality aftermarket parts. The safety margin is increased due to the use of high-strength materials.

There are two types of ball configurations: complete, with the addition of lubricants and fasteners; incomplete, often missing fasteners, lubricant and retaining ring.

The warranty period for the HD series balls is four years with proper care. And the rest - about 12 months .

Positive features:

• Increased service life;
• Availability of two series;
• Wide selection of parts;
• Quality assurance;
• There are no defects due to the high safety margin.

Negative features:

• Lots of counterfeits.

Andrey, car mechanic, 5 years of experience

I work in a service. A car came to us for suspension diagnostics. Almost everything was written off except the ball joints. We thought they had been changed recently, but it turns out they weren't. Everything was changed at the same time, only the supports were MEYLE and they went through 95 thousand, and there are still no obvious defects.

RTS

Spanish manufacturer of ball joints of European quality at a budget price. The main difference is the absence of defects, thanks to the use of the latest materials. RTS factories have received certificates of compliance with international and European standards, including ISO9000.

Basic equipment - support, protective cover, ring, polyurethane liner and fasteners. May be incomplete for partner companies. All components can be purchased on the secondary market, but there are many non-original spare parts.

Under warranty, the support is in use for about 12 months. But sometimes the extended service life is more than 2 years .

Positive features:

• Variety in choice;
• A complete set of parts and the ability to buy replacements.
• Good value for money;

Negative features:

• Lots of fakes.

Anatoly Mikhailovich, owner of a service station

A year and a half ago I installed RTS for myself. The car has driven 45,000 kilometers, no complaints. If we compare TRW and this manufacturer, its products are cheaper and the quality is higher. But again, there are a lot of fakes, buy only from trusted suppliers. Clients of my service have always been satisfied with the quality of the products of this brand.

BZAK and FENOX

The design feature of the element produced by BZAK is a forged all-metal body. Due to this, the hinge has high strength; it is almost impossible to tear the finger out of the holder. Ball joints have very high resistance to loads acting in the vertical plane. The VAZ-2110 ball joint race is very strong and does not collapse during long-term use.

FENOX produces various models of ball joints for front-wheel drive VAZ cars - rolled, stamped, solid forged. The body is maximally reinforced, so it can withstand heavy loads when moving. But, according to reviews from car owners, this manufacturer does not shine with quality, despite the fact that the passport indicates such good characteristics.

Replacement

You have decided that you will carry out the replacement work yourself. Well, that's right. Extra money saved is never a bad idea.

Today, the service for replacing ball joints costs an average of 2-3 thousand rubles.

Replacement consists of two stages:

• Dismantling old ball joints;
• Installation of new elements.

Dismantling stage

We will start, of course, with the removal:

• Put the car on the handbrake, disconnect the negative terminal on the battery, place anti-roll bars under the wheels and lift the car using a jack on the problem wheel. You need to think about safety first if you are doing car repairs yourself;
• Loosen the wheel mounting bolts and then remove it;
• Remove the nut that holds the ball pin;
• Using a puller, press the support pin out of its seat. If you don't have a puller, use a pry bar and a hammer. The support is pryed up with a pry bar, several blows are applied with a hammer, as a result of which the problematic part comes out;
• Using any strong lever you can find in the garage, move the suspension arm down a little;
• Now the ball is easily removed from its place. This stage requires the presence of an assistant, since it is quite difficult to complete the entire range of dismantling work with two hands. To be more precise, it is inconvenient.

Internal lubrication

That's it, the old ball joint has been dismantled, so you can start installation. We can say that the installation takes place in a clear reverse order. But there are some nuances here.

When choosing a support, inspect it carefully for defects. This is especially true for the boot, since the service life of the support as a whole depends on it. The average price of a ball is 300-500 rubles.

Methods for determining wear

There are two effective ways to determine joint wear. Firstly, the presence of extraneous knocking sounds in the suspension area, which are clearly audible on turns and on bad roads. Secondly, an uncharacteristic creaking sound when the car is moving. At such moments, it is better to immediately go to a car repair shop for diagnostics.

Secondary signs are:

• Applying more force to the steering wheel to make a turn;
• Ornate wheel movements even on a flat road surface;
• Uneven wear of tires on both sides.

You can check the ball joint visually or using diagnostics. It must be disassembled if the components break down. Most often, these will be problems due to damage to the boot or wear of the nylon insert. Partial disassembly on a lift is also possible. Backlash will indicate improper ball operation.

To correct all problems in the operation of such an important component of the suspension, it is necessary to repair or completely replace the ball joint.

Preventive diagnostics should be carried out every six months to eliminate the possibility of serious breakdowns and dangerous situations on the roads.

Malfunctions

The ball is not particularly friendly with dirt, so getting it on the part can lead to unpleasant consequences. To protect against contamination, the design of the element includes a boot, with the help of which dirt and sand practically do not penetrate inside.

Actually, it is the boot that is the weakest point of the ball joint, due to which it is often necessary to completely replace it. This is all due to the poor quality of the material from which the boot is made and the harsh operating conditions. As a result, the boot cracks, bursts, dirt gets inside, and the support fails.

Worn element

Verification methods

To determine that the ball joint is the culprit for your car’s slightly “inappropriate” behavior on the road, you need to check this point.

To do this, there are three main verification methods, each of which has its own characteristics.

Way

Actions

The car is being jacked up

In this case, firmly grasp the wheel and wobble it. If there is noticeable play, the ball is worn out and requires replacement.

Place the car on the inspection pit

A pry bar is inserted into the gap between the suspension arm and the ball from below. By the movement of the wheel, you can immediately notice the presence of play. Replacement required

Send your car to a service center

Specialists using the appropriate equipment will conduct diagnostics, determine the degree of wear of the support, and come to the appropriate conclusion about the need for replacement. You can change it there too

Why is replacement required?

Operating a vehicle with a faulty ball joint can not only reduce ride comfort, but also seriously affect the safety of the driver, his passengers and other road users.

Initially, a faulty ball joint only makes unpleasant knocking noises, but at any moment you can simply lose the wheel. You understand what consequences this can lead to if you drive at high speed.

If you find signs of a suspension malfunction, immediately go to a service station or look for the cause and fix it yourself.

Spare part selection

So, to start replacing the ball joint on your VAZ 2110, you will first need to purchase a new part. This is not difficult to do, since the current range is very diverse and wide.

Although it is this diversity that often becomes the reason for difficult choices. Among so many options, you need to settle on just one. But your task is to find the highest quality and reliable spare part that can serve for more than one season.

In this regard, we invite you to familiarize yourself with the principles for choosing a high-quality ball in our table.

Element

Requirement

The ball body is welded in two parts. Moreover, on one side the seam should be noticeable, and on the other - not

Inspect the ball pin. It should be hardened, gray in color with scale. Make sure there are no traces of paint on the part. On quality parts, rolled threads are used