Hey

Well here's the issue. My girlfriend got an alignment on her accord and noticed a knocking noise after the alignment. I did her brake pads and notice that I could move the ball joint by grabbing the assembly here in the middle (I would call it the steering knuckle?) and moving it back and forth.



Now normally I would believe it to be bad but took back to the alignment shop because the steering wheel was off center and they said she had bad wheel bearings this time around??? The weird thing is that there is nothing that makes me think they are bad.

Bottom line if i grab the knuckle and shift it around and ball joint has play and makes the noise she is describing would that be the problem even though the shop said otherwise? Also are the joints messed with at all during camber adjustment? I just need some backup on this guys. Thanks!

 

a small amount of play is acceptable in balljoints, my rule of thumb is less than 1/16 of an inch is ok.

You would not need to seperate the joints to adjust camber, Inorder to change the wheel bearing you would have to seperate them.

 

It's more then a 1/16th. I'd say like 1/4-1/2 (kind of broad measurement but you know). Its more then noticeable and then the fact you can hear it when you move it makes me think so. Plus the other side is stiff as hell.