Replacing the ball VAZ 2109 with your own hands

Replacing ball joints on a VAZ 2109 yourself

Many parts of any car, including the VAZ 2109, require regular replacement or repair. The ball joint also belongs to such parts. In order not to pay for the work of replacing the ball joint on a VAZ 2109, you can do it yourself in your own garage - it’s not that difficult. In this article you will find photos explaining the essence of the process, as well as a video of the process of replacing the ball on a VAZ 2109. Instructions for choosing a new ball and diagnostics are also included.

Choosing a new ball joint
Ball joint diagnostics
Replacing the ball joint
Replacement

Choosing a new ball joint

Replacement of ball VAZ 2109

You can simply come to the store and ask for a ball for the required car model. But, after a couple of months, you will have to go to the store again and buy another one! There is no meaning to this action, and it only benefits the store owner. Let's choose the right ball joints. Please pay attention to the following points:

Manufacturers often rivet ball joints from rubbish and regardless of the quality of the product. Noticing this pattern, car enthusiasts identified several companies with normal price and quality indicators.
Among such manufacturers is the Trek company, which is highly praised by drivers, as well as service station workers.
If you decide to use another company, remember that there is no such thing as cheap quality! Beware of counterfeits - the stingy pays twice. The price for balls is not that high.
Still, when choosing a ball joint for a VAZ 2109, you should pay attention to its appearance.
The housing must not have any damage or signs of wear. Also, the body of a good ball joint will definitely be welded from two parts.
Pay attention to the ball pin. If it is painted black, this is a bad sign. Yes, the finger should be black, but not from paint, but from temperature hardening.

Advice! When choosing a ball, try turning the support pin. In a good ball joint it is very difficult to move without a knob.

Don't forget about the ball joint configuration. What should be included there? The ball itself, nut, mounting bolts and boot.
The anther must be intact and have no weak points.
The ball joint bolts must also be hardened. Yellow bolts are usually of disgusting quality - the thread is bypassed without even tightening the nut (in some cases).
The nut must have a Teflon insert or a cotter pin included, and there must be a through hole in the ball joint pin.

Advice! Usually lubricant is already added inside the ball, but it is often not enough. Don't forget to pay attention to this.

Checking status

Before changing the ball joint, make sure that this element has actually failed and is the cause of the car's inappropriate behavior.

There are two ways to check - simple and more complex.

First way

To check you will need to do the following:

When driving, listen for knocking noises coming from the front of the car. The malfunction of the ball joint becomes especially noticeable when the wheel falls into a hole;
If, when hitting a hole, there is a dull impact from one of the front wheels, the ball joint should be changed;
There is another way - put your foot on top of the front wheel, and then start pushing it towards the second front wheel. If you hear a dull thump during manipulation, it is better to check the condition of the ball in more detail using the second method.

Verification procedure

Second way

The second testing method is more accurate, but will require a pit and additional equipment.

Place the car over the inspection hole.
Turn on the handbrake and place chocks under the wheels for your own safety.
Raise the front of the car with a jack. Make sure the car is supported securely as you will have to wobble the car.
After lifting the wheels off the ground with a jack, begin testing.
Place one hand on the top point of the wheel, and the other, respectively, on the bottom.
Using gentle but sharp movements, loosen the wheel from top to bottom.
If you don't hear any knocks, check the second wheel as well.
If extraneous sounds appear, you need to ask a friend to place two fingers on the area where the suspension arm connects with the ball pin, as well as on the SHO body. If you feel with your fingers that the ball joint pin is moving inside the body, the ball joint has outlived its usefulness and requires replacement.

It is necessary to change the SHO when signs of wear are detected or when the boot breaks. With a deformed boot, the ball joint will not last long, plus it is dangerous for the driver and passengers.

Dismantling process

To work, you will need an inspection pit or a lift. But if they are not there, you can get by with a regular jack.
Remove the wheel that has a ball joint problem.
Thoroughly clean all elements from accumulated dirt, treat fastening components with WD40 so that the rust comes off and you can carry out dismantling work without any problems.
Using a 19mm wrench, unscrew the nut securing the ball joint to the suspension arm of the VAZ 2109.
Armed with a puller, press the SHO pin out of the suspension arm.
If you don’t have a puller, you don’t need to go to a car service center. There is another way. You need to not completely unscrew the ball joint nut. The tension is created by a pry bar and several targeted, strong blows on the lever with a hammer. In 99% of cases, the finger comes out without any problems.
Do not remove the pry bar too far, since it should now be used to move the suspension arm slightly downward, freeing the ball joint pin from the lever.
Having picked up the 17 head, it is necessary to dismantle the pair of bolts responsible for connecting the steering wheel with the steering knuckle.
Remove the worn ball joint.
Check the condition of the boot and support. In some cases, it is enough to replace the boot. But if the ball joint is worn out and shows all signs of failure, install a new ball joint and reassemble the unit in the reverse order.
Make sure there is a spacer on the pin. If it has been removed, do not forget to return the element to its place. Otherwise, the new support will not work properly.
Be sure to lubricate the rubber boot with grease before reinstalling it. The lubricant is also applied to the place in the support where the boot is mounted.

Ball joint diagnostics

It is very important to determine the time when the ball joint on the VAZ 2109 needs to be replaced and do it. Why? If on the road, at a good speed, the ball joint pin is pulled out of the ball joint itself, this does not bode well for either the car or the passengers. So:

While driving, listen for knocking noises coming from the front of the car. A ball joint malfunction is especially evident when driving on an uneven road or when a wheel falls into a hole.
If, when you hit a hole, you hear a dull thump from one of the front wheels, it is likely that the ball joint needs to be replaced.
You can diagnose a ball joint in another way without special equipment. When parking the car, place your foot on the top of the front wheel.
Next, you should make pushing movements with your foot towards the other wheel. If during this procedure you hear a dull impact sound, then you should turn to a more accurate diagnostic method and, most likely, replace the ball joint.

The following describes the most reliable way to check whether a ball joint needs to be replaced:

For a more accurate diagnosis, you will need an inspection hole and a jack.
The car is installed in a pit, with a parking brake and wheel chocks for greater safety.
Using a jack, the car is raised.

Advice! You should select the jack's support point with extreme caution because the car will have to wobble from side to side.

Once the wheel is off the ground, you can begin testing the ball joint.
One hand is placed on the top point of the wheel, and the second on the bottom.
Next, you should use careful and at the same time sharp movements to shake the wheels from top to bottom.
If there is no sound of impact, move on to another wheel. If there is sound, then we do the following (a friend is needed).
A second person should place two fingers where the ball joint pin connects to the control arm and onto the ball joint housing. If you feel the displacement of the finger in the ball body with your fingers, then it has become unusable.

Signs of breakdown

If the ball joint is severely worn, the car itself will let you know about it. You just need to pay attention to the characteristic symptoms.

When hitting bumps, a distinct thud begins to be heard. It can only come from the front of the left or right side of the car if the problem is in the ball joint.
When the ball joints wear out, the force applied to the steering wheel for turning increases noticeably. At the same time, the ball begins to creak.
Moving on a flat road, the car begins to behave unstably, it is pulled in one direction or another.
When the ball joints on one of the wheels wear out, it is positioned incorrectly and has a certain tilt to the side. This can be easily seen by comparing the position of both wheels. If you often drive your VAZ 2109, you will notice how one wheel wears out faster than the other.

If signs of wear are detected, it is recommended to check their actual current condition and then replace it.

Replacing the ball joint

When you are already convinced that the ball joint needs to be changed, you have chosen a good new ball joint and purchased it, then you can begin the repair. You need to start by preparing the necessary tool for the job. So, what does replacing ball joints on a VAZ 2109 require?

Tool

Replacing the ball joint VAZ 2109 - special puller

You will need:

Jack
Set of keys, heads
Balonnik
Wheel chocks
Puller for ball joints VAZ 2109
Hammer
Mount
Lubrication
Metal brush
WD-40 or equivalent

Now you can start - replacing ball joints on a VAZ 2109!

How to change the ball joint on a VAZ 2109?

After detecting all signs of malfunction, you can begin to replace the element. This operation is not complicated, and therefore can be done by any driver who has a standard set of tools and a place to carry out the appropriate repairs.

First of all, you need to purchase the appropriate ball joint. The most important thing in this matter is to save yourself from buying a defective part. First of all, pay attention to the price of the product. It shouldn't be too low. To save on materials, manufacturers make such ball joints from all sorts of rubbish, resulting in a hinge that must be replaced after just a month of use. The most famous and proven. If possible, buy ball joints from this company.

Procedure:

Remove the wheel bolts and lift the wheel using a jack. Next, you need to completely unscrew the bolts and remove the wheel. For convenience, it is recommended to turn the wheel in advance in the opposite direction from the work.
Now you need to find the connection between the ball joint and the arms. It is located at the bottom of the pendant. Treat the area with a metal brush and WD-40.
Unscrew the pin nut, but not completely. Using a puller, press the ball joint out of the hub. After a corresponding click appears, pull out the puller and completely unscrew the pin securing nut.
Now unscrew the ball joint on the arms and remove it. Install a new part in its place and tighten the fastening nuts.
Drive a portion of lubricant under the boot of the new ball joint and install it in the reverse order. This time, during installation, the use of a puller is not at all necessary, since the pin can be tightened with a nut.
Further assembly is carried out in reverse order.

This completes the replacement of the ball joint. We wish you good luck on the roads!

Article number and price for the original ball joint

The original VAZ 2109 ball joint has article number 21082904185. Its price ranges from 320 to 400 rubles. There are also refurbished spare parts, costing from 80 rubles. It is impossible to determine their service life externally, so purchasing used supports should be avoided.

Original ball joints have a good reputation among car owners. They are optimal in terms of price to quality ratio.

With proper installation and a careful driving style, the supports will last 50-80 thousand km.