NAMA : Doohan Taqdissillah

NIM : 181910101088
MATKUL : Elemen Mesin 2 (C)

1. CHARACTERISTIC AND FUNCTION OF BALL JOINT

Ball joints are chassis parts that connect the steering knuckles to the control
arms. The ball and socket design of the joint allows it to swivel so the
knuckles can pivot as the wheels are steered, and to arc so the knuckles can
follow the vertical motions of the suspension as it reacts to changes in the
road surface. Vehicles with short-long arm (SLA) front suspensions have
four ball joints (two uppers and two lowers), while most strut equipped
vehicles have only two lower joints in the front suspension (except those
with "wishbone" strut suspensions such as Honda that have four). Rear ball
joints are also used in some front-wheel drive cars with independent rear
suspensions.

2. PROCEDURE WORK OF BALL JOINT

A ball joint is used for allowing free rotation in two planes at the same time
while preventing translation in any direction, including rotating in those
planes. Combining two such joints with control arms enables motion in all
three planes, allowing the front end of an automobile to be steered and a
spring and shock (damper) suspension to make the ride comfortable. The
introduction of ball joints top and bottom allowed 3-axis articulation and so
removed all the constraints on the control arm axes being exactly parallel, so
caster could be freely adjusted, typically by asymmetric adjustment of the
position of the control arm inner pivots, while camber was adjusted by the
symmetric adjustment of these same pivots.

3. COMPONENTS OF BALL JOINT

1. Ball Stud
2. Dust Cover
3. Ball Seat
4. Urethane Ring
5. Plug
6. Spring Seat
4. BALL JOINT MAINTENANCE

The automotive ball joint connects the control arm to the steering knuckle.
While the control arm allows for up and down motion, the steering knuckle
turns the wheels when you turn the steering wheel. This is important because
steering would not be too effective if the front wheels were not able to travel
with varying demands created by even more diverse road surfaces and loads
placed upon the suspension itself. Because the ball joint can move in two
different directions at once, the suspension can, too.
Depending on the type of vehicle and suspension in question, there may
possibly be an upper and a lower ball joint. The lower ball joint usually takes
the biggest hits and wears out first. Not only does it need to handle the load
of the vehicle, but it also absorbs the shocks of potholes and other bone-
jarring road hazards. It is for these reasons that ball joints should be
lubricated and inspected according to proper service schedule intervals.
The time for regularly scheduled lubrication is the best time for front
suspension maintenance and ball joint inspection. First look to see that the
rubber boots holding the grease inside the ball joint are in good shape. If the
boot is torn, or just plain gone, chances are so is the ball joint. If the ball
joint is capable of being greased, use only the grease that is recommended
for the job. Some ball joints come lubricated for life and are therefore
incapable of being greased.
Worn ball joints can be held accountable for clunks and sloppy steering. As
the socket and ball wear out together, the tolerances become greater and the
ball joint becomes loose. The ball can literally rattle and clunk around in the
socket – causing clunking noises. On the other side of the wear equation, the
ball joint can bind and cause a tight spot in steering travel. Replacing the ball
joints can bring smooth steering back to your old clunker.
Determining if the ball joints are good or bad depends largely on which type
of suspension and ball joints are used in the vehicle in question. If you're
lucky, the ball joints will have wear indicators built right in, in which case,
checking them is easy. If not, relieve the load on the suspension by jacking
the vehicle up and inspecting each individual ball joint for play. As there are
more than a few types of suspension setups out there, the best procedure to
follow is the one that's spelled out in your vehicle's service manual. As
severe failure of a ball joint can cause a car's suspension to come apart, it is
best not to take guesses when dealing with suspension issues.