Failed ball joint

[Wef]

They are easy to replace
I got it down to 20 minutes including pressing out .
However my experience and my next door nabour is that they do come loose easily . probably because our local road surface is less than perfect.causing much noise.

 

[decimal]

Would you recommend changing the ball joints on a 10-year-old Leaf just as a precaution, even after there are no creaking sounds once the suspension mounts have been changed? Assume that the car is left outside in all weather and has to cope with really rough pot holes every day..

 

[Wef]

Probably not
I had so much trouble getting a good hold in the wish bone.if they are ok and you are unable to get any movement with a bar from underneath leave well alone.
Modern test equipment is a different story.where a test is concerned probably yes but change the entire unit.i have successfully changed the joint only . But you have to ease the old joint out using heat and a press so as not to damage the wish bone
Even then you can be unlucky.do strongly advise change lot.

 

[matthewh]

Had a ball joint with play in it marked on safety check. Replaced the whole control arm to also get new bushings. A 2015 Leaf with 180.000 km.
Video below (norwegian text) shows lots more removal than was necessary.
1. With liberal use of penetrating oil removed the pinch bolt and chiseled open the pinch
2. Removed the two frame bolts and twisted the control arm out of the frame attachment points (rear out first, don't pull the axle out of the transmission).
3. With the inner part of the control arm hanging free a little more hammering and penetrating oil loosened the ball joint from the knuckle.
4. Installation essentially the reverse order of removal.
Good luck! I used about 2 hrs including some wrong turns.