Repeated driver side lower ball joint failure

[Ryan7crew]

First time posting here, but done a bunch of research on the page before.
Recently essentially rebuilt the front end of my 2001 Mazda b3000. New rotors, bearings, brakes, upper/lower control arms will ball joints and bushings, and shocks. Torsion bars I just loosened and set approximately back how they were. Not sure what brand the first ball joint was (came on new control arm) but it failed by the time I got to the tire store to get the alignment done (about 10 miles). I assumed it was a bad part and put an O'Reilly house brand one on. It lasted about 300 miles. I read that I could have just put on a cheap part so upscaled. Next I put on a Moog ball joint. It lasted about 700 and is starting to knocking. Any ideas to the cause? Boots are fine and full of fresh grease still.

 

[McCormack]

That's very unusual. Are you sure that it's your ball joints that are knocking and not something else in the front end?

 

[Ryan7crew]

Ya, same noise coming from the same place as before, and it goes away every time I replace the ball joint for a little while. Till it needs replaced again that is. I'm completely baffled. I'm thinking something else is wore out causing extra strain on the ball joint. Either that or they completely screwed up the alignment. But it seems pretty straight.

 

[swshawaii]

Agree, very strange. Did you loosen the torsion bars and lower after the alignment? Pics?

 

[Ryan7crew]

I'll get some pictures up when the light is better tomorrow. But haven't touched the torsion bar adjustment since before the alignment. I'll admit though, I don't know a ton about torsion bars so i just put everything back to how it appeared before i removed the lower control arm. Passenger side is fine and I followed basically the same procedure for that side when I replaced everything on that side.

 

[swshawaii]

How do you know it's the lower ball joint? Before anything else, check the torque of ALL removed parts.

Loose sway bar end links, caliper brackets, and upper control arm bolts can cause a loud knocking noise.

 

[McCormack]

To eliminate the torsion bar as a possible source for your knock you can disconnect it and drive around for awhile to see if the noise goes away. Actually if you wanted to you could just remove the thing... my 2000 rode like a Mack truck so I took my torsion bar off and it helped make my truck ride better.

 

[swshawaii]

^ You meant sway bar, correct? :scratch:

 

[McCormack]

^ You meant sway bar, correct? :scratch:

Yep, sway bar. My bad.