Pontiac Ball Joint
A ball joint is a flexible coupling in a vehicle suspension that connects the
control arm and the steering knuckle. It consists of hardened steel bearing stud
and a socket that is enclosed in a metal housing with a rubber like sealing gasket
around the joint. There are several designs of ball joints wherein some designs
do not need lubricating maintenance, while others should be lubed every four to
six months.
Pontiac ball joint serves as the pivoting joint between the wheels and the suspension
system. It also works as a wheel alignment setting for the Pontiac vehicle to
have straighter positioning for ensured smooth ride. The bearing stud of the ball
joint is narrowed and threaded to directly fit on the tapered hole that is located
in the steering knuckle.
The Pontiac ball joint has a protective boot that prevents dirt and other harmful
contaminants from entering the ball joint assembly. The ball joint is usually
used on the front end of the suspension system, wherein it is used by the steering
system, by the steering knuckle in particular. Pontiac vehicles that use a conventional
suspension system possess two ball joints per wheel, namely the upper and lower
ball joints. Whereas, Pontiac vehicles that use the McPherson strut suspension
system only uses a lower ball joint and a upper strut bearing.
Today’s Pontiac vehicles use heavily lubricated Pontiac ball joints. It provides
the end user the convenience in doing regular maintenance task to avoid or identify
any problem earlier. The most common Pontiac vehicle problems that are associated
with faulty ball joint are uneven tire wear, variable steering performance, and
wandering. If these problems are evident on your Pontiac vehicle, it is advisable
to bring it to your trusted mechanic and let them fix the problem in proper way.
