Well I searched. Another reason for the S4 guys to have bragging rights. Why all the hate for the S5 owners *sigh*

So whats my options? I've got a bad front left ball joint. Buy a new lower control arm? Thats pretty damn expensive...

Buy Two S4 lower control arms s4 sway bar links, and new s4 ball joints... Isn't that just as expensive as the one s5 control arm?

What route did you guys go? Any idea why mazda made the ball joint irreplaceable?

 

I'll be honest. Short of accident damage, I've *never* seen an FC with a bad balljoint, period. ONly a few with bad wheelbearings. For some reason, these cars were built much better in some respects than in others. We have massive electrical problems, but you never hear of a rearend going out, a balljoint failing on it's own, or a steering rack developing too much play, like you might on some other vehicles.

 

Mine were bad, Kevin (at least one of them, anyway). Symptoms were hellish vibration above 90 mph. New ball joints fixed it...

 

If your joints are really bad it would be cheaper to source S4 parts. A used arm, used sway bar links, and new ball joints would never be more than the $500 a new S5 unit costs.

How do you know it is bad?

 

Well... actually I'm going off a tire-pull test that a tire shop did last night when I was getting the wheels re-balanced from the minor accident I had a week ago. I bent the spindle on the same tire they are saying the balljoint is bad, so I'm not finding it hard to believe.

I replaced the rotor, spindle, and hub on driver front side. I bent the rim aswell, but they rebalanced it pretty close to where its not to noticeable.

I suppose I could take it to another shop. I was going to have them do a 4pt alignment, but they said they couldn't b/c of the ball joint.

 

I asked a buddy of mine that's worked on 7's for about 15 years now, and he said he's only worked on maybe two S5's ever with bad ball joints.

 

But with a high milage cars like most FC's, it does happen. I have had to replace two on my S4 NA, and I have had a friend with a S5 NA replace one. Seems kinda silly to think it doesn't happen.

 

No one said it doesn't....rather said its rare.

 

You buy S4 parts. S5 hatin= people finding out how shitty some of the S5 stuff is.

 

I think some S5 stuff is built tougher (hey the radio suround won't crack), but nearly or impossible to replace.