Ive broken inner ball joints on both sides of my r56 again. The crap Dorman control arm with both ball joints installed lasted 16k miles. Best I can tell the inner press-fit ball joint is loose. I swore it was the inner tie rod end because this control arm had so few miles on it but after changing both the inner and outer tie rod together its still clanking so now I know its gotta be the darn Dorman control arm.

I see that Rock Auto sells just the inner ball joint (Delphi TC5057) but as far as I know this isn't serviceable on a R56 Cooper S. Is it?

Please confirm.

 

@Lex2008

I believe these are press fit and you can remove them with the “Ball joint service kit” from Harbor freight

 

They can be replaced, but I would be concerned about the new ball joint fitting the aftermarket control arm properly. Also, it’s not quite as simple as pulling the control arm and swapping the ball joint out. As mentioned, you’ll need a press or the special tool.

 

Interesting. I have that tool but why is Rock Auto the only one that sells just the inner ball joint?

FCP euro, ECS tuning, etc dont sell it. Why?

I think Im gonna pay a little extra for a Lemfoerder part (OEM). Im gonna change the ball joint at the knuckle too with a Lemfoerder ball joint...Dorman is junk. I dont wanna do this again.

FCP Euro has the best price for OEM units.

 

Yes the inner ball joint can be replaced on the OE control arm.
VAICO V201434
*** 825 0313 10
ALT SD21581
The question is whether these are compatible with your aftermarket control arm.

 

yup. I don't know. Assuming they (Dorman) do use one of the 3 ballpoints you mention.

But the VAICO isn't available anywhere here in US that I can see, nor are the other 2 even sold here in US. Weird.

 

I just replaced both lower control arms and added new poly rear bushings while i was at it. I used new Delphi control arms which came with new ball joints preinstalled. My thoughts are replace the entire control arm along with new ball joints. Since the ball joints are only pressed in, that fitment is not super strong. In fact, factory recommends only once should the ball joints be replaced since replacement has the tendency of enlarging the factory spec hole diameter in the control arm (and that is what holds the ball joint securely). I've only put about 10K miles on my car since the work so i don't know how long to expect this to last. The factory control arms and ball joints are really expensive so if these don't give me good service, I'll do it again only with factory parts.

 

Goatrunner,

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes I did this with those POS Dorman units (both joints included).

The press in design is so stupid. The OEM ball joint literally fell out of the control arm when I unbolted it at 148k miles or so. But hey it lasted 150k miles..

I ordered OEM manufacturer units this time. Never again will use Dorman suspension parts.

 

Hello,

https://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2007-...nt/Ball_Joint/

Added the Vaico and Delphi versions. If you see anything that no one else has, most of the time we can get it through our connections. Thanks for the heads up on this one.

 

I have a mad clunking sound on small bumps...passenger side. 170k miles on this car BUT ALL suspension components were changed at 140k miles. Went through this before with the infernal clunking and found it was the inner ball joint.

I put the car in air and tested play in wheel side to side and up and down and man it was jiggling very badly with hands at 3 and 9 o'clock position. So this is ball joint or tie rods...definitely something broken so I spent quite come time looking at what might be moving. Sine the Dorman cntrol arm with ball joints only had 16k miles on it I thought...wow this must be the inner tie rod, which RARELY goes bad.

So I change inner/outer tie rod. Noise and wiggle still present. FRICK. Its the crap Dorman control arm. I change it for Lemfoerder with new Lemfoerder outter ball joint. Jiggle is now GONE!... but clanking is still as loud as ever. OMG why me?

The sway bar end links don't look bad and they were changed maybe 5k miles back and the sway bar bushings were changed a few thousand miles ago.

I'm gonna disconnect the anti-sway bar and see if the clanking stops. Ill double check the pinch bolt for the strut.

If that isn't it, it must be a broken tophat on the strut, or strut mount as Mini calls it...or a broken strut (Koni FSD with only 25k miles on them), but the car rides fine.




I must have hit one hell of a pothole. AGAIN.

 

Might be the end ball joint also, the mounts usually mushroom and don't clunk.. most of the time. Make sure the top nuts are tight, maybe one worked loose and the shock is not tight on the mount or body? Should look close to that design and no mushrooming.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/31306772749/

 

whats the "end ball joint"? You mean the tophat/strut mount in the picture?

Ya top nuts...for sure...I do believe I checked but I will do so again. Thanks. It sure sound like its coming from high up on the body near the dash.

 

Ball joint at the end of the arm, the one that connects to the steering knuckle

 

ah the outter ball joint. Ya I changed it when I changed the control arm, just in case. Its hard to simulate the loads/forces of the wheels on the ground and moving with just your hands on the wheel...

Coupe of years ago I chased a clunk on drivers side for eons...then I took the control arm off and the pressed in ball joint just FELL OUT of the control arm. CLANK.

Thanks for your input.