What is a ball joint?

Ball joints are an essential part of your vehicle's steering system. A ball joint is essentially a flexible joint, which is a stud with threads on one end and a ball on the other. The ball sits in a steel socket with a nylon or sintered-iron bearing between the two. Some ball joints have a spring that applies a force to the ball to take up any play. A ball joint is sealed by a rubber boot or similar high strength material, which keeps out dust and water and keeps in lubricant. Most ball joints are lubricated through a grease fitting or removable plug. On a typical automotive application, there are usually two upper and two lower ball joints and they are usually mounted in the outer ends of the front suspension control arms. In a McPherson strut suspension, only one ball joint is used and is at the outer end of each lower control arm.

What does it do?

Amply named a ball joint because of its ball-and-socket construction, a ball joint has two basic functions: it allows a rotary motion while the angle of the rotation axis changes and it a suspension component that connects to the steering knuckle to either control arm to allow pivoting in various directions. Basically, they act as pivots which allow turning of the front wheels and compensate for changes in wheel and steering geometries that commonly occur while driving.

How does it work?

The mechanics of ball joints are pretty simple. Ball joints mount on the outer ends of the front suspension control arms. It provides a pivoting joint that connects the steering knuckle to the control arms, which can only move up or down or swing side to side. This allows the steering knuckle and wheel to turn in and out for steering. The wheel is attached to the spindle on the steering knuckle.

How do I know I need ball joints?

Because ball joints are a pivotal part to your steering, the first symptoms you will be able to pick up on will be related to your steering. If you feel that you are getting a slowed steering response or suffering erratic steering, this may be symptoms that your ball joints are wearing. Also, irregular tire wear or hearing a some knocking sounds coming from the front end, heard especially during sharp turns or driving on bumpy roads, may be a sign that your ball joints are worn quite badly. Because ball joints are difficult to diagnose without the help of special tools, the best thing you can do is have them inspected be a qualified technician.

Why Mevotech ball joints?

The key pivotal point of all suspensions requires strength in materials. Mevotech believes in giving you the finest and strongest ball joint possible to ensure it is done right the first time. All Mevotech ball joints come manufactured with:

• Polished surfaces to reduce friction
• Lubrication access (where applicable) to allow fluid coating of components plus flushing capabilities to get rid of contaminants
• Premium boots to keep moisture and road debris away from the bearing surfaces.

Added features that Mevotech ball joints provide are, full ball studs to distribute load equally and over a vast area, knurling on the housing for press-in type joints to keep the socket from turning, corrosion inhibitors to provide longer life, and all necessary hardware to complete the job.

With full coverage of domestic, import and light truck applications, Mevotech ball joints are the choice of professionals.

What is Rack and Pinion?

When someone refers to Rack and Pinion, they are referring to the type of steering your vehicle has. Rack and Pinion steering is rapidly becoming the most popular type of steering today, mostly because of its simplicity. There are two major components to a Rack and Pinion steering, the rack and a pinion. When a technician tells you that you have to replace or rebuild your rack and pinion, that means that your Rack and Pinion assembly needs repair and not your steering system directly. The steering system in your vehicle allows the driver to control the direction of travel. This is made possible through linkage that connects the steering wheel to the steerable wheels and tires. Every steering system is either manual or power, meaning that when the only force exerted on the steering wheel is done by the driver, this is a manual steering system. When the vehicle uses an electric motor or a hydraulic pump to assist the driver, this is a power steering system. Whether your vehicle has power or manual steering, the fundamental operation remains the same. When the driver turns the steering wheel, the movement is carried to a steering gear, which is referred to as a Rack and Pinion gear.

What is a Rack?

Rack, which is referred to as a steering rack, is a long piece of metal that is flat on one side. The flat side has teeth that run along the length of the rack. The teeth are cut perpendicular to the edges of the rack, which means they are side by side and run the length of the rack. At each end of the rack, a tie rod is connected.

What is a Pinion?

The pinion, which is referred to as the pinion shaft, the steering gear or the rack and pinion gear is a circular rod that also has teeth on it. Unlike the rack, the teeth on the rod run parallel to the length of its shaft, not lengthwise. Held in place by a collar, the pinion shaft comes into the rack at a ninety-degree angle and the teeth on the shaft mesh with the teeth on the rack. A steering or rack and pinion gear serves one function. It changes the rotary motion of the steering wheel into a straightline or linear motion.

How does it all work?

Rack and pinion units have other components as well. There are inner and outer tie rods, bushings, bearings and rubber boots. The bearings and bushings are all part of internal functions in the gear assemblies and the rubber boots are used for protection against dirt and dust entering the system. Let's look at how this all works together. The rack and pinion assembly serves two purposes:

• It converts the rotational motion of the steering wheel into a linear motion required to turn the wheels in either direction
• It provides a gear reduction that makes it easier to turn the wheels

The pinion is located inside an assembly which contains some bearings, seals, adjusting screws and lock nuts. The bearings allow for unchallenged turning of the pinion and the seals prevent contamination from dust, dirt and grime. The adjusting screws and lock nuts allow fine tuning of the pinion.

The rack, which is located in a steering rack housing, also contains a set of bearings, seals and boots that serve the same purpose as they do with the pinion. On both extremities of the rack, an inner tie rod extends out towards the wheels. These are protected by rubber boots to prevent contamination. The inner tie rods connect to some outer tie rods which are then connected to the steering knuckles, which connect the steering system to the wheels.

The pinion shaft is connected to the steering column and whenever the driver turns the steering wheel, the pinion reacts in a counter-clockwise motion. The steering wheel rotates a gear which engages the rack and as the gear turns, it slides the rack in either direction (right or left) depending on which way the driver turns the wheel. Basically put, if you turn the steering wheel to the right, the rack moves left making the wheels go right. Keep in mind this is from the driver's perspective.

How do I know I need a Rack and Pinion unit?

Even with a simple system like the Rack and Pinion assembly, there are still a few problems that can occur. In most cases, a leak is still the key culprit in Rack troubles. It can be attributed to a rip or tear in the bellows boots (rubber boots), wear in the housing or weakening seals. Usually, you would be able to see a puddle of fluid under your car that isn't green (radiator fluid), black (engine oil) or clear (air-conditioner run-off). Feathered tire wear, straight ahead stability and sloppy steering can be attributed to worn inner or outer tie rods. If you can hear a "clunking" or thumping noises, that may be a sign that that the rack mounting bushings are worn. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is a good idea to have a qualified technician inspect your steering system.

Why Mevotech Rack and Pinion Units?

Because Rack and Pinion steering is so popular today, the demand for a high quality Rack and Pinion unit is the most valued in the market place. Mevotech prides itself on remanufacturing the best Rack assembly possible. All our Rack and Pinion units go through a stringent test process to assure that we have the best in the business:

• All racks are 100% vacuum tested with a special liquid mix to ensure no microscopic leaks
• All racks are 100% pressure tested at both ends to ensure maximum performance
• All racks are cleaned using a special vibratory cleaner to reduce contaminants
• All rack components are constructed using high strength plastics, polymers and rubbers

With over 700 SKU's available on domestic, import and light truck applications, Mevotech Rack and Pinion Units are the choice of professionals.

Mevotech is proud to announce the introduction of the new X-factor racks coming soon!

What is a strut mount?

Most of the front wheel drive vehicles today have some sort of strut suspension systems, most commonly the McPherson Strut Suspension. Strut mounts, sometimes referred to as bearing plates, are a vital link in the suspension chain as they connect a vehicle's strut system to the body of a car, truck or van. In the McPherson system, there is a mount between the strut and the chassis at the upper strut attachment point. Strut mounts come in different sizes and shapes, are usually made of rubber and steel and are used as vibration dampeners and help the suspension maintain complicity.

What is a strut?

A strut is a common damper type that can be found on independent suspension, front wheel drive vehicles as well as some rear wheel drive vehicles. Struts take the place of shock absorbers which are the common suspension component in a conventional system, and are built internally much the same. A piston is connected to the end of a piston rod and works against hydraulic fluid to control spring and suspension movement. The bottom of the strut body connects to the steering knuckle, which than attaches to a lower control arm assembly with the use of a ball joint. Struts are commonly made up of a coil spring that supports the vehicle's weight, a strut housing to provide support for the assembly and a damping unit within the housing to control suspension and spring movement.

Why is it called a McPherson Strut system?

In 1947, Earle S. McPherson of General Motors developed the McPherson strut. In that time period all General Motor vehicles were indirectly designed and developed by accountants. If the cost or was too high or it wasn't tried and tested, than it never got going. Major innovations, such as the McPherson strut system, sat on the shelf for years because it couldn't be proven on a spreadsheet until after the product had been produced or manufactured. Because of this philosophy, in 1950, Earle McPherson left General Motors and went to work for Ford UK where they started using his design on the 1950 models right away!

How does it work?

Strut mounts have two main purposes; they are vibration dampeners and also allow the struts to pivot as required when the wheels are turned. Strut mounts must be flexible enough to handle slight angle changes and be able to dampen the movement of the upper end of the strut. The strut mount transfers vehicle load to the strut and spring which makes the strut mount the load carrier and the lower ball joint the follower.

How do I know I need some?

Worn strut mounts can cause handling, vibration and ride-quality problems. There are several audible, visual and performance-related symptoms that may indicate that strut mounts need to be replaced. Some of the more common problems include: clunking noises, steering stiffness or poor wheel returnability, excessive roll or sway on corners, cracked or sagging rubber mounts and irregular tire wear. If your vehicle suffers from any of these symptoms, the best thing you can do is have your strut mounts inspected by a qualified technician.

Why Mevotech Strut Mounts?

Because strut mounts are the most crucial part of a suspension system, Mevotech ensures that the job is done right the first time. Mevotech strut mounts go beyond the competition with the following features:

• Premium rubber to reduce noise and vibrations
• High grade plate steel to resist impact from road forces
• Low resistance bearings to allow easy turning effort

Bearings and hardware included in most applications. Some manufacturers sell their strut mounts without the necessary pieces to install them. Their prices may be lower initially, but the job cannot be completed without sourcing additional hardware. Mevotech offers complete coverage of make and models, and also offers strut bellows and bumpers as accessories to the strut mount line.<