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Does the socket have a flat spot (cylinder) above the spherical socket?

Can you measure the smallest and largest ID of the socket, and compare with the diameter of the ball?

That thing had to come out some way.

-dave

Hi Junior
Did you do the complete box movement as was sugested?
Also and don't know if it has any bearing, but I notice that a lot of you guys mount the bottom Miata ball joint on the top of suspension arm as opposed to the bottom where it is mounted originally. From my perspective this would place the ball joint at a slightly different angle to what it should be. One of the reasons that I am looking is because I am just about to make mine and am looking at different ideas. At the moment I am looking at placing the "U" shaped plate upside down with the ball joint on the bottom as this appears to be how it is in the original wishbone and will also be a cleaner look.

Bruce

J.R, I've a fair variety of Miata LBJs, both std and aftermarket, and in various conditions...if you'd care to mail me your dead one I'll compare it with others. If so, would you mind if I saw the housing in half?

This seems like a problem that deserves to be solved, thanks for bringing our attention to it.

Of course, if you find that removing the spring and pushing the hub up and turning lock-to-lock reveals a binding problem, let us know. Either way, I'm going to recheck my own geometry.

Kinetic Vehicles
PO Box 628
Cave Junction, OR 97523

(oh and make sure you write Attention Jack McCornack, Suspension Development Department, Building 22, 7th Floor, Southern Oregon R&D Campus so it doesn't have to go through channels to get to me. Haahahahaaa.)

Alright, I'm sold on the idea that eBay ball joints are bad, and that OEM ball joints are just fine. Is there anything in the middle for those still not ready to shell out $72 per joint?

According to Rockauto (link here), there are five brands of lower ball joints to get:

Mevotech: $24/each. It looks like they're a distributor for parts. I can't find any information about their suppliers or whatever. Probably crap.
Deeza: $29/each. Made in-house, in Turkey. Not sure if this is good or bad. Also spelled Disa.
Beck/Arnley: $40/each. They're a distributor, but the picture looks exactly like the..
Moog: $63/each. From what the internets say, either get this, or OEM. This looks like the default if one were to get something and price were no object.
Raybestos: $64/each. Apparently this is the brand name for Spicer chassis components...

So, when you say cheap lower ball joints, is it meant for the Mevotechs (not to even mention the $17/each brands found elsewhere). Or, are things like Deeza and/or Beck/Arnley included in that? I'm leaning towards the Beck/Arnleys because it looks like they're just cheaper, repackaged Moogs.

What say you, locosters?

I don't know how I missed this topic entirely.

I would remove the spring from each coilover, remove the nuts from the lca and uca pivot bolts, raise the car to full droop, turn the steering full lock, then pull the lca pivot bolts and attempt to raise the lca pivot end above the alignment holes in the chassis to feel for any resistance at the lbj on both sides of the car. Check the ubj in the same way. Repeat for opposite lock on both sides of the car. Repeat at full compression.

Equalize the margin of extra travel between droop and compression on the lbj and ubj by altering the lbj and ubj mounting angle through modification of the lca and uca. If there is no discernable margin, reduce travel by adding compliant donut stops on the coilovers.

Don't suprised if both sides are not exactly the same, even on a factory built vehicle. Thats why there is an alignment to set.

If little more movement is allowed beyond hole alignment, this should be rechecked after any adjustments to camber and/or caster.

I would also use any commercially available joint for the appropriate application /load, and check for joint loosening at 250, 500, 1000, and 5000 miles. every 10,000 thereafter IF there was no discernable increase in looseness between 500 and 5000 miles.

Yo Matt-
I can't speak to Miata parts, ball joints or otherwise, but from experience with MG's and Chebbies and Fords and a few other things...

Beck Arnley makes pretty good import-car parts, or at least used to. I've used their clutches in MGBs with good success. Seems like I've bought brake shoes or U-joints or something else from them, long time back... Don't remember the details, so they must've been OK. (If something catastrophic had happened, I'd remember that!)

Moog is, as you know, kind of the "Cadillac" of the industry.

Raybestos is a very familiar name for brake components. Good quality, AFAIK. Spicer is also familiar, mostly for 4X4 components. Again, good stuff, given my limited exposure to them.

HTH

JDK