Lower control arm ball joint

[DougM]

So while breaking sharply the ball joint on the lower control arm popped out of the hub. Lucky me it wasn't high speed. The joint itself is in one piece and the pinch bolt is still tightened and in place. I'm informed this should be impossible and I can see why since the bolt should be through the lip of the joint. So has anyone else experienced similar on a Megane 2. These are not new arms, they might even be original.

[vanmanpaul83]

I reckon this would have David Blaine completely stumped too. Even if the locking nut were to come off the pinch bolt you still have to crack the bolt loose and use a punch to tap the bolt through the hub. Yes there is a groove in the ball joint fitting that has to line up in the hub perfectly for the pinch bolt to go through.

When you put the ball joint back in the hub, is it a snug fit? I usually have to give the bottom arm a good whack and use a pry bar to separate the ball joint from the hub. If these are the original ball joints then give yourself a pat on the back. They have done seriously well but somehow I do doubt it. The ball joints are easily pressed out and a new one pressed in for pennies on these arms.

[DougM]

Yep we got the wheel off. They are not the original control arms, we removed the pinch bolt. The ball joint was fine, hub casting fine and bolt was ok. Whoever fitted the arms we reckon simply pushed the ball joint upto the bolt and not to the top and then insert the bolt. The dangers of a second hand car unfortunately. Never had it before. It didn't show up on the recent MOT either because it would have appeared to be secure. It was a nice tight fit when we refitted it. Now to check the other side.

[vanmanpaul83]

That seems to be the only reasonable explanation. Lucky you wasn't at any speed. That could have been catastrophic!