The difference

Can anyone tell me the difference between wheel bearing at fault or the ball joint at fault

Reason being im getting a high pitched squeeky noise while turning the wheel (if im stationery and move the steering left and right it sounds like a couple having mad sex on a squeeky bed)

Jacked the car up and there is slight play in the wheel side to side and i mean only slight say couple of mm play. Im guessing wheel bearing but also read that it could be the ball joint making the noise

Is there something i can do to test play in the ball joint while being jacked up, if so what play would i be looking for up and down?

cheers all

Sounds from your description like the power steering pump, either low fluid, air in the system of knackered pump. Check fluid level, top up if needed. then whilst stationary turn the steering wheel from lock to lock a few time to bleed the system.

A worn wheel bearing or ball joint wouldn't make the noise you describe.

wheel bearing would give you a speed related low rumble, suspension arm would give you bump related knocking

after having a brain wave and thought ooo i know you tube might have something like my noise and it does.....

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QtLecSgHXZw

have a listen and please comment if you have heard and know of this noise

hope all are having a good day (roll on spring grrr to the weather)

Nobody knows? ill take it to a garage to get looked at then and get charged grrr.

thx for the replies and all those that looked to try and help us out

Its very hard if not impossible to diagnose a noise unless your there with the car.

The wheel bearing wouldnt make any screeching noises unless it was revolving , doubt its a ball joint making that noise either.

If youve got a couple of mm's of play in a wheel bearing its scrap, same goes for a ball joint.

Can you move the wheel top to bottom, if you hold the wheel at 12 oclock and 6 oclock is there any play, same at 9 oclock and

3 oclock.

Also while doing the above get someone else to hold the ball joints and you should be able to feel the play if its one of them or even see it if its badly worn.

Check power steering fluid as that will screech if its low.

thx DNK will do all that tomoro morning though i already no there's no play at 12 and 6 but mm's of play 9 and 3, the noise seems to come from the passenger wheel so dont think the PS pump is failing and its got plenty of oil in there.

cheers

Was the lower balljoint so the whole arm is needed

Was the lower balljoint so the whole arm is needed

Try Steve Manley for the lower wishbone.

It'll need setting up after its fitted as the lower arm controls the camber adjustment.

Picture of my car before we got the lower front arm off, arrowed are the camber adjusters.

Have you checked/changed the belts? Get someone to when its doing this to pour water on the belt as it turns, the noise should stop, if it does renew the belt.

Its ok its not the belts, changed them while it was making the noise and still was making it afterwards, all sorted now though was the lower ball joint so im back on these crappy roads til i take it off to change the slave cylinder on the clutch.......she's definately keeping me busy