2017 RT Ball Joints need replacing - warranty or not?

[stocktoy]

I have a 2017 RT with 20,000 km on it last fall when I had the oil changed (before putting it away for the winter) I was told the bike needed all ball joints replaced. In the spring I took my bike into see about getting the work done and was told ball joints are not covered under "B E S T" warranty because they are a wear item has anyone had ball joints replaced under warranty? My warranty runs out at the end of July this year.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.

 

[jwulf74]

Never heard of anyone needing ball joints on these before...

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Never heard of anyone needing ball joints on these before...

One ball maybe .... all of them .... I'm getting a bad feeling about that dealer ..... Good luck ..... PS I have over 50,000 miles on my RT and the ball joints are fine .... yes ALL of them ...... Mike :thumbup:

 

[cptjam]

Get another opinion. I’ve laid hands on thousands of Spyders; maybe 3 have ever needed a ball joint.

 

[Peter Aawen]

We've had quite a few ball-joint failures over here in Oz - mainly on the F3's and almost always just one of the upper joints at a time?!? :dontknow: Many of the F3's that've had failures have returned with repeat occurrences too; but again, almost always just an upper joint - the other one! :lecturef_smilie: Maybe it's the roads over here; or possibly it's the combination of our rough road surfaces, high operating temps making it harder on lightly greased joints, and the more pronounced camber we tend to have more of than what I can recall from over your way...

That said, I can't recall even ONE instance of ALL the ball joints being stuffed at the same time..... well, except for one instance where the front end damage was the direct result of a collision that stuffed the entire front suspension, the frunk, lights, tupperware, & did a fair bit of frame damage too!! :shocked: IIRC, he got an entire new Spyder from his insurance co - it was significantly cheaper than fixing the broken one! :thumbup:

Still, Stocktoy, IF your problem is actually front end components on both sides at the same time and not just a dodgy dealer (and we all KNOW there are some of them around! ) then I'd probably suspect the inner 'A' arm mounts &/or bushes before thinking that somehow ALL of the ball joints just freakingly carked it at the same time....:yikes: Even tho here in Oz, we just as equally KNOW that the ball-joints aren't the greatest pieces of kit on our Spyders as we know there's some dodgy dealers around!! :lecturef_smilie:

Over to you - and I hope there's another/better dealer nearby too (says the fella who travels over 600 miles each way to see a dealer who's better than the local mob! )

Good Luck! And welcome to the Forum too! :cheers:

Ps: if it turns out it IS actually the ball joints, for a bit more cash one of our local reputable techs has sourced some race-spec replacements out of Austria, so the freight to you shouldn't be quite so much as it is to bring them half way around the World to Australia! They are substantially more robust than the OE parts.... :thumbup:

 

[stocktoy]

Thanks people for all your replies I had my reservations about this dealer anyway. (not the dealer I bought from, just the closest dealer since I moved)

 

[BajaRon]

One ball maybe .... all of them .... I'm getting a bad feeling about that dealer ..... Good luck ..... PS I have over 50,000 miles on my RT and the ball joints are fine .... yes ALL of them ...... Mike :thumbup:

I agree. If all of your ball joints are bad. You would be having some serious handling issues. Likely wheel wobble at speed and while braking, at the very least. Though ball joints do go bad, (I've replaced a tie rod end. Not exactly the same thing, but related). All of them at the same time? Maybe, if you have been racing a nasty off road coarse. Otherwise, I just don't see it.

They did get one thing right. Ball joints are a 'Wear Item' and would not be covered under any warranty. S.O.P. on that one.

 

[edmercer]

I replaced one upper ball joint on my 2017 RTL last year at about 20,000km, now the other side is shot at 29,000km. Going to get a laser alignment done soon after.

 

[jtoro1]

72000 miles no ball joints needed,2015 RTS,2012 RTS 60000 miles no ball joint needed maybe I am lucky

 

[stocktoy]

Thanks again to all that replied I will have to check the ball joints out myself before I go any further.

 

[BajaRon]

Thanks again to all that replied I will have to check the ball joints out myself before I go any further.

Excellent idea...:thumbup:

 

[pegasus1300]

So how do i check the ball joints on a 2012 RTL? I have 58,000+ on my Spyder and now this discussion has me wondering?

 

[stocktoy]

So how do i check the ball joints on a 2012 RTL? I have 58,000+ on my Spyder and now this discussion has me wondering?

Well I'm going to check them first off the same way I would check a car's ball joint, lift up under the lower control arm enough to take the weight off the wheel then try to move the wheel assembly in and out ( in at the top out at the bottom back and forth) by gripping the wheel at the to and bottom of tire then putting a piece of 2x4 on the ground just in front of the wheel and with a bar as a fulcrum lifting again enough to take the weight off the suspension and seeing if the wheel show any vertical movement. If I haven't described it properly sorry

 

[Peter Aawen]

Well I'm going to check them first off the same way I would check a car's ball joint, lift up under the lower control arm enough to take the weight off the wheel then try to move the wheel assembly in and out ( in at the top out at the bottom back and forth) by gripping the wheel at the to and bottom of tire then putting a piece of 2x4 on the ground just in front of the wheel and with a bar as a fulcrum lifting again enough to take the weight off the suspension and seeing if the wheel show any vertical movement. If I haven't described it properly sorry

That's the way to git'er done! :thumbup: Only watch very carefully to make sure any movement is in the ball-joints proper, and not in the frame end bushes where the 'A' arms are bolted onto the frame. Like I mentioned earlier, I've seen more of them being worn/loose than I've seen ball joints being dodgy in anything but the F3's?! :lecturef_smilie:

Please tell us what you find. :dontknow:

 

[stocktoy]

Good point

Thanks

 

[BajaRon]

That's the way to git'er done! :thumbup: Only watch very carefully to make sure any movement is in the ball-joints proper, and not in the frame end bushes where the 'A' arms are bolted onto the frame. Like I mentioned earlier, I've seen more of them being worn/loose than I've seen ball joints being dodgy in anything but the F3's?! :lecturef_smilie:

Please tell us what you find. :dontknow:

Very true. If you're not lubing your A-Arms (I highly recommend using a good quality, fully synthetic grease) they will wear and give you a lot of grief. I lube mine with every oil change. Probably overkill. But I've had to replace all of them. And that is NO FUN!

 

[PinkRosePetal]

Two ways to check them, start with the top ones because the lower ones don't suffer wear as badly.
The correct way: support the Spyder under the lower A-arm and remove the front wheel. Attach a dial test indicator to a fixed position on the suspension upright and place the plunger centrally on the outside of the top A-arm end or ball joint. Push inward and pull outward on the upright, any play in the joint will be shown on the DTI dial. If you remove the fender it's very much easier to gain access.

Now, the crude way: with the Spyder on its wheels and you at the side of the wheel, pull hard back and forth to rock the Spyder sideways. Any play can be heard and felt. It's not so conclusive on the V-twin bikes because inner A-arm bearing play can be felt this way too.

While you're there you might as well check the tie rod ends for play. It's best to have two folks for this. Leave the Spyder on its wheels, get a helper to grip around the tie rod ball joint with one hand. Put a hand front and rear of the wheel and push/pull it as though you're turning the steering. Your helper will feel the play quite easily. For the inner joint your helper has to reach through the suspension to the joint. A bit fiddly but perfectly doable.

A wee note, on the 1330 Spyders on the right side when reaching in to the inner joint there's an electrical connector which can catch on your sleeve and pull slightly apart, your bike will fail to start until you squeeze it back together. Don't ask how I know!

 

[spyderwing57]

When you say lubing the A -Arms what exactly do you mean? Do you install grease fittings? Or do you spray lube on particular places? Thank you in advance.

 

[BajaRon]

When you say lubing the A -Arms what exactly do you mean? Do you install grease fittings? Or do you spray lube on particular places? Thank you in advance.

The grease fittings are there. 8 of them. 2 upper and 2 lower on each side. They can be a bear to get to. I use a straight slide tip to get to some of them. Others, you may be able to get to with a standard tip. it tends to vary by year and model.

 

[pegasus1300]

I think they stop putting zerks on the A arms in 2013 0r 2014. I put right angle zerks on my 2012 which makes them easier to get to.