Ball joint bamboozled..

[ninerwfo]

Hi folks, is an "extended front lower ball joint" the same thing as an "extended tie rod end"? I have a 1998 NB, and am not sure whether:
1. these two things (links below) are the same "thing", but different parts, or
2. they are completely different things, and
3. which one fits my car, (or do both, if they are different things?)

https://www.flyinmiata.com/extended-low ... joint.html
http://revlimiter.net/blog/2011/03/tie-rod-end-swap/

Many thanks.

[rascal]

Hi folks, is an "extended front lower ball joint" the same thing as an "extended tie rod end"? I have a 1998 NB, and am not sure whether:
1. these two things (links below) are the same "thing", but different parts, or
2. they are completely different things, and
3. which one fits my car, (or do both, if they are different things?)

https://www.flyinmiata.com/extended-low ... joint.html
http://revlimiter.net/blog/2011/03/tie-rod-end-swap/

Many thanks.

They're different things. And both would fit your car, though whether you need either is another question.

Extended ball joint from FM is to increase your negative camber by moving the ballpoint that connects the hub to the upright further outwards.
Extended tie rod connects to the steering arm and is used to correct the geometry on lowered cars to help with bump steer.

[ninerwfo]

Hey thanks rascal, seems like I should go shopping then, some mor camber would be nice, and less bump steer from the lowered suspension would be nicer!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hks_kansei]

For some clarification of the parts.

The ball joints are what connect the wheel hub (well, the knuckle which the hub/bearings are conntected to) to the suspension arms.

It allows the knuckle to move up and down, as well as to rotate for steering.
The extended ball joint moves the lower joint outwards, essentially making the bottom suspension arm longer, and therefore making the bottom of the knuckle stick out more (which makes the bottom of the wheel stick out more, which is negative camber)



Tie rod ends are the joints at the end of the Tie rods, which are the arms that connect the steering rack to the knuckle (the tie rods push and pull the knuckle to rotate it for steering)
The ones in the link are made with a slightly different angle to them to cater for the different angles that everything sits at when the car is lowered.

Personally I think the tie rod ends aren't usually needed unless you've lowered a lot, when my NB was lowered approx 25-30mm There was no bump steer that I could pick, frankly I felt it steered the same as with stock.

I'm not a low lower, but the car has other issues that make the steering feel crap (wheel bearings stuffed, and rooted tyres)