Help: Was lower ball joint ever replaced by mechanic or wrong ins adjuster assmnt?
 

Hi all,

I need your expert 'eye' in the lower ball joint picture.

Try to make a long story short, my daughter got tapped by a lady pulling out of a parking spot. She just backed out and tapped the front bumper (see pic). She said it happened so fast, daughter put on the brake, lady backed up into her (she said it pushed her back about a foot) with her brake on. This collision happened in early Late Sept '12. I think.

Anyhow, the lady admitted fault, her insurance was going to take care of the bumper, but daughter complained about wierd noises and vibration with the right wheel area front. So I took it into my mechanic (Nov 7 '12) to diagnose and estimate, and he said, from the est..., there's "Right front wheel speed sensor fault" and "ABS/VSA Control unit failure.

"Recommend/Replace Rt./Ft. Wheel speed sensor $185 parts/labor"
"Recommend/Replace ABS Control Unit- est $250 parts / labor"
"When the Rt. Frt wheel was removed, we found damage to the axle and LOWER BALL JOINT. Est. to replace rt.axle$225 parts/labor"

** SO I asked my mechanic is this caused from the accident, he said possibly.

Now the Insurance Adjuster went to the shop to inspect the collision and she said they will take care of the bumper, but all else with the front wheel/susp is normal wear and tear, and they denied that part of the claim.

OK, so.... I found a receipt / invoice, from the same mechanic 9-25-2012, that stated: "*Check fr. suspension and advise on loose ball joint* ...Labor- Remove right steering knuckle and REPLACE WORN-OUT LOWER BALL JOINT" $156 --- NEW BALL JOINT $38.26.

This is strange to me, so today finally, the adjuster from the other ins. company sent me the photo's.

Does this look like a new ball joint? Could it have look that 'old and dirty' since only 2 month? It looks like it never has been replaced.

I do not want to badmouth anyone, since I'm not 100% sure what is really going on, but the pictures and facts are the only thing I have to base it on? Does it look like any work has been done to this area that I paid for 9/25? or is the adjuster wrong and that the problems are related to the front end damage?

Thanks in advance-

'hole' from bumper damage/pics from Insurance Adjuster:
https://www.civicforumz.com/attachme...ine=1355195864

https://www.civicforumz.com/attachme...ine=1355195864

https://www.civicforumz.com/attachme...ine=1355195864

https://www.civicforumz.com/attachme...ine=1355195864

Wrong ball joint for that car if that is what he installed OR the knuckle was worn, needing an OSized Ball joint to be fitted. If the knuckle was that worn to prevent a proper interference fit, then the knuckle/ ball joint assembly should have been replaced. If the ball joint separated, could have been a defected part but the outer body of the BJ should not have backed out of the knuckle like that.

It should sit flush, completely seated in the knuckle, not sticking up like that to contact the axle and the ABS sensor etc. Hardy likely that the accident caused what you are looking at, but you never can say for sure.

I don't like bad mouthing mechanics but don't go back there.