one ️⃣  Abnormal noise and vibration
When the ball cage (constant velocity universal joint) of a car is damaged, the most obvious symptom is abnormal noise and vibration during driving. As a key component connecting the wheels and transmission shaft, the ball cage is responsible for maintaining smooth power transmission during vehicle turning or uneven road conditions. Once the ball or cage inside the ball cage is severely worn or even broken, it will produce a "click click" or "buzz" abnormal noise while the vehicle is driving, accompanied by slight vibrations of the steering wheel or body. This kind of abnormal noise and vibration is particularly pronounced during low-speed turns or acceleration, seriously affecting the driving experience.
two ️⃣  Inability to turn
Damage to the ball cage can also cause the vehicle to not turn flexibly. Under normal circumstances, the ball cage allows the drive shaft to rotate freely within a certain angle range, ensuring that the wheels can smoothly follow the instructions of the steering wheel for turning. However, when the ball cage malfunctions, its rotational resistance increases, causing the vehicle to become sluggish when turning, and may even experience understeer or oversteer, seriously threatening driving safety.
three ️⃣  Decreased acceleration performance
Damage to the ball cage can also have a negative impact on the acceleration performance of the vehicle. Due to internal wear of the ball cage, there may be some loss of power during transmission, resulting in the inability to efficiently transfer the torque output by the engine to the wheels. Therefore, when the driver steps on the accelerator pedal, they may feel weak acceleration and slow response, especially when starting or overtaking.
four ️⃣  Uneven tire wear
Long term use of damaged cages may also lead to uneven tire wear. Due to the malfunction of the ball cage, the wheel alignment is inaccurate, and the tires will experience uneven wear during driving, thereby shortening the service life of the tires and increasing driving costs. Meanwhile, uneven tire wear may also cause stability issues such as vehicle deviation and bumps, further affecting driving safety.
five ️⃣  Oil leakage and poor lubrication
It is worth noting that damage to the cage may sometimes be accompanied by oil leakage. Adequate lubricating oil is needed inside the cage to maintain its normal operation. Once the seals age or are damaged, the lubricating oil will leak out. This not only leads to poor lubrication inside the cage, exacerbating wear, but may also pollute the surrounding environment. Therefore, regular inspection and replacement of aging seals is one of the important measures to prevent damage to the ball cage.
In summary, the symptoms of damaged car ball cages include abnormal noise and vibration, poor steering, decreased acceleration performance, uneven tire wear, as well as oil leakage and poor lubrication. Once these symptoms are detected, the car owner should promptly take the vehicle to a professional repair shop for inspection and maintenance to avoid further deterioration of the fault and ensure driving safety.