When driving, abnormal chassis noise or a heavier steering wheel may be a warning signal for a faulty ball cage cover. Once the key components of this transmission system are damaged, it will trigger multiple crises:
⚠️  Lubrication failure: The rupture of the ball cage sleeve can cause the leakage of specialized lubricating grease, causing direct friction between the metal ball and the track, resulting in harsh and abnormal noise. During rapid acceleration or turning, metal debris generated by dry grinding can accelerate wear and tear, and in extreme cases, it can cause stepped damage to the raceway within three months, leading to power interruption.
💦  Oil leakage crisis: The damaged ball cage sleeve leaks 5-8ml of lubricating grease per hour, and the stock drops sharply by 40% after 500 kilometers. A decrease in oil can cause friction heating and seal ring hardening, ultimately leading to high-temperature deformation of the ball cage, increased risk of transmission shaft detachment, and fatal consequences of power interruption during high-speed driving.
🚦  Deterioration of driving: Faulty ball cage covers can bring four dangers - regular abnormal noise during turning (different performance for fuel vehicles/electric vehicles), high-frequency vibration of the steering wheel during acceleration, "automatic drift" caused by wheel alignment deviation, and increased jerkiness during gear shifting. Tests have shown that damaging the ball cage can cause a 3 ° deviation in the toe angle, seriously affecting handling stability.
🔧  Repair cost: It only takes 1.2 hours to replace the ball cage sleeve separately, but if it is delayed until the ball cage body is damaged, the half shaft and gearbox need to be disassembled. The total replacement time for the assembly reaches 6.8 hours, and the cost skyrockets by 10 times.
📅  Prevention plan: It is recommended to self check the status of the dust cover every 10000 kilometers and replace the entire set of components forcibly every 100000 kilometers. After wading through water during the rainy season, it is necessary to focus on checking the oil-water mixture. The initial abnormal noise is often manifested as abnormal sounds when turning at specific angles.
🌟  Case warning: A car owner ignored the oil stain warning and lost the drive shaft after 3 months. The repair cost was as high as 12000 yuan, while early treatment only required 200 yuan. This rubber accessory can be called the "safety belt" of the transmission system, and regular inspection can avoid significant losses.