The ball joint basically serves as the pivot point between the tyre and the suspension. Roadsafe ball joints are manufactured to exacting standards and offer customers: • An encapsulated design on the majority of ball joints – meaning there is no need to service/grease them for their lifetime• Low friction and high performance• Mirror finished ball stud for smooth operation and longer wear• High quality CR (chloropene rubber) dust boot• High static and dynamic load capabilities• Rigorously testedRoadsafe offer over 500 catalogued ball joint numbers, featuring both upper and lower ball joints, suiting hundreds of known applications. Development is constant for new applications as the demand is identified. It is imperative to get your ball joints checked at relevant service intervals. Excessive play in the ball joint can affect wheel alignment and tyre wear. Loose joints can also cause suspension noise (typically a "clunking" sound when hitting a bump). Ball Joints - Encapsulated vs Mechanical or “hard to hard” In the aftermarket, there are two main types of ball joint - Encapsulated and Mechanical The question is often asked what is the difference and which one is more suitable.Encapsulated design ball joints are ‘sealed for life', in other words they are completely maintenance free. They have a smoother feel during articulation and are mainly designed for passenger vehicles. Mechanical ball joints are not sealed and are supplied with grease nipples for lubrication at regular intervals (Roadsafe recommends servicing these joints at every oil change). They are typically found in older vehicles or light commercial/ 4WD vehicles as they are more suitable for load bearing vehicles. When it comes to deciding between encapsulated or spring and seat design ball joints, Roadsafe determine the most suitable design for the application. As such, the customer never needs to be concerned that they are being supplied a ball joint that may not be suitable for the vehicle.All of Roadsafe’s ball joints are manufactured to exacting standards. The plastic seat within the ball joint is made from a unique material and designed to be completely smooth, the ball pin is mirror finished for better wear characteristics, and smooth operation, specialised dust covers made from CR ( chloropene rubber ) work to reduce to a minimum the amount of dust and foreign bodies or moisture entering the part, improving life span.Roadsafe use a special grease formula which helps to avoid corrosion and increase durability. This grease is also supplied to some OE manufacturers.This attention to the original equipment standards is what makes Roadsafe stand out from other suspension and steering suppliers in the market.