This is very serious.

On the way home from work this evening turning right off the main A90 road in rush hour to head down to newburgh down the A975.

Had complete failure of the ball joint ( the metal below the tapered shaft snapped) on the lower arm on ther drivers side.

This caused the wheel to pivot on the upper (boomerang shaped) arm and swing the complete wheel around into the wheel arch.. this then ripped the inner CV joint from the transmission, so i lost drive and steering.

I was only doing 10mph and somehow manged to drive fwd enough to clear the oncoming 60mph traffic (before the inner cv joint came out i guess)

i managed to jack the car up, remove the wheel then tie the lower arm to the hub with rope so i could get it onto the reovery truck.

i am currently very tired and very very p!ssed off.... this story could have very easily ended so much worse....

I just could not live with myself i did not post this warning and someone else has the same happen. this happening with increase speed and in different circumstances does not bear thinking about.

I believe the ball joint was overly tight/stiff in its socket and the torque from the steering has eventually, through fatigue stress, cause catastrophic failure.

Be warned. if your steering is stiff get it sorted.

I will never be using non main dealer suspension arms on my cars again.

Right, i need a stiff drink.

DanG