Just dropped off my 86 740 SW in Houston (swapped son for his 93 245 that needs trailing arm bushings and propeller shaft bearing housing, which I plan to replace using my friend's lift this week). However on the drive up I kept hearing a knocking sound from the passenger side front end. I had just replaced the driver's side ball joint and associated sway bar bushings (BTW, yellow polyurethane bushings wear out quickly in sway bars!). I think the symptoms are indicating a worn out ball joint on the passenger side.
Now for the question: How long does he have before the ball joint totally falls off and I lose the evolutionary race to keep my last name into the future??
I plan to drive his 245 up in 2 weeks after I do the work (IPD poly TAB's....yowzaaaaa!)
Is 2 weeks on a slightly noisy ball joint OK? I am afraid of the Houston traffic, as one has to drive so "balls out" in the big city.
Am I OK to be a worried dad?
el raidman

I've had two ball joint failures. Thank GOD both of them happened at very low speed
(maybe 2 mph) in restaurant driveways. One was the last day of school in 1977 in Havelock, NC
and the other was the last day of school this year in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
No serious damage was done and there were no injuries but either could have been
VERY serious if they had happened at any higher speed.
GET THAT BOOGER FIXED ..... NOW!!!

What is it with restaurants? My first of two ball joint failures was in a restaurant parking lot. Second, low speed residential road, the day before I planned to fix it.

Yep, loose ball joints. Don't gamble.

Fix it.

Now.
--
-Matt I ♥ my ♂

"How long does he have..."

Either of these two;
30 seconds or 30 feet, or the supposed Ferrari warranty,
"to the first telephone pole"
Their driveway was flanked by telephone poles.

So, no gene furtherance for you I'm afraid. I mean, define 'dangerous'. If living and not killing other people is considered proper behavior, then yes, it's dangerous.

Seriously, these are cheap and very easy to do. Any garage would take a half hour to change one, max. They may charge you for longer, but that's how long it'd take.