What makes your Audi ball joint so important? Well, for one, the Audi ball joint holds the front wheel on your car. Ditto the Audi tie rod. Without the Audi tie rod holding the steering knuckle to the steering rack, your front wheel is free to flop around in any direction it pleases. The Audi tie rod and Audi ball joint are two of the key components making up your car's suspension and steering systems. Sure, things like shock absorbers and lowering springs get all the glory, but without a good Audi tie rod and Audi ball joint working behind the scenes, high performance components are useless. Performance parts enhance your car's handling abilities, but they depend on proper geometry from the start: That's where the Audi ball joint and Audi tie rod come in to play. Both the Audi tie rod and Audi ball joint are critical to proper suspension alignment, without which your ride is going to feel 'off' in the handling department. If you've noticed loose steering, odd handling behavior in turns or over bumps, or unusual clunks coming from the wheelwells, have your Audi ball joint and Audi tie rod inspected immediately. Not only will a worn Audi tie rod or Audi ball joint wear your tires prematurely and cause squirrelly handling, but if you experience a major Audi tie rod or Audi ball joint failure at freeway speeds the results could be catastrophic. Your Audi service manual will have complete instructions for checking your Audi tie rod and Audi ball joint, or any good front end shop can help you out. Just don't put off Audi tie rod or Audi ball joint repairs: The life you save might be your own.