Front upper ball joint... [Archive] - 3geez.com - Classic Honda Accord & Prelude Forum

Soundy

10-14-2006, 10:12 AM

Front <subject> is starting to go, has a couple millimeters of play... I remember reading something about ball joints snapping and dropping these cars to the ground as a "known" problem but can't find the details on it, whether it was the upper or lower ball that was particularly problematic.

Obviously this needs to be fixed ASAP, but the budget isn't very accomodating at the moment ($100-and-a-bit for a new upper control arm; not having much luck finding one at a wrecker)... is this something I need to REALLY worry about right away, or do the higher minds here figure I should be okay for the weekend (twitchy steering notwithstanding)?

BITESIZE

10-14-2006, 10:42 AM

I got both sides for $60 shipped on ebay.

conozo

10-14-2006, 12:02 PM

does it make a squeaking/scraping sound when you drive

im just wondering if upper ball joints are my problem. They make noize but honda says they are fine even tho something is still squeaking

Soundy

10-14-2006, 01:25 PM

I got both sides for $60 shipped on ebay.

Great, but that doesn't answer the question of whether I'm safe to keep driving it for a few days until new ones can arrive.

Anyway, I got one at a wrecker for $50. Looks to be almost brand-new. Now I just need to get the mounting bolts loose on the old one... %*^$#*@^!!

Soundy

10-14-2006, 01:26 PM

does it make a squeaking/scraping sound when you drive

im just wondering if upper ball joints are my problem. They make noize but honda says they are fine even tho something is still squeaking

Actually, the squeaking has been getting pretty bad from the left side, but it's the right side that started having issues - car would shuffle side-to-side when going over a bump, steering was getting twitchy... sometimes on a sharp turn from standstill, I could feel the front end shift.

Haven't checked the left side yet, but the right one was pretty bad.

MessyHonda

10-14-2006, 03:43 PM

i would not drive it alot...order them ASAP.....i feel you on this one...my lower ball joints are making noise... try autorock.com they had a 5% discount copon that forrestse-i posted.

Soundy

10-14-2006, 05:18 PM

Got it swapped... let the Deep Creep soak in for a couple hours (another fine SeaFoam product, great stuff!) and managed to crank the old nuts loose. Took about two minutes once that was done. Checked the left side as well, it's nice and solid.

*sigh* now the search can resume for stock rear struts (or at least springs) to get this thing back to a decent height and straighten out the nasty positive caster. Time for new tires too... money money money, dammt!

WindsAloft989

10-16-2006, 09:15 AM

Soundy, what exactly did you replace and how much did it cost ... where did you buy your parts?

:) I am planning on doing the same thing VERY SOON. I drove to Florida with a bad front balljoint and I'm still alive. :)

I used to have that sway feeling after hitting a bump. I took out the back seat and realized the rear strut had pushed THROUGH the car. Not a fun fix.

A18A

10-16-2006, 09:23 AM

hey um, is it them i hear when i push down on the front left side of the car, it sounds like a shitty cv joint when you turn a corner, but happens when somethings pushing down the left front of the car only

Soundy

10-16-2006, 04:08 PM

Soundy, what exactly did you replace and how much did it cost ... where did you buy your parts?

$50 from Westwood Auto Wreckers in Coquitlam (dunno where you are so I don't know if that means anything to you). Replaced the upper control arm, which the ball joint is a permanent part of.

Job is simple enough: unbolt the small cover over the castle nut, then remove the castle nut and knock the ball joint bolt loose. Then undo the two nuts holding the control arm studs inside the engine bay - on my carb'd 3gee, I had to remove the "black box" with all the vacuum hoses attached; this is easy enough, simply undoing the two bolts, then pulling it firmly upward - there's a lower bracket that's friction-fit into a holder on the firewall).

Hash_man_Se_i

10-16-2006, 06:05 PM

*sigh* now the search can resume for stock rear struts (or at least springs) to get this thing back to a decent height and straighten out the nasty positive caster. Time for new tires too... money money money, dammt!

Ya I'm kinda screwed right now, lol... I know exactly what you mean. My ball joints are getting bad, today the steering felt pretty bad. I need new front and rear uppers, new front brakes and new tires... ugggh.

snoopyloopy

10-27-2006, 02:00 PM

hmm....very helpful to know indeed. i need to change mine asap because the loose joint has blown my shock. but i've been driving it like this for months now and i'm still alive. that's not to say that it's been the safest thing, though.

snoopyloopy

11-01-2006, 08:33 AM

well, picked up this today: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8069527497&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

i'll put it on when it arrives and tell you fellows the results.

KrazyKlown

12-01-2006, 09:29 PM

Thats a cheap price for all that! Yeah, let us know. My front end is all jakked up too...$$$

g.frost

12-19-2006, 09:04 AM

I would really like to here from anyone who has used these Ebay parts from 'hyper4honda' as well! Like how do they hold up after a couple or more years? (or have they even been around that long?) OH WELL, really too late for me as I already got the upper control arm & bushing kit and will be putting them on in the next couple weeks.

Rock auto had the moog upper control arm parts around $200
Honda OEM would be around $300 after ordering every little part separate.
This guy has the full kit for $96. (bushings/bolts and arms)

Well, I hope they outlast the rest of my car anyway.....
I'll let you know how mine hold up in a year or 2.

Thanks to anyone that can vouch for the parts quality......

Oldblueaccord

12-20-2006, 07:31 AM

The 200$ doesnt sound correct. I just looked with in the week and its was 83$ or 78$ for the upper arm and ball joint combo. The bushing kits wasnt more than 22$.

As far as them snapping its cause there worn and more then 10 years old. Most people don't check there cars out until the wheel is hanging off or there hear some wierd noise and then they just crank the stereo up more or snort more crank.

Im my experience the fronts got about 5 years and the rears you will belucky to go 2 without play. thats if the boot stays intact if it rips it wont go 6 months.

I'm experimenting with a grease fitting on the rear compared the standard (non) to see if this helps at all. The boots,currently, on the other hand looked terrible and I think will go out before the joint does. This is 3 r fronts and Ingalls adjustable with moog ball joints rear.

wp

g.frost

12-20-2006, 09:51 AM

Prices I refer to are for both sides so yeah thats about right for X2.

Mine are OEM 19 years old and 142K miles so OEM is quality stuff! I have replaced one tie rod end and that's it for suspension parts. All boots are intact and all joints are tight (except front upper ball joints).
Yeah, once the boots rip and dirt gets in, it's over, same for CV joints.
As far as falling off, my upper ball joints aren't that bad yet!

A suspension component that only lasts 2 years qualifies as Junk in my book!

If I was doing the lower ball joints I wouldn't mess around: either moog or OEM quality. What you go through to put them on and they carry the weight of the car. These lower front ball joints are a bit strange in our cars as the weight of the car is 'pulling' the joint out of the socket... should be designed the other way around to 'pushing' on the joint.

Thanks for the feedback, if I need to do the rears I might look at using OEM as well.

vongiese

02-19-2007, 02:44 PM

I would really like to here from anyone who has used these Ebay parts from 'hyper4honda' as well! Like how do they hold up after a couple or more years? (or have they even been around that long?) OH WELL, really too late for me as I already got the upper control arm & bushing kit and will be putting them on in the next couple weeks.
Rock auto had the moog upper control arm parts around $200
Honda OEM would be around $300 after ordering every little part separate.
This guy has the full kit for $96. (bushings/bolts and arms)
Well, I hope they outlast the rest of my car anyway.....
I'll let you know how mine hold up in a year or 2.
Thanks to anyone that can vouch for the parts quality......

How are your front end parts holding out? I'm about to make a purchase and was wondering...... Are the rubber boots still in good shape??
thanks!!

g.frost

02-23-2007, 08:52 PM

I got the parts and they look good quality-wise, but I didn't get around to putting them on the car over the holidays. ( other projects took priority....) so I put the install off until spring when I have the time and don't need the car for a daily drive. ....So yeah, the boots are holding up good so far, sitting in a box in the garage. Sorry I can't give a better idea on these,,, someone here must have a few miles on these parts by now....

PS> My old original OEM upper balls will hold up fine until spring, I have no worries about a wheel falling off my car.

MessyHonda

02-23-2007, 11:13 PM

yeah when i took off my front lower ball joints i just saw the grease was a lil bit dry.

alboy86

02-25-2007, 08:25 PM

im thinking of getting these anybody got any feedback on them

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-UPPER-Control-Arms-ACCORD-86-87-88-89-Ball-Joints_W0QQitemZ140081989685QQihZ004QQcategoryZ335 83QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

vongiese

02-28-2007, 11:34 AM

well, picked up this today: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8069527497&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

i'll put it on when it arrives and tell you fellows the results.

Anyone had experience with these replacement parts from Hyper4Honda???
thanks!

SQ is the SQUAD

02-28-2007, 06:57 PM

the both should be ok. i got all my front suspension stuff offf ebay. i havent actually used them yet but everythig looked good

vongiese

03-15-2007, 03:15 PM

the both should be ok. i got all my front suspension stuff offf ebay. i havent actually used them yet but everythig looked good

Yeah - If you could tell quality by looks - it'd be a simple world......
Anyone have any real experince with these ebay after market suspension parts????? Someone in here has to........ come on - pony up the info!

I've seen aftermarket ball joints that looked real good, but the rubber only lasted a little over a year and started cracking......

88Accord-DX

03-15-2007, 08:41 PM

I'm a little sketchy on them ebay upper control arms. It seems like you get what you pay for. Seems to me that in the long run, some good MOOG ones for the money is better than going through a couple sets of them over time. Moog is about the best aftermarket suspension parts for the money in my book.

P|eszczoH

03-23-2007, 03:19 PM

I thought I will use Preludes 2nd gen front upper control arms with changeable ball joints, and.....
I have ended up with a C arm that has mounting bolts to narrow.:wtf:

Now Ive got a little problem. how to re make this, and have them bolted.:thumbdn:

and the bad thing is that Im going to work in whole weekend, and the next one,
nad in a week :-) and I just dont have time for this right now.

g.frost

07-06-2007, 02:17 PM

OK, it's July and I've had my replacement Upper control arms from 'Hyper4hondas' on Ebay for 7 months so today I finally put them on. All went well but for one PITA: I discovered after assembling one side that part of the 'A' frame (part of bent lip where it reaches to the dust cover) was interfering or
scraping, even bending the dust cover. I had to dis-assemble the bushings. grind the part off, clean and re-assemble.... So if you get these parts from Hyper4hondas on Ebay, be sure to check fit of the dust caps BEFORE you grease and install the bushings. Other than that, all went well...... I promise to update if/when these parts hold up or fall apart in a couple/few years.

Side note: these replaced the 20 year old 145K mile OEM parts. the seals on the ball joint have been shot for over a year and the joint has maybe 2mm of play at normal drive height. I kept them greased best I could. Inspecting the old joint I must say it was still a long way from coming completely apart. I can't imagine how bad these have to get to come completely apart! Ample warning of pending complete failure.

88Accord-DX

07-06-2007, 02:41 PM

Yeah, I got my rear upper control arms off ebay too. I asked the seller who they where manufactured by, he said CSK. So, can't beat the price compared to Moogs'. Got to love ebay for cheap parts.

P|eszczoH

07-06-2007, 10:53 PM

one and a half year ago I used moogs ball joints to do my susp. and now most of them are going to failure becouse rubber dust cover got stiff and cracks...
Im very disappointed with Moog's parts.

g.frost

07-08-2007, 08:47 AM

Wow, so much for Moog quality... If the boot goes, so goes the ball joint. If you can catch it in time, you can order just the boot from Honda and get OEM quality rubber boots to replace it. ( well I assume it is OEM....?) I saw them on the Majestic Honda Site for front uppers and lowers, not sure how many other boots can be purchased separately. Had I caught mine in time I would still be riding on the original control arms.