Upper ball joint/control arm replacement

[Xaisk]

Hey guys. Its been awhile.

Tommorow or Tuesday. (whenever I decide not to be so lazy) I am going to replace my upper ball joints, control arms. I already have the parts here and ready to go. I hope they are properly greased from the factory though. They seem kind of empty so im prolly going to pack a little extra grease in.

Anyway.. to the technicalitys..

Ive read around saying there were three bolts holding the control arm on. The forum also said that when I put the new control arm on, I need to depress the supension strut all the way down. Is this all that there is to it? Or is there anything else to know? Im hoping this will get rid of the squeak when turning.

[Ayeobe]

Squeaks when turning? Try the bushings on the stabiliser bars for that. squeaking or whatever is from dry rubber.. my car does it too. I hate it.

You defenetly need to bolt the suspention arm into the body just-about where you'd figure it would ride normally. this goes for all of them. Bolt it too low and the rubber around where you bolt it on will get damaged from traveling too far around, its designed to move a certain amount of degrees up or down.

Im considering doing a few suspention parts on my car too... ill be watching this thread.

[Xaisk]

Well those may need to be replaced now but im 100% sure the control arm/uppers need to be replaced. You can sit on the car or push down on the suspension and it squeaks too. Ill take a look at the stab bar bushings next check when im not broke haha.

I take it the travel range varies from car to car and no specific measurement or amount of torque will be perfect for each car?

[Dr_Snooz]

It's a pretty easy job as suspension jobs go. The ball joint is greased, but the bushings are not. You need to grease them up real good if you don't want horrible scrubbing and squeaking over every bump and early failure of the bushings. The hardest part is going to be getting to the nuts in the engine bay. You'll need to move some parts out of the way to do that. Should be an easy day.

Good luck.

[Xaisk]

K I appreciate the tips. I think I might so the swap on Tuesday seeing as I work tommorow.. Yay! ~sarcasm~

[Oldblueaccord]

I think the nuts in the engine compartment need an 18 mm wrench which is kinda oddball I don't think I ever used one for anything else in my lifetime.

I usually remove the map sensor for the passenger side nuts.



wp

[carotman]

Squanks when turning the wheel? It can come from the lower balljoint. Check this one ASAP. You don't want that thing to break.

[Xaisk]

Yeah.. I read the post about the tegger who had his wheel collapse in.. looked like alot of crap I dont want to go through. Going to check those soon as possible. Im reworking the suspension now.

[nswst8]

The upper control arm nuts are 17mm, once you remove these nuts the control arm will drop out. Separate the upper ball joint first.

[lostforawhile]

the upper ball joints, the end pieces that hold them in are bolted in the engine compartment, break the ball joints loose under the hood and separate from the wishbone, then undo the nuts in the engine compartment and the entire thing will drop out, assemble loosely out of the car,bolt it back in, then tighten the bolt going through the upper arm with the car at normal ride height.

[Xaisk]

Well, im about to get started working on it now. Ill let you guys know how it turns out.

[Oldblueaccord]

http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=2027047


good pics here.


wp

[Xaisk]

Well today I have learned alot.

1. Anything with the word "boot" in it needs replacing.

I looked at the CV joint boot and it is non functional. The boot is completely ripped in half and holds no grease.

That explains why it shudders at 55+ speeds. Worn joint. Gotta replace the whole thing.

2. Removing the bushings from the old control arm SUCKS #(@#.

Well its not so much the whole bushing as just those 2 rubber things that go inside the control arm. They ripped a bit coming out.

Work still in progress so far. off my break time.

[russiankid]

Whenever I take apart something that is old, and it has rubber in it, I open up the exploded view of it and order every part I see...

[Xaisk]

Well I wasnt able to finish due to having to order new bushings. The next few days are going to be chaos seeing as I dont have a car to drive atm. Luckily I dont work tommorow or Friday.

[Xaisk]

UPDATE

So I spent the last few days working on my suspension. Its so much more ungodly disgusting than anything in the engine.

Anyway.. I last updated saying the CV joints were shot, the boots too.

Well I got paid and put in a big order..

*Upper ball joints
*Control arms
*Lower ball joints
*Left and Right axles/CV joints
*Control arm bushings

It should all arrive tommorow and I will be putting it in. Im expecting my suspension will be completely renewed except for the struts. I want to save up for some aftermarket struts though like Bilsteins or Koni's. Im debating taking pics or not.. it seems kind of stupid since you guys see this every day.

But... While I have it apart.. Im going to scrape all the gunk off the inside of the wheel well, and paint it black. Then im going to paint my strut black, the spring red, the lower suspension arm black, and the calipur red. After I have it back together im going to sand down my wheels so they will be shiny again then I will take some pics. I think it will look REALLY nice with my red and black theme. I will be working my ass off all day tommorow.

[lostforawhile]

UPDATE

So I spent the last few days working on my suspension. Its so much more ungodly disgusting than anything in the engine.

Anyway.. I last updated saying the CV joints were shot, the boots too.

Well I got paid and put in a big order..

*Upper ball joints
*Control arms
*Lower ball joints
*Left and Right axles/CV joints
*Control arm bushings

It should all arrive tommorow and I will be putting it in. Im expecting my suspension will be completely renewed except for the struts. I want to save up for some aftermarket struts though like Bilsteins or Koni's. Im debating taking pics or not.. it seems kind of stupid since you guys see this every day.

But... While I have it apart.. Im going to scrape all the gunk off the inside of the wheel well, and paint it black. Then im going to paint my strut black, the spring red, the lower suspension arm black, and the calipur red. After I have it back together im going to sand down my wheels so they will be shiny again then I will take some pics. I think it will look REALLY nice with my red and black theme. I will be working my ass off all day tommorow.

you are talking about upper ball joints/control arms right? the joint is welded to the arm. prelude arms are separate, just making sure you got the right part. how are you going to press the lower ball joints in and out? it wouldn't be much to take the wishbones with you and have them pressed off the car. they are installed upside down in the wishbones. why not do the wheel bearings while everything is out?

[nswst8]

Some are welded in and there are some that you can press in. The last set I ordered from Rockauto where pressed it, so at some point in time I'll finally be able to use the Moog upper ball joints I've had sitting on my shelf for the last 10+ years.

[Dr_Snooz]

you are talking about upper ball joints/control arms right? the joint is welded to the arm. prelude arms are separate, just making sure you got the right part. how are you going to press the lower ball joints in and out? it wouldn't be much to take the wishbones with you and have them pressed off the car. they are installed upside down in the wishbones. why not do the wheel bearings while everything is out?

Good call.

[Xaisk]

What is the best way to remove the lower ball joints from the hub? The base auto hobby shop doesnt have a press machine and I dont know where I would find one?

[Oldblueaccord]

You can try using a big C-clamp and sockets to press them out or beat them out with a hammer if you have too.

I am assuming you have the arm off.


wp

[russiankid]

If you mean from the knuckle to replace the lower ball joint, get a BFH and hit the threaded end of the joint. Then, use a piece of wood to carefully tap the new one in. Worked like a charm for it.

[Dr_Snooz]

Bfh?? LOL

[itzdave]

yea but dont forget to take out the snap ring, otherwise ull be beating with that Big Frikkin Hammer for nothin, lol.

[Xaisk]

Well I tryed quite a few different prying/slegehammering/ you name it.. even things useing the jack. (dont ask)

I eventually just gave up and took em to someone to have em pressed out and the new ones in. 40 bucks down the drain but whatever.

I completely finished doing the drivers side. New Lower/upper ball joints/control arm, tie rod ends.. axles/CVs.. Everything replaced in the front suspension but the struts.

Im eager to drive it and feel how it handles now but I cant.

The lower bushing fused together with the bolt I have to take out of the wishbone to put the new axle/cv in. We ended up destroying the rubber inside the bushing to find out that the metal sleeve was fused to the bolt and we can not get it off. We tryed to hack it apart and it ended up dulling the blade.

I havent thought of what im going to do to get that thing apart... What would you guys recommmend?

I can get pictures if you guys need them.

Thanks