Ball joint separation

[dsmmaniac12787]

Hey guys, does the actual ball joint separate from the control arm? The threads are stripped and I cant get the nut back on. I dont want to just buy a whole new control arm and ball joint to fix such a problem.

I grabbed a ball joint/control arm from a 2g with a 420a in it. Seems theres a slight curve at the end that wont work with mine. I ripped the boot off and there is a ring that seems to be holding the ball joint in place. Can this maybe be removed then replaced into my existing control arm?

Any help would be great...Im a broke ass

 

[gurmanator]

you will have to buy an outer tie-rod/control arm end and then you will have to have an alignment.if you find a used one you still have to align.

 

[romeen]

Yes, the ball joint can be removed from the control arm and a new one can be pressed in if you have the right tools. As far as I know, you cannot get oem ball joints as an individual part. There are at least a few aftermarket ball joints that you can get and have it pressed in but I have no personal experience with any of them. Most guys just replace the whole control arm.

Are you sure the threads on the ball joint stud are stripped? Or is it the stud itself that spins when you try to tighten the nut?

 

[rstchris]

You might be able to borrow a die and chase the threads on it to make it work. If there is any play in the ball joint the dealer should replace it for free being that they were recalled.

 

[snowborder714]

I have never heard of anyone replacing the ball joints in a 2g. Usually you just get a new arm.

Which arm are you having a problem with? The lateral arm (straight) is only about $35. The curved arm is a different story.

As romeen asked, are you sure it isn't just spinning?

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

Its not just spinning. See what happened was....

I was replacing my axle and trying to remove the control arm. I tapped on the top of the ball joint to knock it out and it didnt come out. Hit it a little harder and the top threads just mushroomed out. The nut would not go back on. Then I had the bright idea to take the dremel and a cutting wheel and try to grind the top thread out. Didnt work so great with it still in the car. Im thinking about taking it out and trying to hack at it but it just doesnt seem like a good idea so I was thinking of just replacing that actual piece with the one I got from the junkyard.

And yeah its the curved one.

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

Exactly what tools would I need to get that ball joint out? The ring holding it in place seems pretty solid. I have the control arm from the 420a eclipse, so I was gonna pop that ball joint out and put it in mine.

 

[snowborder714]

The part numbers on the curved arm for a '95 GS and '95 GST are the same according to CAPS. You should just be able to swap it in.

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

Negative. Not the ball joint, but the opposite end has a slight downward curve to it. Unless Im blind or missing something, it doesnt look like it will work properly.

 

[snowborder714]

My bad for assuming you pulled it from a '95 GS.

Are your current curved control arms the original ones? If so, it's probably different because the factory changed the design after '95 or '96. This was to correct the previous equal caster. It made the caster different from left to right to accommodate for road hump.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/handling-tech/176057-resolved-2g-caster-changing.html

Might this be the difference you are seeing?

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

Well as far as I know its the original. All I know is that the one I got from the 420a eclipse in the junkyard seems to curve downward. It looks like the link you provided shows something a little different. Maybe I was reading wrong (I just kinda skimmed) but it seemed to be more of a sided to side thing than an up or down. Is that right?

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

If nothing else I will pull mine off and take pics of them side by side tomorrow.

 

[snowborder714]

Yes, the link I provided has the bushing flipped. You'd have to press it out and flip it and has nothing to do with up and down, that I know of.

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

this one from the junkyard, the arm is actually has a slight downward curve to it just before the bushing part.

 

[turbosax2]

Just to clarify, that bushing doesn't need to be "flipped" for it to work properly in your car. This is a mod some racers use to get equal caster on both sides, but won't really affect the car for most driving conditions. Can you post pictures of the junkyard arm to show us the difference?

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

Tomorrow when I get out of class I will pull the old one off and show it next to the junkyard one. The actual curve of the arms seemed different.

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

I couldnt get the ball joint out of the car for anything. I beat on it and pried and nothing. So I unbolted the other end and bolted the other one up. The ball joint came nowhere close to the hookup point. I took a pic but my memory card isnt being read for some reason.



*Cant get a pic up right now. Piddled with it but its not working and I cant find the usb cable for the camera. The ball joint end is way left and down from where it needs to be when the other end is bolted up.*

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

In any case, all im really looking for is how to get that ring off that holds the actual ball joint in the control arm.

 

[crimsondragon]

Jesus there's a article on here.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...4783-2g-upper-ball-joint-change-35-bucks.html
I did it. It was an easy change. Things you will need: pickle fork, ball joint press, BFH, and some box or open ended wrenches
Take the wheel off, undo the nut, and use the pickle fork and BFH to separate the ball joint from the arm. Remove the A-arm, 12 mm bolts on each side. Get lock ring pliers and remove the lock ring. Take ball joint press and press it out. Swap in a new one by pressing it in. Put new lock ring in, installation is reverse of removal. Torque nut to 20ft*lbs.

You can get the ball joint from Rockauto.com for cheap. Also the pickle fork and ball joint press are expensive so rent them from Autozone.

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

ok, this if for the LOWER ball joint. I have yet to find a parts stor that sells the lower ball joint alone. Dont know if they would be the same, but It seems to me that the boots are different.

 

[crimsondragon]

In that case, read this:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...14096-replacing-torn-ball-joint-boots-2g.html

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

Hey hey good deal. Thanks that was pretty helpful. Just wish it showed how to get that thick ring off that holds the ball joint in place....

 

[crimsondragon]

Read the first link I posted. There's a pic of the tool in use required to remove the lock ring.

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

What would I do without this forum?...Well then I think that about sums it up. Thanks for all your help crimsondragon!

 

[dsmmaniac12787]

Ok so im still not quite clear on how to get this thing out. It doesnt look like this ring around it comes off. Does this just press out? I see how the upper ball joint comes out, but it looks like the lower is more of a one piece deal. Help anybody???