Ball Joint Boot GONE!

[DeNoZZo]

I was looking around today to try and find the creeking noise coming from the front when I turned the wheel, and when I noticed one of the ball joint boots is missing. My question is, what part is this? How can I fix it? Can I fix it myself? Where to buy parts? Anything that would help me would be appreciated.

Heres a pic of the b/j

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[sniperelite]

That's real bad.....I wouldn't drive your car if I were you. There is a chance the ball joint will separate (especially because you have NO boot it may have already started eating away at the metal) and if this happens you will lose control of the car and possibly damage some other parts. You are probably going to have to replace the lower control arms completely to fix this...

 

[PIMking]

its not suppose to be that loose is it?

 

[sniperelite]

...forgot to add, you can find some of these pretty cheap on ebay that are either sold in a pair or separate. Some manufactures even claim that build quality is better than OEM, even though the prices are much cheaper than going to the dealer.

You can search for lower control arm on ebay and come up with similar results to this
eBay Motors: 4 Lower Control Arms ECLIPSE Galant SEBRING TALON 95-99 (item 330280982552 end time Apr-20-09 22:45:12 PDT)

 

[AndrewD5418]

its not suppose to be that loose is it?

Correct. Ball joints and inner and outer tie rods are supposed to be stiff.

 

[DeNoZZo]

Correct. Ball joints and inner and outer tie rods are supposed to be stiff.

I put a jack under the ball joint and jacked up, and it didn't seem loose.... Just noisy.

 

[bslavsGSX]

I would say just replace the balljoint, and no it shouldn't be loose. Once the boot is gone dirt gets in and damages it. not that expensive anyways

 

[DeNoZZo]

Anyone have instructions on how to replace?

 

[stevo911]

These are pressed in ball joints putting them in isnt hard because you can torque the bolt enough to make it "pop" in. Honestly may be better taking this to a garage that has a press. Ball Joint Replacement - How to Replace Ball Joints by Auto Media Pretend its a DSM only thing is we do not have to remove sway bar links and as far as I know there is no rivets just beat out pop in.

 

[lacroixdp]

Just a word of advice, when mine crapped out on DSM #3 I took it into a shop here in Indy to do it - all the guys there know DSMs thoroughly. They took 4 hours to change it out, and that was with the proper tools. The poor guy was cussin and sweatin something fierce the whole time too. It was the biggest PITA I have ever seen... you wouldn't believe how hard it was to get that sucker out. Personally, I'd let a shop deal with it.

 

[srumel]

These are pressed in ball joints putting them in isnt hard because you can torque the bolt enough to make it "pop" in.

Yep, that's how I did it. Also, I heated up the control arm "generously" with a propane torch and let the new ball joint sit in a freezer for a few hours. Went in pretty easily.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Replace your driver's side compression arm.
The balljoint is not serviceable, like some of the other posters (read: 1g owners) would lead you to believe, and you would not want to bother trying to find a boot and sticking it on there because the damage was done a looong time ago, by the looks of things.

Stop driving immediately, replace that arm, get an alignment, then drive.

 

[Bluefire16]

Just search there are tons of threads ..... but unlike ^^ it is possible to just replace the balljoint but you have to use some random balljoing that "works" for our cars as their isnt supposed to be a replacement. Just buy a new arm though and hope your bolts are frozen. Anyhow, you might need an alignment might not...just see how it is.

 

[DeNoZZo]

Just search there are tons of threads ..... but unlike ^^ it is possible to just replace the balljoint but you have to use some random balljoing that "works" for our cars as their isnt supposed to be a replacement. Just buy a new arm though and hope your bolts are frozen. Anyhow, you might need an alignment might not...just see how it is.

Ok, heres something for you-

When I had to take my transmission out back in december, one of the bolts broke on the lower control arm. It was one of the ones that connected to the chassis. I limped it to the shop with one bolt holding the control arm to the chassis, and had them heat it up and extract the broken bolt. They told me one of the bolts stripped (or something like that... I didn't listen like I should have, I just wanted to get my car back on the road). So they put some washers on it???. I hope that I don't have any trouble with it when I go to take it out. On the good side, I have a lifetime alignment from my local firestone shop.

 

[stevo911]

Pie thats why I gave him the directions to cut the rivets. 1gs dont have the rivets but the 2gs do.

 

[DeNoZZo]

So let me get this straight before I go and spend my money-

This is what I should get right?

 

[brassc2007]

If you wanna take the easier road out they sell control arms with the ball joint already pressed in for a reasonable price that is the only way i could order mine and that gives you nice new control arms and new rubber groumets

 

[Bluefire16]

See my bolts "froze" in my car so we had to grind/heat them off. It was a huge pain in the a$$. Anyhow replacing the whole arm and balljoint is easiest. As far as the washers... umm yea dont no ### to tell you, i wouldnt drive it till a new arm is on tho.