Ball Joint Question (93 civic)

So, we are putting the halfshafts back on the car, and it comes time to
reconnect the ball joint to the lower control arm. When putting the nut and
cotter pin back in place we discovered that the first couple threads have
been pretty wrecked. So, we tried to re thread it using the usual "find the
first thread and turn hard as hell" method; only to find that the bolt spins
with the nut, now this isnt suprising, because it does the same thing on the
opposite (passenger) side, only to a much lesser degree. Also, upon
inspecting the protective boot atop the ball joint it is torn in more than
one place and leaking grease. Is this a problem where i'm going to need to
get a new balljoint? Or can it be solved by simply taking a proper sized die
to the existing ball joint bolt?

 

Sounds like the balljoint is ready to be replaced. You can
get lifetime warranty ones from most places, its an easy
fix.

t

 

First off, what tool did you use to separate the ball joint? If you used a
pickle fork, then finding that the boots are split is expected. You'll need
to replace the boots. Ball joints are designed to spin. Castle nuts can be
difficult to thread sometimes. Jamming the nut on and hoping that it'll go
rarely works. You'll likely have better luck with a thread file such as
http://tinyurl.com/6vmmv. Just make sure that you use the correct pitch (a
thread pitch gauge would really help here since I don't recall the precise
size of the ball joint threads though someone might know for a '93 Civic).
Just make sure that you don't get any metal filings in the ball joint. It
might be a good idea to either replace the boots first or cover up the
splits with some tape or something until your sure that you can get a nut
threaded onto it. Note that thread files usually don't produce a lot of
metal filings, this is just a precaution.

Eric

 

The only reason that i noted the spinning as excessive, was that it seemed
to spin much easier than its counterpart on the other side of the car. It
seems that it might be impossible to get the nut to tighten down once it is
threaded because of the spinning. How do i know when it is time to replace
the balljoint or when it's time to just ignore it? Also, is the boot
something that i can get at Autozone, or is it a dealer specialty? and will
not replacing it cause problems?

 

It is a good idea to replace the whole CV joint assembly (inboard/outboard,
shaft, boot) because of the time and effort involved. CV joints are not
replaced on a regular basis. My Accord went 230Kkms before I started hearing
clicking sounds everytime I turn the wheel. My Odyssey has now logged
260Kkms and still going. A torn rubber boot needs to be replaced to protect
the metal parts from dirt and abrasive materials that could eventually
shorten the life of the joints. If you experienced a torn rubber boot at
more than 250Kkms (160K in miles), I would suggest you replace the whole
assembly, for soon, the joints will die.

 

When you reconnect the lower ball joint to the steering knuckle you should
raise up the suspension with a floor jack under the lower control arm such
that it bears the normal load. This should prevent it from spinning.

There are a couple of tests. Since you have the joint disassembled, can you
feel any free play when you attempt to move the ball joint stud up and down
in the vertical axis? When the ball joint is fully assembled, jack up the
car and set it on jack stands (if it's not there already) and try squeezing
the ball joint with a large pair of ChannelLock pliers in the vertical
axis. If there's any detectable movement then the joint should be
replaced. However, sometimes this test doesn't work so well on lower ball
joints. The next test is to put the tire on (you can use just two lug nuts
if you'll be taking it off again), grab the tire at the top and bottom and
try to rock it. This check will typically find a loose wheel bearing. So,
if you feel any play you'll need to verify where it's coming from. Have
someone watch the suspension while you're rocking the tire. The next check
is to grab both sides of the tire roughly between the 4 and the 5 o'clock
position and try to rock it back it forth. This last check usually isolates
the free play in the ball joint. Again, have someone watch the suspension
if you feel any looseness.

You could pick up a ball joint boot from many sources. However, my
experience has been that aftermarket rubber components typically don't last
as long as Honda's parts.

Not replacing the ball joint boot will cause the joint to fail prematurely.

Eric

 

Well, I tried this test, and it didnt stop it from spinning. Grrrr... So, i
guess im going to continue with the plan to replace the entire joint, as i
dont see it hurting anything.
thanks for all the advice Im just going to keep with it and see where it
gets me.

 

bought a new ball joint at napa for about 30 bucks. Had it pressed at a
local tire shop for no charge. Very easy. the hardest part was getting the
stripped rotor screws off.