installed new upper ball joint

[adecanmin]

I've read the threads about how it is better to replace the entire arm but I figured since I have a press I'd go the ball joint route. I originally was going to just replace the boot because it was torn but I figured why spend 32 dollars for just the boot when you get the joint as well. Install went easy. I made sure I aligned the joint before I pressed it in. Some have said the upper A metal is too thin to use again, but it is curved which adds considerable strength. Others have sad the joint may work lose after it is pressed in. The ball joint I purchased is knurled in the area the makes contact with the Arm. And of course theres the c clip that holds it in. I seen pictures of the bottom ball joint failing probably because of a failure of the boot. I haven't seen any of the top failing.



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[ChIoVnIdCa]

I've read the threads about how it is better to replace the entire arm but I figured since I have a press I'd go the ball joint route. I originally was going to just replace the boot because it was torn but I figured why spend 32 dollars for just the boot when you get the joint as well. Install went easy. I made sure I aligned the joint before I pressed it in. Some have said the upper A metal is too thin to use again, but it is curved which adds considerable strength. Others have sad the joint may work lose after it is pressed in. The ball joint I purchased is knurled in the area the makes contact with the Arm. And of course theres the c clip that holds it in. I seen pictures of the bottom ball joint failing probably because of a failure of the boot. I haven't seen any of the top failing.



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Ive done it before with zero problems.... Make sure the bushings are still good though.

[deevergote]

The top usually fails if the boot is torn as well. I've read a few things about cheap upper ball joints failing. Honda does not sell the ball joint separate from the arm, which is one reason why I would never attempt to install the joint separately. If Honda doesn't do it that way, then I don't want to do it that way!

Hopefully it works out for you. That's not a part you want to learn a lesson the hard way with!

[19dabeast85]

The top usually fails if the boot is torn as well. I've read a few things about cheap upper ball joints failing. Honda does not sell the ball joint separate from the arm, which is one reason why I would never attempt to install the joint separately. If Honda doesn't do it that way, then I don't want to do it that way!

Hopefully it works out for you. That's not a part you want to learn a lesson the hard way with!

Can you reference any single event where any Honda vehicle's front upper control arm has failed after proper install of a new ball joint (with existing arm)? I've never seen it and I'm curious as to why everyone seems to think it's a bad idea.

[deevergote]

I have not seen it happen, no. I never said it would happen. I only say Honda sells the arm and joint together, and I assume they do so for a reason... I'd rather not take a chance with such an important part. If that fails, you crash.

[adecanmin]

I'm guessing Honda may have a concern with the proper alignment of the ball joint. Moog issued a bulletin about the danger of not aligning it. They show a ball joint that cracked down the middle because of an incorrect install. I've pressed vertical bushings on my Neon with a Macpherson strut suspension and the control arm wasn't much beefier then the Honda. They sell the whole arm with the bushings and balljoint installed or the option of the individual parts.
I plan on replacing the lower ball joints eventually and I'll go Honda OEM with them.

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[deevergote]

Yeah, the OEM Honda lower ball joints are only about $25 each, last I checked... so there's really no reason not to get them. The upper control arms with the ball joints are about $175, so just getting a replacement joint does make sense to a point...

You may be right about the alignment of them. That would make sense.

[F20A CB7]

Why do you have to replace the entire arm for a upper ball joint?

The auto store sells them as replacements just put a new cotter pin, I usually put a slightly thicker 1 under the nut.

Is this wat we are talking about here?

[deevergote]

Read the thread, and you'll see what we're talking about here.

[Losiracer2]

Upper control arms at Autozone are about 50 bucks a side with new anchor bolts and bushings. I gave these a shot b/c it was late at night when I discovered my D/S upper balljoint had a LOT of play. So I needed to get that fixed ASAP. I swapped those anchor bolts with my Polyurethane Progress camber correction kit I had in there before and so far its been 6 months and no issues. Rubber on the boot is still good, no premature cracking. Seems like good quality.

Whats good about these is, if the boot ever tears for any reason, all I have to do is take the entire arm back and they'll give me a new one since it's got a lifetime warranty. Something to think about if you accidentally tear your new upper balljoint boot doing a brake job or whatever.

For the bottom I used OEM balljoints since I really didn't want to cheap out and the price difference was negligible, ~5-10 bucks for a dealer one vs Autozone one.

[YK86]

I have used replacement upper balljoints several times on many different cb's. Up in Canada, Altrom sells made in Japan aftermarket ones and I've had great success with those lasting a long time.

What I have noticed is that Honda seems to use some sort of glue or urethane on the top side (sandwiched between the arm and balljoint). It just looks like dirt build up at first but it is clearly underneath all of the balljoint so it must have been applied before the balljoint was pressed in.

Now sometimes if you scrape it all off to get the line to align the balljoint to show up, the balljoint seats too low after pressing it in so the c-clip on the other side doesn't quite butt up again the arm. A gap not enough to shim, but enough to visibly see (it's very very minor). If that's the case, I usually tack weld 2 spots on the top side. But this I only had to do on my own car (which I have since driven 80,000miles) when I first bought it in 2003.

The new batch I have changed don't seem to have this problem. My brother has hit roughly 125,000miles on his arms with the Altrom upper balljoints (no tack welds) and they are still very very tight. Those I replace some time around 2008 or so.

[adecanmin]

I noticed the ball joint c clip has a gap between the housing and the joint. I didn't tack weld it. If the ball joint moves. I'm replacing the whole arm.



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[YK86]

If you see a gap, then get ready to buy new arms then. It will back itself out. This happened to me and also Ronald Type-R. We both tack welded ours.

[adecanmin]

I'll watch it. Thanks


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