Front upper balljoint replacement

[starchland]

I think my driver side upper balljoint is gone bad cause it clicks sometimes and you can see the grease is coming out of it. Is it true that you cant replace just this balljoint, but you have to replace the whole upper control arm? and if so why do they sell those adjustable ball joints separately. Could someone please clarify...i really dont want to have to replace the whole UCA

[wed3k]

yea, the 4th gen UBJ are non-removable from the control arm. you'd have to purchase a 5th gen control arm in order to use the aftermarket balljoint camber kits.

[HondaFan81]

I think my driver side upper balljoint is gone bad cause it clicks sometimes and you can see the grease is coming out of it. Is it true that you cant replace just this balljoint, but you have to replace the whole upper control arm? and if so why do they sell those adjustable ball joints separately. Could someone please clarify...i really dont want to have to replace the whole UCA

It is so easy to change the upper arm. It will take you like 20 minutes per side if that. Here is what you do:

- jack up front of car, put it on stands
- remove front wheels
- remove the upper-arm castlenut cover (2 screws - 10mm socket)
- remove cotter pins
- 17mm socket to remove castlenuts completely off
- take a good size/weight hammer & hit the KNUCKLE square at the bore that the upper arm joint goes into (it may take up to 7-8 good hits, usually less).
- the upper joint will pop-out
- pop hood & locate the two large nuts that hold upper control arm in (17mm socket), remove them both completely
- remove upper arms
- install new arms (tighten two large nuts tight or to 47 lb-ft if u got torque wrench)
- push down arm so that it will go into knuckle bore & install new castlenut (comes with new arm) > torque snug or 32 lb-ft
- slide new cotter pin in & bend(comes with upper arm)
- put castlenut cover back on
-technically you should get wheel alignment when replacing any joints

[Gen4Acclude]

yea, the 4th gen UBJ are non-removable from the control arm. you'd have to purchase a 5th gen control arm in order to use the aftermarket balljoint camber kits.

5th gen arms fit and function correctly on our cars and the last 5th gen car i looked at there ubj were just like ours stamped

[starchland]

thanks hondafan you made that so clear, unlike the haynes manual. so the 5th gen are stamped too? see, I have the type of camber kit that goes between where the UCA bolts onto the chassis, so im not sure what to do so far, but changing it sounds easy.