VTECVillain

Arrrrrrrrgh!!!!!!!!!!!! My fiancee was driving her 91 CRX with 96 B18B1 and the lower control arm broke loose from the lower balljoint and jacked the car pretty bad. It made the wheel kick sideways and ripped the cv joint in half but luckily on the tranny side. The car dropped onto the wheel while it was sideways and buckled the fender. It makes me sick because I was thinking just the other day how well it has held up since I did the swap.
We got it towed and I just got done checking it out. It looks to me like the bolt through the lower balljoint that bolts to the lower control arm is stripped about 5-6 threads up. The nut is missing and so is the cotter pin. She had that balljoint replaced about 2 years ago because it was bad at the time of inspection. The garage replaced it first then passed the car with a new sticker. I'll bet that they put the nut on with an impact wrench and/or cross threaded it. The balljoint still looks to be in good shape though.
If that bolt is stripped, will buying a new lower balljoint include that bolt? I don't know much about it, but I do know the upper balljoint and control arm are set as one piece and to replace the upper you need to get the full upper control arm with balljoint. Is the bottom balljoint the same way?

cottagecreep

Yeah, they come with the bolt. That sucks, you gotta keep a check on those ball joints.

spettinger

i got mine for about $50 at autozone, you need to smack the old one up out from the bottom, and push the new one in from the top. finish with liberal amounts of hammering on the top of the balljoint to make sure it is seated in the knuckle, and reinstall the snap ring. enjoy, sorry to hear about the misfortune.

EF-9SiR

THAT EXACT HAPPENED TO ME TOO!!! this was 2 weeks ago, i was going about 55mph, hit a little bump in the road, steering wheel turned, but the car kept going straight, i came to a stop light, and tried to go, but the driver side front wheel tucked in. luckily i didnt make it on the freeway which was 2 blocks away, or i wouldve definitely spun out. same exact thing happend. got it towed to the shop. the bolt was stripped some, and no nut or lock pin. good thing there wasnt much damage though...i was lucky, and i was stuck in the middle of traffic. scary....and scary to know its happened to someone else. and i have a b16, and the cars lowered on stock struts and eibach sportlines if that has to do with anything.

VTECVillain

I'm going to buy a new lower balljoint today. I already got a new axle, but was unsure about the balljoint. Since it comes with the bolt I should be in good shape. Her car is stock stance, suspension hasn't been lowered or anything. I'm almost sure it had to have been the garage that replaced the balljoint a few years back that stripped the bolt. There's really no way to prove it, but only to fix what's done.

USDM 4G VTEC

lower ball joints go for $35 easch.... i got both new ball joints and havent pu tthem in since i gotta take the lower arm to a shop and have them compress that bi^* out....my ball joiunts are shot.. but until i can get a shop to dio it i am screwed///

keithv

where did you get ball joints for $35?

chef

**** man, i feel your pain. i used some wire in a pinch instead of a cotter pin, and one day on my way home from work..whammo! i was cruising down a hill and all of a sudden the car tipped to one side and i came to a grinding halt. same deal. the lower control arm carved a nice ah..carve mark into my wheel, and the fender is a little fucked up too. i've just left it like that. it's fast, looks like ****, and i don't stress on it getting jacked as much. besides, now the primered fender on the other side doesn't feel so lonely. i jacked up my axle as well, but just rebuilt it. i now carry an extra castle nut in my car, just in case...

VTECVillain

Autozone!!! I just got a new one today for $35. I'm having a really hard time trying to remove the old balljoint though. I pounded it with a hammer and haven't had any luck so far. I'm going to put the bolt back into the lower control arm, put a nut on it and try to use a balljoint seperater. Maybe a torch will be next

MADEINIRAQ

same thing happened to me.. except mine sheared off instead of coming out.. had to use cutting torch to get the left over part that was stuck inside the LCA

you can also see where the bolt gouged my rim.

MugenGTR

dont worry, it's not only you, it happened to me jus the other day, and i have a 95 integra too damit!

philly-O

a bfh and alot of swearing and you will be able to pound the old balljoints out. this seems to be a pretty common problem, my buddy broke both of his balljoints already, one at a time though. both of his broke at slow speeds, once pulling out of a garage at an angle and the other in the taco bell drive through. what causes this to happen?

VTECVillain

I still haven't been able to remove the balljoint. I'm going to rent a balljoint presser from Autozone today. They said it will press it out just as it will press it in and since it ends up being free to rent, I'll give it a shot.