my 91 GS has a loose ball joint on the left-upper CA


with the weight off the wheel I can easily wobble the ball joint around, I am sure I dont want that

my searches have given no definitive choice

do I buy a new set of CA's and replace both sides or just pop out the ball joint and replace it?

I see sets of upper ca on ebay, are they junk?
I am NOT slamming this da so I dont care about the fancy adj, I just dont want my wheel to decide on a different destination than the rest of the car.

my front end needs several things at once, so I am trying to prioritize the repairs properly

 

Update:
new thing added to list
that wheel bearing has gone out,

how can I tell if the play I have is from the ball joint, which I know is loose, or the wheel bearing, or both?

other than pulling them off and looking.
(I dont have a way to get parts once my work starts so I need to get what I need while the car still drives, before I start)

of course the more parts I need the further in the future I will wait to start due to needing more money.....

 

i do this at work jack up the car untill all front wheels are off the ground if you wanna check ur rack and pinion,shake from a side to side movement have a friend do that and feel if there is movement from the joint or where it connect to teh inner tie rod/outer tie rods for ball joint you wanna put your hand at 2 oclock and 7 oclock moving it and see if the ball joint move for wheel bearing move the wheel up and down if there is play or you hear a sound ur bearings are gone

 

weeellllllllll


yes to all of the above

thanks for the very helpful reply




ok, so I am car-less if I am smart
unfortunately I am not smart enough to be independently wealthy so I will be driving it
hopefully I will have the cash/oportunity in less time than it takes my suspension to fold up

here in Trashville it might be soon, the roads here have potholes that grow daily and some are big enough to make a semi shudder, and after reading around I find that front bearing replacement is not cheap, please wish me luck, that is all I have holding my wheel on now it would seem

 

just go buy a new one from pick a part its cheap and you can pick what you want

 

errrr.....?
new...pickapart?


but seriously.. yeah for the time being i guess I could pop a used on in for a month or so of stress-less driving

I will see if one of the two that have been there have an arm for me

 

Go to the junkyard and look for the parts you need I came up on a lot of good things.

 

http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/...s=&view=normal

For OEM Acura parts:
10 51460-SK7-043 ARM ASSY., L. FR. (UPPER) $110.98

 

i just bought mine two nites ago for 30 dollars complete uca from here on HT..u should check the fs threads to see if anybody has it or if they are parting out parts from a crashed teggy..if not go to the junkyard