Hexar

Hi Guys,
The left outer CB boot on my 95 Civic DX is shot, oil leaked out, so I am about to replace it. I have taken the "fork support" out and am about to separate the lower ball joint from the lower control arm.

I took the cotter pin out, however i can not remove/loose the castle nut, whenever I turn it, the lower ball joint spine turns with it, and there is no leverage I can use to separate the castle nut from the ball joint spine.

Is my lower ball joint shot? If yes, can I just replace the left hand side without changing the right one? (take out the big wheel nut is a pain)

Thanks guys!

jwelch1103

Presuming I understand your post which I think is about disconnecting a ball joint while replacing a Constant-Velocity or CV joint boot or axle. Sometimes these ball joints come right apart some times they Sit and Spin!
You might try an impact wrench, sometimes the shock effect will work it loose. If it still spins you need to try loading the ball joint which, again if I understand you have already taken the front suspension partially apart, means you have tio put it back together and use a jack and jack up on the wheel knuckle (simulating the same type of load as if the tire were resting on the ground). This should side load the shaft. If it still spins you may have to cutt the shaft with either a torch or a saw. I used a saw once when nothing else worked.

Hexar

Thanks wjelch1103,

You understood my situations correctly. I needed to change the CV boot, to do that I need to take the Lower control arm off, and to do that, I need to disconnect the lower ball joint.

I tried to jack up the knuckle and it did not work, and I reconnectted the suspension parts back on, and put the wheel on and lowered car so it sits on the ground, and the spine still rotates when I turned the castle nut.

so I guess I have to cut the ball joint nut/spine, and put in a new one.

thanks for your reply. I appreciate it.

GMOE

This is a common thing with honda ball joints, I ran into this many times.
Try using a prybar and pry between the LCA and Spindle(ball joint is pressed in this),
once you get in a good position pry(pry spindle up and lca down at the same time) and hold it while some else spins the nut. If you pry it right you will lock up the ball joint preventing it from spinning. Try it, might work.

IhateworkingoncaRs

Best option is to use a impact but the downside is that if the impact spinns it one to many times before it comes loose, it will make your ball joint bad.

Hexar

Thanks guys for the replies.
I saw off the castle nut and got the lower control arm off the ball joint.

However, here is another problem, I could not get the lower ball joint off. I have read the following page, but mine does not have the big 40mm retaining c-clip, there is a raising ring in the c-clip's position, that seems part of the ball joint.

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-2000-1/confused-about-replacing-lower-ball-joints-need-clarification-2541406/#post38138681


Another problem I see is: the Knuckle Ring (the big ring around the axle opening seems block the ball joint, so even if I can could get the ball joint loose, the Knuckle ring will block it. How can I take the Knuckle ring off?

I guess I have to take the whole spindle/knuckle off I have to take the upper ball joint off and steering ball joint off. If I do these, will I need to do alignment after everything is put together?

Thanks!

The_Honda_Guy

So why are you removing the lower control arm to change a CV boot? You're doing it the hard way. I've always just busted the axle nut loose with the car sitting on the ground along with the lug nuts, raised the car up and taken the wheel off, removed the cotter pin from the upper ball joint, pryed down on the upper control arm and removed the castle nut, popped the upper control arm out of the knuckle, and then pushed the axle out of the knuckle. It's much easier than trying to remove the lower ball joint from the knuckle. Also, another word of advise. Replace the entire shaft instead of just the boot. It's not much more and it's much much much less of a mess, not to mention you'll have a brand new CV shaft that you won't need to worry about the inner boot leaking on.

waaBAAH

yup..you can go either way...

either take upper balljoint off
or
take lower balljint off

1992Si

We always take them to a shop and have them use their press to replace the ball joints and bearings. Some jobs are better left to the Pro's.

Yes the car will need to be aligned.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...tcgry5=KNUCKLE

It may be easier to remove the upper control arm from the frame instead of screwing with the upper ball joint. It's just 2 nut's and you'll have to remove the shock, but that is normally easy too.
I hate ball joints.

Hint, if your going to be working on your car, buy a air compressor and a good impact wrench. It will save you a ton of headaches.

v-tecivic

if your only removing the ball joints from the spindle. i.e. upper/lower/tie rod you will not need an alignment. you'll need one only if you loosen the jamb nut on the tie rod from the steering rack.

Hexar

Thanks again guys for the replies!

The_Honda_Guy,
The reason I took the lower ball joint off control arm is : the Honda manual says that and this is my first time doing this job. I should have known better! A friend of mine called today and telling me to remove the upper ball joint! :p

I guess it is too late, I busted the lower ball joint shaft along with the castle nut, and separated the lower ball joint, but there was NO WAY that I could take the ball joint off the spindle, so I tried to take the upper ball joint and steering point joint off. Basically I did everything the HARD way. :D

I could not take the upper ball joint off until the same friend told me to give the knuckle a big blow near the ball joint. I did a couple of "big" blows and the ball joint separated. That saved me 20 dollars buying a ball joint separator.

Then I had to grind off the lower ball joint shaft and the ball from the housing, then cut a opening on the ball joint housing side wall, then chisel the ball joint from the knuckle. Again doing the hard way.

Installing the new lower ball joint is not that difficult, I rented a ball joint/u-joint press from Canadian Tire and press the new ball joint in is VERY easy. Too bad all the adapters are too big for the Civic knuckle, I could not use the press to remove the ball joint.

Anyways, I have put the knuckle back in, and axle back in -- putting in the inner sub-axle to the transfer case needed some rubber hammering, but so far so good. The job is pretty much done.

Thanks you guys for the advices and suggestions.

v-tecivic, glad I did not un-screw the jamb nut on the tie rod when I tried to remove the knuckle, I guess I don't need to do alignment...

1992Si

You will need an alignment. When you replace a ball joint you need to make sure the alignment is good. Watch for tire wear, if you don't get it aligned.

cracker1252

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQQTsmXBiW4

1992Si

That's not like any Honda Civic I've seen. But I tend to stay with EG's and 90's Integras.

Hexar

Thanks! I will pay attention to tire wear.

The_Honda_Guy

If you do not loosen the jamb nut on your tie rod end you will NOT need an alignment. Changing a ball joint or axle will not require an alignment because everything will be going back in at the exact same place it was taken out. The only time I'd recommend doing an alignment would be if you were swapping control arms to anything aftermarket in which case you may see a slight change in camber/toe due to a non-OEM part or if you were going to an adjustable UCA.

waaBAAH

the only way...and i mean ONLY way.. you could justify an alignment after replacing a balljoint is if an alignment was done while the balljoint had play. i.e. meaning you have a loose balljoint and your alignment tech actually aligned your loose balljointed car.

it is a very very common misconception that you need an alignment after all front end parts. this is false. you only need an alignment when servicing any component that is alignment related...and guess what.. a balljoint is NOT alignment related. (unless you have the upper control arm adjustable balljoints which you dont)

now..is it a good idea to get an alignemnt after a balljoint??? yes ...it is but ONLY due to the fact that you should get your alignment checked every 6k miles.

is your alignment going to be out of spec?.. yes 99 out of 100 cars (even brand spanking new) need an alignment.

is it required according to ASE standards? no
is it suggested according to ASE standards? yes

big difference between sug. and required.

this isnt directed at anybody but it is getting so old to hear this false stuff

Pothole987

every 6k i would need an alignment? thats like every 6 weeks.....
No your alignment will not be affected from changing tthe ball joint, it doesn't even sound like it was bad. i would of told you to rent (or buy) a ball joint FORK and hammer that SOB inbetween the control arm and hub. that would of helped alot. i put a brand new OEM upper control arm on my car and the ball joint was spinning. pry'd it up spun it on works great.

waaBAAH

you drive 200 hundred miles daily? you sit in a car for at least 3 hours a day driving on a highway?

yes...your alignment should be checked every 6k-12k or 6 months to 12 months. does everybody do it?...nope.

is it that critical?...nope.

waaBAAH

you drive 200 hundred miles daily? you sit in a car for at least 3 hours a day driving on a highway? just saw you logged 541k miles.. gj

yes...your alignment should be checked every 6k-12k or 6 months to 12 months. does everybody do it?...nope.

is it that critical?...nope.

Pothole987

i don't think i've had an alignment done on the car yet, so thats 3 years now, perfect tire wear.

waaBAAH

your point is?

im just saying checking tire wear is in the schedule maint. section every 6k miles. if your not checking your tires for uneven wear then you arent following the rec. maint. schedule

is it that big of a deal if you dont follow the schedule?.. nope
is every car going to be the same?.. nope

Pothole987

all i was saying is the tire wears perfect, so why should i do "regular maintenance" if the alignment is ok? i'm pretty sure the regular maintenance schedule for my car ran out 440,000miles ago so i don't really have to worry about warrenty.
and about the cars going to be the same, nope because not all people get the luxury of driving on the highway everyday. some go out on backroads or hell even have to make their own road so not everybodys maintenance will be the same. some will need more attention to brakes, some will need more attention to steering and suspension equipment.

waaBAAH

you came into this forum questioning "checking tire conditions" every 6k.

im justifying the reasoning of 6k alignment checks.

your justifying the reason you dont do it.

to each his own.

the manufacturer maint. schedule never ends....its a cycle that repeats itself. all you have to do is keep adding 120k for the maint. schedule to repeat itself.

the maint. schedule really isnt about warranty purposes...its more for people who like to take care to prevent mishaps in the automotive world.