I'm finishing up installing the gsr front brakes, but Im having problems tightening the nut on the ball joint that contects to the lower control arm, the thing will just keep spinning after the nut gets on there to a point. How do you tighten that nut down? Also is this why when I took it for a test drive around the block that the steering wheel felt very easy to turn? (I dont have p/s)

Any help would be great

 

make sure that the ball joint is not stripped. if it is not, just tighten the bolt till you can fit the pin in that will lock the nut in place...

 

2004.10.16


In case you tighten the nut down and CAN'T get the cotter pin to fit into that castle nut...

I'd say your ball-joint is broken. The threads should NOT spin. Should tighten down like a regular threaded bolt. And yes, if the joint is broken bad enough, the steering on your car will feel loose (less handling, less cornering power).

If your car is still in the repair phase of your work, get your ball joint replaced. It'll save you from a nice "Clunk-KA-chunk" when you finally break that joint completely down as you turn.

Good luck!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by OptionMan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">2004.10.16


In case you tighten the nut down and CAN'T get the cotter pin to fit into that castle nut...

I'd say your ball-joint is broken. The threads should NOT spin. Should tighten down like a regular threaded bolt. And yes, if the joint is broken bad enough, the steering on your car will feel loose (less handling, less cornering power).

If your car is still in the repair phase of your work, get your ball joint replaced. It'll save you from a nice "Clunk-KA-chunk" when you finally break that joint completely down as you turn.

Good luck!
</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

damn i guess both joints need to be replaced.

Will it be safe enough to drive even if I can get the castle nut in it all the way?

 

2004.10.17


&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;TedR719


I wouldn't drive the car with loosely fastened ball joints. You never know when "something" will occur.

Besides, just call up a shop for parts, reserve them in your name (say you'll be popping in a few minutes to pick them up), check to make sure the new joints are the same, and replace them in the car.

If you don't have tools or knowledge available about ball joint replacement (they can be a REAL pain at times) get the car to a mechanic. In this case, get it TOWed to the shop... less honking by other people as you cruise through town at like 3 mph.

Again, good luck!

 

If the ball joints are not set properly, they will spin when you try to tighten the nut.

 

i have a the same problem yesterday which i found a way to keep it from not spinning. i was doing my tranny.

put a jack under the control arm. jack it up high enough so it can hold the bolt alittle to pressure it from spinning, then tighten the bolt up.

 

the trick is to make sure that there is not any grease between the ball joint and the control arm. Use a rags to run throung the hole of the control arm, and then spray them both with brake/carb cleaner. the will cause a friction between the two and you will be able to tighten the nut up good. I can't see why anyone would drive ther car with those bolts not even tight... not the brightest idea. You more then likely bent the ball joint, if you drove it around loose.

 

impact gun will tighten that little ******. I had mine spin on me when I put my first set of lowering springs on a week after I bought the car (00Si with 250 miles on it). I couldn't get the thing to quit spinning so I got an impact wrench and went to town on it. Few trigger pulls later it was on there.

 

this guys right, just impact it on, thats what I did with mine

 

follow ignitecivic and make sure you are turning it the right way since the nut is UPSIDE DOWN