Hey guys i am replacing the clutch in my 99 si. I need to pop the balljoints out of the lower control arm and its impossible. I have a ball joint seperator and a breaker bar. I cant get them to pop out. I need some tips. Nothing i do works. Ive been trying for 2 days. I stuck the fork under the boot and tried prying with no luck. I have tried to wedge the seperator in every crevice to get it to pop and nothing is working. Some one has to know a trick. Thanks

 

Get a 15 lb sledge and give the balljoint seperater a couple wacks it'll give.

 

wait a little i'll find this post that has the perfect method
read this https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859

 

here we go I think this is the best method /\

 

That fork will only destroy the joint. You need a better tool. The one that works the best looks sort of like a pulley puller... only backwards. Try your locak Auto parts store... they usually have them for $15. Best headache prevention tool I own.

Looks sorta like this:

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Happyman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Get a 15 lb sledge and give the balljoint seperater a couple wacks it'll give.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i've been doing that and it seems theres too much flex in the suspension.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fasthatchb18c1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wait a little i'll find this post that has the perfect method</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ive searched for hours and didnt see anything but hopefully you can help me out. Thanks

 

weed joints rule!!!j/k

I use to have this problem all the time, now i break balljoints apart easily. get your pry bar and place it below the hub and lower control arm (lca) and pry downward on the bar(till suspension doesn't move downward much more), while at the same time slamming (with the biggest hammer you can find) the lower control right were the ball joint sits in the lca (there actually a little bump you will see on the lca) don't worry you won't hurt a thing. A little trick so you don't mess up the ball joint threads, just put the castle nut back on the joint but leave enough room for the two to seperate that way there if you miss that small area on the lca you won't f'up the thread so the nut doesn't go back on in assembly. Good luck!!

Oh yeah <U>don't</U> use those forked ball joint seperators, its not need for hondas all you will do is tear the ball joint boot holding the grease and have to replace the ball joint sooner than you should have too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fasthatchb18c1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wait a little i'll find this post that has the perfect method
read this https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859</TD></TR></TABLE>
^ That is definitely the best method.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D50boy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That fork will only destroy the joint. You need a better tool. The one that works the best looks sort of like a pulley puller... only backwards. Try your locak Auto parts store... they usually have them for $15. Best headache prevention tool I own.

Looks sorta like this:
</TD></TR></TABLE>
^ That thing is a piece of trash! If your balljoint hasn't been separated recently, it is very easy to mushroom the end of the bolt using that crappy tool.

 

Rent the ball joint separator at autozone-its free. Then put the nut near the end of the ball joint thread. Use the tool and it will pop right out.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fasthatchb18c1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wait a little i'll find this post that has the perfect method
read this https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is a good method but would **** me off if it didn't work after getting evething set. I like the good old way of a hammer and pry bar, take two whacks and its off.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fasthatchb18c1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wait a little i'll find this post that has the perfect method
read this https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859</TD></TR></TABLE>


that method worked for me
pop my ball joint out in 1min both sides
took me like 3 steps on the brakes

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fasthatchb18c1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wait a little i'll find this post that has the perfect method
read this https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859</TD></TR></TABLE>


YOU ARE A ******* GOD!!!!!! I GOT IT OFF IN LESS THEN A MINUTE I SWEAR. THANKS SO MUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

no prob, I was just as happy as you are now when I used it cause I bought a hatch that probly never had them taken off and the hammer just didnt seem to do it

 

that method is nice i will have to keep that in mind!!

 

a fork and a breaker bar pops my ball joints out.

 

Hey guys just one more problem. You knew it wouldnt be that easy. The method worked great at popping them off (thanks again i cant thank you enough) but when i was messing with the balljoint seperator before hand i ripped the boot on the passenger side. How do i go about replacing that? Is it okay to leave? Is it expensive? Thanks

 

go and get another boot from a Honda dealership you'll regret it later if you dont

 

ok cool. Do you have a part number or a price? How hard is the install? The balljoint is pressed in right? So am i buying just a new boot or the whole balljoint? Thanks you guys have been so helpful.

 

just use a mallet or a hammer. i've dont it a lot of times without a problem

 

just the boot, its like 2.50.


i had the same thing happen to me.

 

it east to install just remove the set ring(wire around the boot) and pull the boot off when putting it back on replace the set ring then fill boot with grease and put grease on the lip(make sure there are no air bubbles in it) cant tell you on the price since iv never bought one before

 

ok thanks guys. ill be back on later when i run into trouble installing the clutch.

 

2 years on a ripped lower balljoint boot. im still fine.

 

I just wack the lower control arm where the balljoint goes through with a 5lb slege until it pops loose. Always works for me. But that rachet trick is new to me.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by spidermancivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">2 years on a ripped lower balljoint boot. im still fine.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Proof! Those BJ-makers are just rippin us off! Why do we need any grease in those ball-joints anyway? A little dirt never hurts anything.