Well, the newest and greatest problem with the engine swap has arisen.

I didn't ever expect this to be a problem but when I went to go reattach the lower control arm to the lower ball joint, the ball joint's threads turn with the castle nut that I am attaching and won't allow you to tighten the nut hardly at all. Now I know the lower ball joints are press-in replaceable items, which would lead me to think that the threaded part of the ball joint is not supposed to turn since they are pressed in. Has anyone else had this problem or possibly know how to/what will remedy this problem? Haynes and Helm's manuals shed no light on this.

Jonathan - who just wants some help with an engine swap that was blessed by a smashed oil pan from the very start.


[Modified by mojoGSR92, 10:44 AM 3/3/2002]

 

Heres what i did. Lube it up with a plentiful helping of rust eater and wd40. Start to thread it on and once the ball joint bolt begins to turn try pushing up on the LCA even use a jack if need be. I had the same prob and I did something like this to remedy the prob.

 

Yeah push the LCA up with the jack and then have a friend stand on the rotor. Once the ball joint touches the seat it will stay and not turn. Its best to have an impact wrentch also.

 

look at the threads on the ball joint...make sure they are not damaged...if they are fix that first. Then lubricate and put a jack under the control arm. Lift it up to put some pressure on it and tighten it with an impact gun if you have one.

 

Well, that looks to be our problem. The first 4 rounds of threads on the bottom of the ball joint are pretty well flattened even though we took care to use a puller to not damage the threads. I may just have to buy a cutting nut to retap those threads. Once I get that problem fixed then I can worry about the ball joint turning.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

Don't feel like the lone wolf. We all experience this problem from time to time. I bought a 12mm 1.25 thread tap and dye from a tool truck. This size does not come in most sets. I run the tap down the castle nut and the dye over the threads of the ball joint stud. Use lots of anti seize, not only on the threads but where the stud goes thru the control arm (that helps the next time you take it apart). It helps to have an impact wrench to put the nut on, as the gun's force overwhelms the ball joint spinning ability. If you don't have air, buy a 1/2 inch electric impact gun. You will use it for the rest of your life. Keep at it. I always tell myself that I'm smarter than this piece of metal

 

"I always tell myself that I'm smarter than this piece of metal"
I don't know how many times I've said that to myself. On occasion I doubt whether I am.

 

Thanks for the advice and morale boost everyone, but I think the biggest helper today was actually hearing the engine run for the very first time. For having a bad TPS sensor and not adjusting the timing it sounds pretty good. In case anyone is curious I'll be buying a die to clean up the threads on the ball joint studs and will only be buying an electric impact driver if the castle nut really gives me hell. It turns out too, that my helper (my dad) decided to hammer on the castle nut to "help" rattle the ball joint loose when we were initially trying to get the ball joint loose. I'll be making another unfortunate call to A & H Motorsports for overnight shipping.

Thanks again everyone, you don't know how much the sincerity means to me at this stage of putting up with a chassis'/engines' unobliging hybridization.

 

My sister's did that to me last Tuesday, and I grabbed the impact wrench. Did not give it full pressure, but just enough to tirn it faster than the joint could react. Went on just fine. My threads were all straight, not sure why it did that...


Jason

 

HeHe, beating on the old castle nut. Better fire your helper

 

Best solution I've found is to use a wedge to pry inbetween the castle nut and LCA - this "sets" the balljoint and allows you to tighten.

Shawn

 

"(I'll be making another unfortunate call to A & H Motorsports for overnight shipping.)"

Welcome to the wonderfull world of Hybrid. I can't count how many times i've made "emergecny" purchases from Manchester Honda.

We have all experienced ball joint issues. The tips outlined above will work, particularly about cleaning up the threads and getting the ball joint shaft to seat into the LCA.

Good Luck!

Mike

 

BE CAREFUL!! My ball joint stud was stripped and my mechanic tried to rig it and when I left the shop my nut got pushed off and my wheel turned sideways and threw me off the road. Luckily noone was beside me and i was only going 25MPH. Just replace the ball joint, Its not worth the risk.

 

that is exactly what I did. that works with patience (hopefully you have some left) because you can apply enough pressure to prevent the balljoint from turning while you are still able to turn the nut.
I used a small crowbar and also a big flathead screwdriver.
Wedged it inbetween the nut and the LCA.
Turned the bar/flathead a bit to keep it in there, pushing the nut from the LCA, bu tthis helped me turn the nut onto the balljoint.. strange but it worked. You would think that arrangement would only aid in taking the nut OFF but it works

 

I find that using a thread file works wonders on blasted ball joint threads- then you can use a die if need be.