How do i get that stupid cotter pin back in the ball joint?

 

buy a new one, dont reuse cotter pins. trust me

you have to tighten the castle nut to the correct torque, then check to see if the hole for the cotter pin lines up. if not, TIGHTEN it just enough more so that it does.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by syntax420 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">buy a new one, dont reuse cotter pins. trust me</TD></TR></TABLE>

ditto. my friend's suspension came apart at an auto-x cause his cotter pin broke. his car was almost totaled.

 

You can a pack of new ones for like 37 cents at Lowe's or Home depot. Just take the old one with you so you get the same sized one.

 

damn...i searched and found that alot of people use paperclips, so i just did that...but i still can't get ti to go through the bolt. does it just go in partially or what?

 

You are supposed to torque the bolt between 38-44ft lbs. This range is because not always will the hole in the bolt will match up to the notch in the bolt. Basically keep tightening the bolt until you can see the bolt hole in the shaft of the lower control arm.

 

k, but does the pin go completely through the bolt, because i can't get it to.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jordans95si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">k, but does the pin go completely through the bolt, because i can't get it to.</TD></TR></TABLE>

yes, it should

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jordans95si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">k, but does the pin go completely through the bolt, because i can't get it to.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Keep turning the bolt until you can see straight through the stud

 

Give it a little tap with the flat part of your plyers after its lined up.

 

geez how hard is this....its like the kindergarten game, the square only fits through the square hole, cirlce to cirlce hole, and triangle in the triange hole....

you tq the nut and then line up the openings in the castle nut so the pin can go ALL of the way through, then be bent back, that is the point of having it, to make sure that it keeps the nut still....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mgags7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">geez how hard is this....its like the kindergarten game, the square only fits through the square hole, cirlce to cirlce hole, and triangle in the triange hole....

you tq the nut and then line up the openings in the castle nut so the pin can go ALL of the way through, then be bent back, that is the point of having it, to make sure that it keeps the nut still....</TD></TR></TABLE> saw that coming

 

if you re-use that cotter pin you're nominating yourself for a darwin award.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phateless &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if you re-use that cotter pin you're nominating yourself for a darwin award.</TD></TR></TABLE>

but saving that 5 cents is oh so tempting, must. resist.

 

the freaking pin won't go all the way through...i think part of the old pin is busted off in there and rusted in or somehting, so it won't just fall out if i tap it with a hammer....

im not a retard, ya don't have to be a dick. If i didn't have a problem with it then i won't be asking...

 

try a super teeny allen wrench, tap it through. i know it's a pain in the ***, but we've gotta get that hole clear so you can get that new pin in there.

 

ok i will try a small allen wrench...for now i just stuck two cotter pins in halfway on each side and wrapped them around the threads, so the nut won't be able to move.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jordans95si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ok i will try a small allen wrench...for now i just stuck two cotter pins in halfway on each side and wrapped them around the threads, so the nut won't be able to move.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i would just get soemthing pointy and hammer it through.

or a small drill bit and zip it through with a drill


oh i wasn't trying to be a dick to you, just poking fun at the situation

 

honestly tho, should i be ok with one cotter pin on each side halfway through and wrapped around the threads until the weekend? isn't the cotterpin just a safety feature incase the castle nut comes loose? or does it play a major role in keeping it on?

 

the castle nut isn't torqued to hold it in place, like other bolts. it has to be tightened just right. the cotter pin prevents it from turning. trust me, the trouble you go to to get this right will be a lot less trouble than repairing crash damage, filling out police and traffic reports, filing insurance claims....you see where i'm going with this? i'm not saying your car will instantly explode, i'm just saying there's too much potential for disaster. it's worth worrying about. it's like driving without a seatbelt. stupid reason to get hurt.

 

ok i understand now, thanks i'll get on pounding that piece through.

 

good, glad to hear it.

i swear to god, i wish i had just gotten dropped off at home that night and thought "screw it, i'll get my car back from work tomorrow, i'll figure it out. it will be easier than driving drunk and crashing my poor gsr into a telephone pole"

but nooooo, i had to be an idiot.