I have a 2000 Si. Drivers side front has been making a single clicking sound when I take off, or downshift, or whenever the drivetrain is under a heavy load. Doesn't do it when I turn, or when the tranny is in nuetral. I took of my wheel and found that where the damper fork connects to the upper control arm there is a bushing that is blown out. I believe this is the upper ball joint. My question is do I just need a new bushing, or does the upper ball joint need replacing? I have already found the bushing part number online. Any help would be appreciated.

 

just talked to the dealership...they say I need the whole upper control arm, can't just buy a bushing. Are they ripping me off?

 

One more time...It is not a bushing blown out it is the ball joint boot. Dealership says that a blown out boot will not cause a click. They say when the boot blows out it allows dirt and debris to get in the upper ball joint and it ruins the ball joint. Does this sound right? Anybody?

 

Modified by CardDealer at 9:41 AM 11/16/2006

 

Did your single click come from the driver side front tire?

 

anyone else?

 

i'd buy a whole new upper control arm that has a new ball joint in it, because even if you buy just the ball joint or boot you will have to take it to a garage to have them machine press it out and back in which costs$$ so you could probably change the control arm yourself

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 2wheelhunter &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i'd buy a whole new upper control arm that has a new ball joint in it, because even if you buy just the ball joint or boot you will have to take it to a garage to have them machine press it out and back in which costs$$ so you could probably change the control arm yourself</TD></TR></TABLE>

EDIT:
PS: Just replace the upper control arm first, it doesn't sound like the problem but it would be better if you did. Usually when it comes to suspension one thing causes another and another and another, like when your struts need replacing and you don't do it eventually it wears out ur spring real fast... I remember in my Ford Probe it was all good and then the outside axle boot tore and I ended up having to buy a new axle, lower a-frame, and something else, wasn't the strut..Hrm, forgot what it was, but point being, when it comes to suspension, one thing just leads to another, so get that part fixed, and then see if you can pin point it further...after it's replaced..

 

That is correct. In order to fix the ball joint, you do need the entire upper control arm.

 

i agree a new arm will be needed

 

So I need a new upper control arm. Anybody else have this same problem?

 

Modified by CardDealer at 9:40 AM 11/16/2006

 

Usually the joint when it has gone bad it will have play.
Raise that front wheels and shake them down.

As you shake them down watch the joints in the suspension and
watch for play.

 

im getting the same click sound from my driver side from wheel area.... but also looking for what may be the problem... (to the original poster... r u on stock upper arms?)

 

I am on stock upper arms. i have raised the front wheel and there does not seem to be any play in it. The click only happens when accelerating hard in first gear, or when i downshift and the rpm's shoot up. However i dont know if this has to do with the rpm's as much as the car quickly slowing down. Sound only pops once, never more. Has nothing to do with turning, and does not make the sound when revving the engine in nuetral. I havent yet put the car on jack stands and tested. If it isnt the upper ball joint I would save myself a bunch of money by just replacing the blown out boot instead of the entire upper control arm. The parts guy at the dealership said that if it is the upper ball joint i would also hear the sound when braking, and this isnt the case. But who knows if the honda parts guy really knows about my specific car.

 

Modified by CardDealer at 9:39 AM 11/16/2006

 

Had the same problem turned out that my axle on that side was acctually slowly but surely the nut was coming lose because when i got my clutch installed about 2 months before that they didn't put a good enough divit in the nut.

 

^^^^^ very interesting because i had my clutch replaced in the last year.... where is the nut located so i can check that out this weekend

 

You can gain acess to your axle nut by removing your center caps on your wheels.
Hmmmm Have you checked your motor mounts?

 

Well the axle nut being loose was actually causing the inner joint to make a poping type sound and also when i raised the vehicle off the ground the driverside wheel felt like the bearing was going out. I just tightened the nut back up and made sure it wasn' going any where and no problems since. I was going to sugest checking the lower torqe mounts to see if one of them is bad.