I was attempting to replace the passenger axle in my '89 CRX Si. I printed some instructions off the net. It looked easy enough. I've replaced my inner and outer tie rods before so I thought I could do it. Well I got the axle nut off. Then tried popping the balljoint. I hit it on the side with a hammer to loosen it. Then I used one of those U shaped balljoint loaner tools from Autozone. The balljoint didn't come loose, the tool slipped off the knuckle and destroyed the threads on the ball joint. The balljoint is still seemingly "welded" in, the threads gone, and the end is crushed. What do I do now?

 

you need to rent a ball joint press from autozone to pop that ball joint out of the knuckle and press a new one back in.. they are not welded in, although they are a REALLY tight fit. as long as you got the ball joint nut off, consider yourself lucky..

 

Can I do it with knuckle in the car I do have take the whole thing off?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sanimalp &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you need to rent a ball joint press from autozone to pop that ball joint out of the knuckle and press a new one back in.. they are not welded in, although they are a REALLY tight fit. as long as you got the ball joint nut off, consider yourself lucky.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Don't forget to remove the snap ring first!

Also, I just use a 5 -lb sledge hammer and whack the joint out.

To install one, AutoZone has the rent-tool you get (really just a big c-clamp and some spacer rings)

 

Sounds like a blown headgasket to me.

 

what i did to take the ball joint out of the knuckle is to take the whole knuckle off the car. Then put the knuckle in a vice grip. Then take out the snap ring. Then just bang away with a hammer until it pops out. I put the new ball joint in the same way, just hammering it in...

oh, and when i change axles, i dont separate the balljoint from the LCA anymore. I just undo the bolts on the other end of the LCA, the bolts to the antiroll bar, and the bolts to the radius rods....then the whole knuckle can move more freely with the LCA still attached, freely enough to slide the axle in...

 

theres a trick on removing the knuckle so you wont have to wack it with a hammer with the chance of damaging it.

Jack up the knuckle from the LCA...and you find a open wrench or something that fits between the knuckle and the LCA....

lower the jack. and then kick the knuckle downwards and itll pop right out without damaging the bolt.

theres a writeup on it somewhere...it explains it better with pictures and actual vid

 

Well I totally ghetto'd it.....I went to Autozone for a new balljoint and press. Turns out the kit was missing the smallest cup rendering it useless. So I hammered the balljoint in (only way I figure to the damn thing in). I just used 'Search' here and found the jack and 1/2" ratchet method of popping the balljoint...that'd been easy as hell. Tore the boot on the new balljoint trying to put the snap ring back on. This blows......

 

yeah, ball joints are not fun. i think they sell those kits at sears and autozone. ive thought about buying one so that i dont have to use the beat to hell rental. once they are done though, you dont have to worry about it for a while. good luck..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by goonslude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sounds like a blown headgasket to me.</TD></TR></TABLE>

trying to get ur post count up with worthless responses?


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ozrednsx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">theres a trick on removing the knuckle so you wont have to wack it with a hammer with the chance of damaging it.

Jack up the knuckle from the LCA...and you find a open wrench or something that fits between the knuckle and the LCA....

lower the jack. and then kick the knuckle downwards and itll pop right out without damaging the bolt.

theres a writeup on it somewhere...it explains it better with pictures and actual vid</TD></TR></TABLE>

ive seen this done and it worked well. Prob what i will do in the future when comes time for me...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by goonslude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oh, and when i change axles, i dont separate the balljoint from the LCA anymore. I just undo the bolts on the other end of the LCA, the bolts to the antiroll bar, and the bolts to the radius rods....then the whole knuckle can move more freely with the LCA still attached, freely enough to slide the axle in....</TD></TR></TABLE>

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