so i brought a new front end repalcemnt kit off ebay. i uninstalled my old factory ball joints. tapped them out with a hammer. when i went to install my new ball joints they installed fully just like the factory ones. but they came with the snap rings and there is no place to put them. should i be concerened about not using them? i know when i did the ball joints on my sisters civic they tapped out and when i put the new ones in there was enough slack to put on the snap rings

yes i am 100% sure the new ball joints are fully installed into the sockets.

 

I have the exact same question. On every other civic i have ever worked on, there was always a snap ring to take off and put back on. Then with my tegra there was no snap ring to take off so i have not done them yet. I would imagine it wouldnt be that big of a deal, seeing as to how the castle nut will keep it from falling off or out, but at the same time with the expossure of vibrations you would not want the ball joint to slide up and then back down as the castle nut was pushed down.

 

I've used a few aftermarket Ball joints with snap rings, but my OEM ones do not have them. However, if they came with them, you should be able to install them...and I would recommend doing so. I've heard of cheaper ones popping out while driving, which could end in you totaling your car. If there isn't room to fit them, you might not have it pressed in all the way, or you might not have the proper part for your car.

 

maybe its just the difference between the civic and integras

 

any special tricks to getting the boot ring back on properly after instillation

 

anymore imput?

 

we was working on the car nd my buddy put spme pressure on the control arm with a jack and the ball joint came out. i was so pissed. i needed to move the car so i put it down on the ground on its wheel and the bal ljoint went back into place. i gotta look into this