Hi all, a buddy of mine has a 1996 Honda Accord, 2.2L with a worn driver side upper ball joint. I am a mechanic with mostly a toyota truck background and I want to help him replace this joint. Is this application one that requires getting a completely new upper arm with ball joint already installed? I have a C-frame ball joint/u-joint press, but I don't want to damage the arm if this is a concern. I've searched the forum for a definitive answer but only came up with mixed results. Thanks for your help ahead of time,

Chris.

 

No, it doesn't require the replacement of the entire upper arm. The ball joint is pressed into the arm, so you could get it done using the tools you have already.

 

Hold on BJE, I have a 96 Accord LX and I am fairly certain that the UPPER ball joint is spot welded into the control arm. You cannot buy a separate UPPER ball joint.

Check out pics 4&5 in this link: http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...tcgry5=KNUCKLE

 

correct if i recall these arms must be replaced to replace the ball joint

 

you can also try grinding the spot welds and pressing in a new bj?

 

The upper ball joint found on the control arm both front and rear are pressed in, not welded. I have a 97 ex and had done that last year. Also, for the rear ball joint (upper), i remember buying a camber kit that required removing the ball joint from the original upper arm to have it pressed into the camber kit.
So no, it's not welded.. it's pressed!

 

It would be so much easier if I could just walk outside and look at it, but he (and the car) are stationed in Kentucky (I'm in Arkansas). He's coming down in a week or so to visit and we were hoping to get this knocked out. I've had to grind tack welds on lower ball joints on one ton Dodge vans before, but I thought Honda would've had sense enough not to do that. I would just really hate to do him a bad job or end up not having the right part.

-Chris.

 

i'm not trying to start a battle here but i have never seen a ball joint sold separately for the upper control arm. Do you mean you can use the lower front ball joint that goes on the steering knuckle as a replacement on the upper control arm. Typically all i ever see for sale are the whole control arm with ball joint already installed. I looked on the majestic honda diagram only parts you can get for the upper control arm is the boot and the circlip.
Btw how much does it cost to press in the upper balljoint?

 

Minimum cost to press, it's a 5 minutes thing.

Here's an example of ball joints being sold separetelly on ebay.


And here's another example of a ball joint beind sold without the upper control arm, in this case, an adjustable ball joint to correct camber in lowered cars.

 

Yes, the upper balljoints can be pressed out.

Had my Ingalls balljoint camber kit (same as above pic) installed. Shop had no problem pressing out the old balljoints and installing the new ones.