Is the lower ball joint(specifically right side) pressed in? I know there is a snap ring on it but was not sure if the ring is what held it in place or if it is pressed in and out.

 

No snapring used stock....honda heats the knuckes and super cools the balljoint, then they use some kind of glue and put the 2 togather"for forever". Honda does not sell the balljoints sepret, you have to buy the whole knuckel assy....since the balljoints are not designed to be removed, if you go to put in a aftermarket ball joint, get one with a snapring to insure it stays put.

Note: If you are planing on doing this job....get the right tools, you should never use a hammer or pickel fork doing this job.

 

I looked this morning and there IS a snap ring on it. I saw it with my own two eyes. But I figured it was pressed since the snap ring probably wouldn't be strong enough to hold it in place on its own. It is the stock ball joint since I've owned the car when I bought it from the dealer 8/02 and know it hasn't been replaced. I'll see what's involved. Maybe I'll post a photo of it before I remove it. I understand the heating/cooling part. Thanx.

 

have someone press it out. its not worth the trouble doing it at home.

 

I have done 4 of those balljoints and none of them had snaprings.....but, you have a early ep and the early ep's had some strange things going on with the suspension.....the early ep3's had ep1 and ep2 suspension parts used in the front suspension( ep2's had d17 motors and ep1's had a even lower grade motor in the edm)....so I could be wrong with a early ep3 having snaprings on the balljoints.....My guess is you also have the smaller strut housings and smaller bolts that hold the knuckel to the strut.

 

sweet. thanks for the info. explain the d17 thing. any links would be grateful. all i know is what i've read about the k20a, a2, etc. is the d17 a code for the different k20's? Thanks!

 

d17's are the motors you see the the 2001-2005 civic couple and sedans in the usdm..... a good gas milage motor with a bottomend made of glass. Just about any tuning ends up brakeing a rod....there was the d17a1,a2,a6,a7...none of them made 120hp....here is wika page on them...look on the bottom...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_D_engine

 

I read the post again. Got it. K20 w/D17 suspension parts. Thanks. I'm blown away by peoples knowledge. I guess I was to old when I got into the Honda thing. Thats ok though.