So I removed what I THOUGHT was an OEM ball joint. It had a snap ring securing it and I removed that as well. The new OEM ball joint has no snap ring and doesn't have a groove for one either. I assume because there is no groove and I don't see a snap ring on the parts diagram or in the FSM there is none but wanted to see what you guys have come across. I pressed it in with no trouble and it's DEFINITELY in there secure LOL but I'm just curious why an aftermarket would use one if an OEM does not.

 

Which ball joint? There are a few. What year? (Required information, by the way).

For 92-95, the front upper and lower ball joints do use circlips. Labeled 9 and 17 in this diagram.



For 96-00, same deal. Labeled 8 in this diagram.

 

Lower ball joint 92 CX hatch.

9 and 17 in the diagram are actually spring circlips that retain the boot to the ball joint and not snap rings that retain the ball joint in the knuckle. 9 fits inside the boot in a groove, 17 sits on the outside of the base of the boot on the lower ball joint.

Notice the OEM has no ring machined in to hold a retaining snap ring. and #17 is visible on the outside of the boot.



This aftermarket one DOES have a ring machined for the snap ring I'm referring to.



Based on the lack of a groove I'm 99.9% sure at this point there is no snap ring as a fail safe holding the OEM ball joint in the knuckle.

 

Yeah, I was hesitant to point out that literally every aftermarket ball joint I saw had a circlip. Also, I was thinking about replacing mine literally today while I had the knuckle off doing the wheel hub bearing, and every write-up I found mentioned removing the circlip with ring pliers.

I don't know man, I'm at a loss

 

I need to suck it up and buy a Helms. This Chilton / Haynes **** ain't cutting it. I'm gonna go ahead and say definitively there isn't a snap ring. With no relief machined into he ball joint there is literally nowhere for it to seat.



That said I did the opposite today. Should have done the wheel bearing too while the knuckle was off.

 

...Buy?

Check your peems.

 

OEM doesn't based on what i've seen. My SI and DX knuckles don't have them. both original.

 

Thanks for the verification my dude.

 

I've seen others say OEM doesn't have the cir-clip while most third party ball joints do.

I am not finding the posts but that's what I've seen said more than once.

 

Even if it originally had a snap ring when it rolled off the lot, Honda seems to have changed the design on their replacements for every car I've replaced them on to do away with the snap ring. You will be fine. If it has the tapered design it isn't meant to have a snap ring.

 

Here's what's REALLY throwing me off LOL. I used this pic before mine came in the post your most recent purchase thread.



I'm almost positive the ball joint in this picture did NOT come out of the bag in the picture LOL. I just picked up the exact same part #. It doesn't come with a castle nut OR a snap ring LOL.

 

That MAY explain the above pic. Maybe they just changed the part.