If anyone's done this then they probably know what I'm talking about. Here's a picture of the control arm:
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...RONT+LOWER+ARM

In the past, I've always held the control arm down, and lifted the brake assembly out of the control arm (there's a little stud that fits into the brake side of the control arm). But I'm realizing that it seems like it's not suppose to just seperate? Like the bushings between the control arm and the brake assmebly seem to be stuck together??? Or is it just because they're corroded together? Do I just rip it off of there? (cuz that's what I've always been doing I realized. )

Anyway, there's a couple bushings like this on the front assembly that are stuck together with bushings and I was curious as to the 'correct' way to disassemble the parts before I screw things up. Thanks.

 

Here's another one...the upper arm and the lower knuckle are stuck together with a bushing even after taking the 'nut' off. Do you just tear it apart?

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...tcgry5=KNUCKLE

 

The hole that the bolt goes through is pressed in. You can try to pry it apart while banging on the control arm with a hammer. DO NOT hit the ball joints or try to pound the bolts out. You will mushroom the head of the bolts and the castle nut will not go back on. If you hit the ball joint, you will probably tear the boot which will leak grease and let debris in causing premature wear.I will provide more info in a minute...

 

Actually I see what you mean and now that I think about it, I shouldn't have to seperate the lower control arm and the upper one (since they're connected by the ball joint) do I? The ball joint doesn't seem to have any bushings (unless the ball joint itself is a bushing? hope I don't sound stupid here...but if not, then I'll just take the whole upper/lower control arms out with the ends connected with the ball joint, and replace the bushings without taking them apart.

#4(#7,#8) is the ball joint and no mention of 'bushing'
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...tcgry5=KNUCKLE


[Modified by 2000Accord5sp, 9:45 AM 11/11/2002]

 

The alternative and probably better method would be to use this item. It's called a Pitman Arm Puller. I just bought one because I'm tired of beating on the friggin control arm to get it apart. They are 12-15 bucks at a local auto parts store or some stores rent them out.

 

This is what it looks like after you pull it apart. Notice the smooth beveled part of the bolt. That part is pressed into the control arm so it doesn't just spin when you tighten the castle nut down...

 

Thanks for the info. Now that I've been looking at several diagrams and thinking about it, I'm thinking I should probably replace the ball joint with a new one while I'm at it since I'm completely changed the suspension? What do you guys think? I'm getting all new bushing, shocks/springs, sways...anyway.

Or do ball joints not really wear out that much? the car has 140k on it.


Also is the same tool used to seperate the tie rod at the top? Seems a lot smaller and hard to seperate with a tool like that...

 

The first pictured tool is correct. Just tighten it down over the bolt end and whack it with a hammer and it will come apart. The tool in the lower picture is used to separate ball joints which I don't see how it would without ruining them. Ball joints do wear and eventually can break causing loss of control of the vehicle. They tend to get a little slop in them also after high mileage. It's better to replace them while you have everything apart and they are only like 18 bucks apiece. When I did my rotor upgrade, I tightened the castle nut back down but the threads stripped from the stress of driving and pulled out of the lower control arm causing a lot of damage to the fender and other things too. In other words REPLACE THEM



[Modified by Stew Pidasso, 1:03 PM 11/11/2002]


[Modified by Stew Pidasso, 9:02 AM 11/12/2002]

 

If you think 36 bucks for new ones is not worth it...


It tore the halfshaft right apart out of the tranny...




[Modified by Stew Pidasso, 1:08 PM 11/11/2002]

 

Ouch...even if you had a new ball joint, it looks like you must of had waaaay too much pressure on that to where it'd strip it regardless of a new ball joint or old.

Did that happen because your car was lowered so much?

 

Yes. The ball joint ripped out because the threads were stripped and the cotter pin slipped out or was sheared off allowing the castle nut to back off until it just stripped on the last part.

Edit: It wouldn't have happened if they were new...


[Modified by Stew Pidasso, 9:11 AM 11/12/2002]

 

i have a question for you stew...i had to replace my driverside front control arm and control arm link because i hit a curb...anyways, getting them back in was a bitch...is this normal?...or does this mean that other parts of the frame are bent where the control arm and control arm link connect?...thanks...

 

Hmmm, If they were hard to put back in then there is probably something else bent. They should line up relatively easily. But if you got them together, they can't be that far out of alignment. You gotta figure those control arms are strong as hell and if the force was strong enough to bend it, then it would be strong enough to bend where it is mounted. If you got an alignment it would probably counteract the bend (if it would even affect it). Make sure toe and camber are within spec. But down the road many miles it may cause premature bushing or balljoint wear. That would be quite a way down the road though. I would check it whenever your inspecting brakes or down in that area. Check for any slop or irregular wear to the bushing.I wouldn't worry about it though...

 

2000Accord5sp: If you do replace your ball-joints (which I recommend you do), just pound the old ones out with a baby sledge or heavy hammer. They are pressed in. You will ruin the old ones. I tried to use a ball joint removal tool but there is just not enough space to get it in there. I pounded out the old ones. To put the new ones in, place them in the hole and put a socket the same outer diameter as the ball joint and lightly tap it in. Make sure it is lined up evenly or you will score the side. When it is lined up pound it in making sure it is going in even. I put a little anti-sieze lube to help it out. Replace especially if the threads of the bottom of the ball-joint are corroded...

 

Cool. Thanks Stew. Instead of pounding the new ones back in, is there any arm in tapping it in and then just using the ball joint bolt to screw it down?

 

HOLY ****!!!! These will get the UCA and LCA off the knuckle? I don't need an expensive ball joint puller? I, too, am tired of killing my boots with pickle forks.

 

They're cheap and work like a charm. I used mine last night and tightened it down. POP and they were apart...Just make sure you don't pinch the boot before you tighten it down. The "claws" will fit right under the boot of the ball joints. I took pictures but I'm having trouble with my digital camera connecting to my PC. I guess I had to order that Firewire Compact flash card reader...

 

Well, one drawback I can see over a BJ-puller, is that you'd need a lot of room to work with the pitman arm puller? Can you fit that thing over the UCA with the UCA on the car? On the LCA, you'd probably need to jack the car up pretty high to get it under the LBJ. Oh, there is a good screwdriver method for popping out the LBJ... I forgot it though... didn't read the whole thread to see if anyone mentioned it either.

 

I don't think you will be able to do it that way. You'll see when you get it apart. Just be careful if you do it that way not to tighten it down crooked. I would recommend tapping it all the way in just to be safe.
Also that top control arm...when you take off the castle nut, just whack it (the control arm, NOT the ball joint) with a heavy hammer and the weight of the caliper/brake assembly/knuckle should pull it right out. Just make sure it doesn't drop and hang by the brake line.Good luck

Edit:About that upper control arm. I believe it will fit if you do the bottom first and pull out the halfshaft and spin the knuckle assembly around out of the way. The picture looks big but the one I have that worked fine is about 3 inches long with maybe another inch length with the bolt fully extended.


Edit: I'm adding these images in case anyone searches this topic.




[Modified by Stew Pidasso, 10:14 PM 11/16/2002]

 

Cool...i'll try that out. Another question...

Have you ever disconnected that bar that's connected to the lower control arm? it goes at an angle to the front of the car...almost like a second sway bar it seems. Anyway, I haven't gotten to taking off the plastic underlying to see how to disconnect that end but from looking at part lists, it seems there's bushing there also so I assume I'm gonna have to figure out how to take that end off. Hopefully it's nothing complicated?

 

That's the radius rod. Easiest part of the front suspension to remove.

 

Cool. That's good to know. I had a the hardest time getting off the radius rod nuts off the lower control arm along with the nut on the struts....pratcially broke my back taking those suckers off

 

just need a good 17mm 6-pt deep and shallow socket and wrench.
I usually end up using the 3/8" drive 'cause the 1/2" won't fit in there.

 

Bring this back from the dead since I'm about to attempt replacing the Lower Ball Joint. Once I have the ball joint seperated from LCA, how does the ball joint itself come out so you can replace it. Do you hammer up on it?

 

Use the press and push out the ball joint.