So I borrow my moms car since mine is broken, and now that breaks too, great more money to spend!
I’m pretty sure the upper ball joint busted while trying to pull out of its parking spot last night. Heard a loud clank while reversing out in midturn. Got out and saw the front driver side wheel tilted sideways, bottom of it bent inwards, top of it popping outwards. Could easily shake it by hand with tons of play in it, like nothing is holding up the wheel/securing it. Lugs are tight, and wheel, lugs, and hub all shake together as one when moving the wheel.
It’s a 94 Acura Legend, I have the pdf of the helms service manual but it’s pretty straight forward. Anyone feel like helping me change the upper control arm for some $$? Car is at my place near UB north campus, I left most of my tools at home out of town, and I don’t want to get it towed and pay too much money $ to have a shop do it. It’s an easy job, book time is 1-1.5hr, should definitely be 1-2hr max or less. I believe there are basically 3 bolts you have to mess with to remove/install the upper control arm as one piece. I should have the control arm tomorrow or Wednesday, I’d like to do it asap.
If anyone is interested in helping me out please PM me or call my cell 607-725-9596.
Update again, didn’t have a tire iron, but found a power inverter, shop light, 3/8" harbor freight torque wrench, 1/2" deep impact socket in the size of the lugs, and 3/8" to 1/2" adapter, turned on some light, got the wheel off, and better pics:
Broken upper balljoint:
Close-up of bolt 1 to connect balljoint to knuckle:
EDIT: These are the 3 bolts that need to be done, I had them wrong before.
There is some kind cotter pin on bolt 1, not sure how to deal with that. But now I just need to get the control arm, hopefully soon.
Very easy job, 20 mins. max. I just did both of mine on my 94 coupe. Do you have a nother upper control arm to replace it with or are you gonna take it out and get a ball joint pressed, and then replace?
Carquest wanted like $90 for the ball joint alone, and then I’d have to have it pressed in, fuck that, too much $$ and more work. You have to remove the upper control arm to press it in anyway so theres no point. Where around here is a good place to get these kind of parts anyway?
My friend in ROC has the upper control arm for me for free, but I don’t have a way to go get it. He can ship it I guess, I am hoping I get it within a day. I need the car on the road before Friday.
It looks pretty straight forward now after seeing what’s going on in there, I just am not sure if I have the tools I need or not. I guess the clip thing is a cotter pin, and you bend it after putting the bolt in and putting on the pin? Do I need a new one?
Naw, you can hit it with a hammer since you wont be using it again. Get the new upper CA from your friend and then let me know. I can probally help you do it, if its like sat. or sun. OK.
The 2 bolts on the control arm are actually under the hood, not under the car, I was wrong about that. I edited the diagram above to show which ones they are. The more I look at it and find out, the easier it seems.
So I need to hit the old balljoint out of the knuckle with a hammer? Don’t know if I have a hammer, lol. And I can unbend the old cotter pin and remove the old bolt 1 from knuckle to balljoint, and re-use them?
I need the car up asap, so as soon as I get the control arm I will post and try to get on it, but if I somehow can’t get it by the weekend, I will let you know. Thanks for the offer, I appreciate it.
Won’t be able to get the control arm from ROC, so I called around autozone, carquest, napa, and advance. From oem they only come with the upper control arm, but aftermarket they seem to come separate as well.
$30 balljoint only from autozone by Thursday.
$40 balljoint only from napa by 2pm today, if ordered before 1pm.
$75 balljoint already pressed in with control arm from advance, by 2pm tomorrow.
Some balljoints are pressed in. I’m in the amherst area and have a BJ press if you need it. It might be easier since its such a common problem(honda BJ’s) to call J&J auto wrecking on bailey and get a used arm. it might have even been replaced before. if you want to pull the arm off and bring it over i have airtools,torches etc… at my house. i’m behind eastern hills but it needs to be before 5 cause i gotta take the kids trick or treating
