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quick ball joint question pic

A

Ares

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
Nov 24, 2004
Messages
645
Location
in the garage
Can someone take a look and tell if the ball joint is seated all the way?

It looks like it should go further but it's not moving. Is it in? Shouldn't it just pop right back in with the pressure from the LCA? Do I need to pry open the pinch bolt gap more? Looking at my SE, I see no part the neck and it sits right down on the boot. What's the deal?

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Try gradually jacking up the control arm while wiggling the knuckle in and out. It should pop in with enough force. Some will say this isn't the correct way but it's always worked for me.
 
Thanks guys. Finally did go in. Very stubborn. Just kept pushing on it towards the trans and it straightened up enough to pop back in.
 
Might want to put some lube on it. :troutslap: Using a 5 lb. hammer helps beat in when it's at that point. Jack works too.
 
Would someone please tell me if I did sucessfully tighten the pinch bolt, it means my axle was popped back into its place, or....
This is on the driver side. 99 contour, SE, 2.0l 4 cyl.
The reason i asked because after i replaced my 2 bolts LCA, my car developed a rumbling, growling and cyclic sound. The sound was horrible when the car accelerated but the noise gets better after past 35-40 mph. I find no play when performing o'clock test. Therefore, i am not sure it is a wheel bearing problem, or my axles got messed up when I replaced the LCA.
thansk in advance.
 
mewant2b said:
Would someone please tell me if I did sucessfully tighten the pinch bolt, it means my axle was popped back into its place, or....
This is on the driver side. 99 contour, SE, 2.0l 4 cyl.
The reason i asked because after i replaced my 2 bolts LCA, my car developed a rumbling, growling and cyclic sound. The sound was horrible when the car accelerated but the noise gets better after past 35-40 mph. I find no play when performing o'clock test. Therefore, i am not sure it is a wheel bearing problem, or my axles got messed up when I replaced the LCA.
thansk in advance.
Click to expand...

I would say not necessarily. Tightening the pinch bolt doesn't mean your axle is fully seated/installed in the trans. I found that out because I leaked trans fluid thinking the axle was in and I had got the ball joint in okay and tightened the pinch bolt. Now I'm waiting on a new circlip because that axle would not go in. I'm hoping the old clip was preventing it and with the new clip it will go in easily.

Are you leaking trans fluid? I couldn't tell you what the symptoms would be while driving if the axle wasn't all the way in. What you are describing might be something else.
 
no, i do not see any fluid leaking under the car.
To me, it sounds like wheel bearing. I am thinking about a good used hub assembly from J/Y to eliminate wheel bearing if it is a case.
 
A growl that changes with speed should be the wheel bearing on its way out. The balljoint being locked down wont have anything to do with the axle being fully seated or not.
 
Old thread I know, but does anyone recall what size head the pinch bolt and nut are? Also on the 2-bolt arms, the size and thread pitch of the control arm to subframe bolt?
 
mcgarvey said:
Old thread I know, but does anyone recall what size head the pinch bolt and nut are? Also on the 2-bolt arms, the size and thread pitch of the control arm to subframe bolt?
Click to expand...


pinch bolt head is a torx, forget what size. iirc the nut is 18 mm.
 
OK it's a T55, just checked. And the control arm-to-subframe bolts are m12x1.75x75mm.

Anyone tried the dorman 2-bolt arms? I got them for $36 each from rockauto.
 
Thats a great price for them. I may have to get a set and then worry about getting the one bolt out when it comes time to replace them.
 
I user a 20lb sledge sideways to get mine in (car is on jack stands, so I've got like a long 6" to swing it up from the ground) I need new LCA's - anyone ever seen a lower bj separate at speed?
 
Dorman isnt a top-quality name but I figured anything is an improvement over the 150k mile ones on there. My other choice was the moog lcas at $115 a piece.
 
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