Lower Control Arms Dos and Donts

[jeffmsp]

pickle fork. works everytime. since the arm is junk you dont need to worry about messing up the boot. just hammer the b**** in and it will pop 100% for sure. pickle forks are cheap.

 

[CTt3P5]

Just called Medcenter Mazda and ordered the 5th bolt. As I thought, the pinch bolt I ordered previously is for the steering knuckle. The bolt I just ordered is the one that goes into the front bushing and their price is $9.71ea and part# is 9YA021205 So, now I'm into this job ~$85 for just hardware, of course if I don't need it I'll send it back for a refund but will be nice to have on hand should one break, strip, etc.

have stock bushings but will be replacing with the Whitelines and new balljoints this winter for the front suspension and redoing all of the hardware and lateral arms for the rears. Need to make good use of my new garage this winter for some maintenance and playing with the P5.

Nice and way to rub it in. I'll either be in the driveway or in the garage but with the door open since I have to have 1/2 the car outside to leave room to work. One day I'll convert the breezeway to my 2nd bay!

I used this with my Honda Civic.

Thanks.

Can't see the pic at work but thanks. I'll check it out on my phone later or at home.

pickle fork. works everytime. since the arm is junk you dont need to worry about messing up the boot. just hammer the b**** in and it will pop 100% for sure. pickle forks are cheap.

Thanks! I've heard of them but for whatever reason when I was under the car yesterday it didn't even cross my mind.

 

[bikingpro5]

Nice and way to rub it in. I'll either be in the driveway or in the garage but with the door open since I have to have 1/2 the car outside to leave room to work. One day I'll convert the breezeway to my 2nd bay!

well it took me years of wrenching in the snow/cold/borrowing garages before i finally have one of my own so i think I'm due. Plus one of the reasons i liked the house was the garage and piece and quiet. Looks like you need to clean the garage up, so you can have room indoors.

 

[pcb]

, what is best way to remove the ball joint section from the steering knuckle?Sorry, first time ever replacing ball joints and there is no mention of this in the manual, simply remove bolt 2 in illustration and then move on to the four in the bracket.

After you remove the pinch bolt you can hammer a chisel into the slot of steering knuckle right at the ball joint stud. That opens it up enough for the ball joint stud to just fall out.

It worked great for me.

 

[CTt3P5]

Guess I'll throw Duralast out there as well? My local AZ has both in stock and I could pick them up tonight. $97.99ea with a limited lifetime warranty. Reading the description it lists Dorman as the manufactuer? So for double the cost of the Amazon link Hank posted I can get them with a limited lifetime warranty and if I ship to home I can save 20% + free shipping which brings the total to $156. But they only list the Protege in their auto section....were the LCAs between the LX/DX/ES different from the P5 since the P5 came with the sport suspension?

well it took me years of wrenching in the snow/cold/borrowing garages before i finally have one of my own so i think I'm due. Plus one of the reasons i liked the house was the garage and piece and quiet. Looks like you need to clean the garage up, so you can have room indoors.

I hear ya, thankfully the only wrenching that I've absolutely had to do over the winter months has been minimal and I've had warmer days to do it. One of the reasons I like to get the car in early for inspection (not due until Jan).

As for my garage it is a one car and on the smaller side. Once I get spare funds to buy another door and put a frame up on the back of the breezeway I can start tearing down the 'middle wall' and open it up.

After you remove the pinch bolt you can hammer a chisel into the slot of steering knuckle right at the ball joint stud. That opens it up enough for the ball joint stud to just fall out.

It worked great for me.

Sweet and thanks! Think I'll try this method first and if it doesn't work, guess I'll resort to the pickle fork.

 

[lowlevel]

I'm going to try replacing the bushings and balljoints in my control arms instead of buying whole new assemblies... seems to be about 1/3rd the cost assuming the 97 mazda 626 ball joints really do fit

 

[CTt3P5]

I'd take JT's (biking) word on it....he's been around awhile and knows a thing or two about the BJ chassis. Yes, if you press them in/out yourself then you can def. save some money but how much will depend on what you buy.

I can buy the Duralast LCAs for $156 shipped to my door. If I went the premium side of ball joints and bushings from RA and pressed them in myself I'd be at $136 before shipping + the extra hassle (?) of pressing them in/out.

 

[lowlevel]

I'm finding about the same... I'm up to about $120 after balljoints, and bushings. I got the bushings from Mazda and the ball joints are Altrom from Napa... hopefully not garbage.

 

[bikingpro5]

alright few pictures of 626 balljoints in our OE LCAs.

abused and worn out OE balljoint

pressed out OE ball joint

new 626 balljoint installed

 

[o0n8]

LCA's are all the same between the protege's. I had Pedder's pressed into my LCA's when I replaced them along with front wheel bearings. I noticed a difference, not a giganitic difference but just a tighter, more finely tuned suspension feeling. I wouldn't say they're a must have item.

 

[clement_ghost]

Nice job!

You just have to hammer it out and then press the new one in?

 

[bikingpro5]

Nice job!

You just have to hammer it out and then press the new one in?

could if you really wanted to i guess, or press out/in.

 

[rit14623]

I have some questions regarding the ball joint and bushing replacement for the LCA:
1. To press out the old ball joint and press in the new ball joint, did you use a special tool? If so, what is it?
2. To press out the old bushings and press in the new bushing, did you need a special tool? If so, what is it? Does it slide out and in with pressure, no specialty tools needed?

The removal of the LCAs seems pretty straightforward, I don't know if this is a DIY job or if I need to take the LCAs to a machine shop with a hydraulic press. Thanks.

 

[lowlevel]

alright few pictures of 626 balljoints in our OE LCAs.

abused and worn out OE balljoint
pressed out OE ball joint
new 626 balljoint installed




Sweet... Great pics! I'm excited now

 

[bikingpro5]

I have some questions regarding the ball joint and bushing replacement for the LCA:
1. To press out the old ball joint and press in the new ball joint, did you use a special tool? If so, what is it?
2. To press out the old bushings and press in the new bushing, did you need a special tool? If so, what is it? Does it slide out and in with pressure, no specialty tools needed?

The removal of the LCAs seems pretty straightforward, I don't know if this is a DIY job or if I need to take the LCAs to a machine shop with a hydraulic press. Thanks.

1. Ill be using a 30 ton press at a shop that has all the tools that i need to press out the old and press in the new.
2. Old school way is to burn out the old with a torch and press in the new. You can easily press out the old/press in the new with a good shop press.

 

[Bebotech]

I bought the ball joints on ebay, rented the tie rod puller, ball joint press and did the job in less than 3 hours. How much did it cost me $45 and a lot of swering every time either a bolt did not want to come out or I hit my fingers.

 

[Cleverfrog]

alright few pictures of 626 balljoints in our OE LCAs.

abused and worn out OE balljoint

pressed out OE ball joint

new 626 balljoint installed

Oh herro, those are my pictures

you'll want this tool for the job which can be loaned from your local autozone or advanced (parts store)

A vertical hydraulic press and a vice are very nice to have also. I put Whiteline bushings in mine and raybestos balljoints. Took some time to break lose the ball joints initially. I used a hammer to tap on the arm once I put tension on the ball joint remover and it slowly started backing out. The old rear bushings that are press fit I pressed out (go figure) and the front bushings you can beat out with a punch or some other tool that is bigger than the metal bushing and a hammer. Not difficult.

 

[CTt3P5]

Replaced them on friday. I went with the duralast from az, $166 for both after taxes and lifetime warranty, including ball joints and bushings. Bolts came out fairly easy, the rear bushing bolt was the toughest on both sides and also a pita to reinstall. Fought with the ps one for a good half hour! Helps to use a jack to hold the lca up so you can line up the holes!!! Lol. She is much tighter now and no more noises from the front end.

And the pickle fork was very handy. It took me about five minutes of pounding to get the ps out but ds came out after a few swings of the hammer.