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kaotik78
04-29-2012, 04:31 AM
Hi all,

I've had to take my LCA's off previously to do Energy Suspension bushings, when I was doing so, both ball joints got damaged (they were in there so severely the threads got ruined.)

My dealer said that P/N 51220-S5A-305 would be fine, so I bought them and put them in. I had to notch out the castle nuts though cause they would not provide enough clearance for the cotter pin to get through, even with factory torque specs.

Enter this weekend. I've had to do front wheel bearings, the drivers side ball joint popped out without issue, the passengers, well, I had to take the LCA off with knuckle attached, cut it with a sawzall and then heat the remainder out cherry red to get it to pop out.

I'm nervous now as I went back and got another 51220-S5A-305 ball joint. I did some early morning searching and discovered a TSB 04-709 about lower ball joint replacements on 2001-05 Civic's (except 3-door hatchback). This has me concerned that I'm doing more harm than good, I'd like to know why the dealership parts guy sold me these and said they would work, and don't get me wrong, they pressed in no problem, looked virtually identical but for whatever reason, this left side has always been a royal PITA to take apart.

Can anyone else shed some light on this?? Unfortunately nobody around here has parts for the EP3, I looked up moog at an advanced auto parts shop but they wanted more than the dealership.

I'd appreciate it before I button this rig up again for hopefully the last time for a while.

02_epdriver
04-29-2012, 04:56 AM
The lower ball joint from honda comes with a new knuckle for around 200 online. They are not sold seperatly. Go to rockauto.com and get a lower ball joint from moog for about 40 bucks. It will have a grease zerk to grease the ball joint just to let you know. It's not sealed like the originals ones are. Then if you get the moog you have to buy the cap inserts that will replace the grease zerks because most of the time the zerk will rub against the cv axle and will fuck up the boot. Those your your options unless you go with another lower ball joint that is aftermarket that is sealed and then you wont have to service it here and their.

Hope this helps

kaotik78
04-29-2012, 05:44 AM
The lower ball joint from honda comes with a new knuckle for around 200 online. They are not sold seperatly. Go to rockauto.com and get a lower ball joint from moog for about 40 bucks. It will have a grease zerk to grease the ball joint just to let you know. It's not sealed like the originals ones are. Then if you get the moog you have to buy the cap inserts that will replace the grease zerks because most of the time the zerk will rub against the cv axle and will fuck up the boot. Those your your options unless you go with another lower ball joint that is aftermarket that is sealed and then you wont have to service it here and their.

Hope this helps

Thanks for your input! These do fit in the knuckle, they fit in the lower control arm, I'm just wondering why Honda said in their tech bulletin why they are not for the 3dr hatchback, and why the dealership/parts guy sold them to me. Wish a local shop had some Moog available before I put this all back together, I've got no other choice right now.

tinman5
04-29-2012, 06:49 AM
Buy the Moogs locally if at all possible. While I love saving money online, somethings are just more convenient to warranty locally. And I do believe the Moogs I have bought for...pretty much all my cars, have a limited lifetime warranty.

kaotik78
04-29-2012, 01:16 PM
Well I finished getting everything back together. I noticed that after I got everything assembled that there was some wheel play still when I grabbed either side tire at 11 and 5 o'clock and could move the tire.

I've gone through everything on the front end of this EP, LCA bushings (energy suspension), new tie rod ends, Pro-C coil overs, new wheel bearings, new ball joints (I'm questioning those as they might be the cause of the play, but can't nail it for sure) Everything's tight to factory specs. It rides fine, corners great, highway is fine as well. I'm wondering if anyone else out there who does routine tire rotations etc, has just checked their wheel play by hand and if this is a EP3 thing or if in fact these ball joints that my dealer is selling me is the problem.

USAF EP3
04-29-2012, 01:41 PM
If you don't feel comfortable about the joints they sold you, then buy ball joints for the 02-04 RSX (any model) they fit the same.

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT get the 05-06 ball joints. They are larger and you will need to have your knuckle machined and a bigger bushing on the LCA.

I bought DC5-R aluminium LCA's and I thought I was safe getting the Buddy Club ball joints for the 05-06 Type S but I was dead wrong.

Little did I know that no one every tried this, but I was using 02-04 RSX-S knuckles and the actual ball joint is thicker and luckily I had a great machine shop machine the opening on the knuckle to make the bigger joints fit perfect.

kaotik78
04-30-2012, 03:27 AM
If you don't feel comfortable about the joints they sold you, then buy ball joints for the 02-04 RSX (any model) they fit the same.

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT get the 05-06 ball joints. They are larger and you will need to have your knuckle machined and a bigger bushing on the LCA.

I bought DC5-R aluminium LCA's and I thought I was safe getting the Buddy Club ball joints for the 05-06 Type S but I was dead wrong.

Little did I know that no one every tried this, but I was using 02-04 RSX-S knuckles and the actual ball joint is thicker and luckily I had a great machine shop machine the opening on the knuckle to make the bigger joints fit perfect.

See the parts guy neglected to mention that, only saying that 05-06 RSX ball joints won't fit, they're too big. He never mentioned the 02-04 RSX's, and I never gave it a second thought since mine is an 05. Good info about the 02-04 RSX, I certainly appreciate it.

They fit inside the LCA just fine, but they don't leave much room on the castle nut for you to get the cotter pin through, so I had to notch out the castle nut a bit deeper to get it to fit, in the end, the ball joint shaft is flush with the castle nut after everything's torqued down. If I have to take it all apart again (I pray I don't) I'll roll with the RSX 02-04 balljoints.

15000rpms
04-30-2012, 05:19 AM
The lower ball joint from honda comes with a new knuckle for around 200 online. They are not sold seperatly. Go to rockauto.com and get a lower ball joint from moog for about 40 bucks. It will have a grease zerk to grease the ball joint just to let you know. It's not sealed like the originals ones are. Then if you get the moog you have to buy the cap inserts that will replace the grease zerks because most of the time the zerk will rub against the cv axle and will fuck up the boot. Those your your options unless you go with another lower ball joint that is aftermarket that is sealed and then you wont have to service it here and their.

Hope this helps

i think now autofair honda from k20a sells the ball joint seperately now

kaotik78
04-30-2012, 06:46 AM
They do, that's the one I have in question, as the Honda TSB states it is NOT for the 3dr hatchback.

bluedemonep3
04-30-2012, 07:17 AM
bought mine from auto zone, they fit perfect. Took it to get pressed in because after hours of trying myself , i gave up.

Jrw
05-01-2012, 07:27 PM
So I could separate the ball joint to remove the hub but i cant get the ball joint out of the hub. Ive used a hammer i even got the tool from autozone to press it out but it doesn't seem like tool has the right size parts in it for my ep3. Are there more than one type/sizes of ball joint press tools. If so do i need to ask for it by size and name? mine has three cups in different sizes and two disks that have crazy levels to it. Also isnt there a snap ring inside how do i get that out to remove this thing? last do i need to remove the ball joint part with the screw (take it apart) before i try to press out the rest of the housing? I would love any help before i lose my mind thanks.