New control arm goodness

[Safety Guy]

When I checked mine I just jacked the whole front end up and let the suspension hang with both front wheels off the ground. I then took a crowbar (or prybar, or humongous screwdriver) and slipped it in between the control arm and the knuckle near the pinch bolt (the horizontal bolt that holds the control arm to the knuckle). Preferably, use a prybar about 24" to 36" long with a curved (bent) end.

Gently pry the two pieces to see if they come apart some due to a loose ball joint. The ball joint is at the end of the control arm at the knuckle and is held in by the pinch bolt. Any looseness should be inside the control arm socket for the ball joint (if the pinch bolt is properly tightened).

Also check the rubber grease pack around the ball joint--if it is leaking seriously or falling to pieces/dryrotted, you'll want to either replace it with a new rubber cover (available from FMS??) or go ahead and just put on new control arms.

Also just grab onto the control arms (try both ends of each) and see if you can shake it to find any other play (for example the pivot bolts to the body). Before you let the car down, grab onto the tires and shake them too, to find any more play--possibly in the wheel bearings themselves.

That's how I'd do it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on something.

Karl

[ericsmith32]

:laughing6: I drove dad's festiva home today with bad ball joints. Every time I hit a bump it was very similar to the mechanical bull I rode once. I'll be replacing them in a couple days. At least I know what it feels like when they go bad. Mine are showing no symptoms yet, I guess the gravel roads are harder on them.

[billthekat]

well about a year ago the right ball joint let go at 60mph.

i was going straight and hit a bump...
the knuckle and wheel and NEW tire folded under the rocker panel.. the corner of the car dropped about four inches and i saw sparks...
the amazing thing is i maintained control and actually steered to the shoulder of the road.
so wen someone sells you a car and says everything under the front end has been replaced be very skeptical...
i jacked the corner up and put the spare on, snapped the axle back in the transmission, and tied a ratchet strap around the control arm up to the spring and drove it home...the worst part about the lower bj is having the nut inside the frame come loos, what a pain!

later,
Ian L.

[festivaWES]

see if there's any grease on the back of the hub, caliper, etc....if there that old there shot....they're sealed/non grease able. And only 23 a pop at auto stores. Watch take them off you can move the chingas dillywopper thinga-ma-jig with your fingers.