I'm attempting to replace a 2004 civic lower control arm, the arm has the ball joint in knuckle on this model. I talked to the fellow techs at the shop I help at, one says to use a pry bar and hammer the arm to get the control arm out from the ball joint. The other tech tells me all you have to do is hammer the LCA and it will come out no problem. Can you guys chime in?
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Removing a control arm how?
- Thread starter Aklass
- Start date
MoToys
Well-known member
Maybe a balljoint fork?
e-tek
Well-known member
Depends on how stuck they are! Try just the hammer, then the pickel, if it really seems stuck, heat em up and they'll pop right out!
I simple pry down with a bar on the control arm , then strike where the ball joint shaft goes through. If your aim isnt that great, make sure you leave the nut loose on the ball joint. For some reason wood handled mini sledges work best for this.
Im going to assume the bushing is bad? Those year civics are starting to get as bad as the chysler and gm lca bushings.
Dont use pickel forks unless the joint is getting replaced
Im going to assume the bushing is bad? Those year civics are starting to get as bad as the chysler and gm lca bushings.
Dont use pickel forks unless the joint is getting replaced
Bran Diezel
Well-known member
use a 3lb sledge on the knuckle where the balljoint is attached but don't strike the joint. eventually it'll pop out. don't ever heat a balljoint. use a good pickel fork or air hammer if needed
I have cracked the knuckle on one of those and so has a friend.. And I have also had one come in fractured that hadn't been touched. All right around the ball joint.. Be careful not to hit the knuckle hit the lower control arm... That 01-05 style Civic is the worst Honda ever made
I was able to remove the control arm by placing a jack on the ball joint, and hammering the control arm away. The other nuts and bolts were a pain in the *** as they were rusted to the sleeve in the bushing causing me to rip the bushing apart to get the bolt out. For the new control arm, I want to avoid rust, what do you guys recommend? I'm considering moly or silicone grease on the bolts
e-tek
Well-known member
I don't have any of that =( I have pb blaster, wd-40, and lithium lube. I can also take some sil-glyde or moly lube from the shop at work at
mofo meant for assembly, not dis.... How about a propane or Mapp torch? Even taht will help. Make sure you strike it sharply on the pin, not on the arm.
Already got it off, that questions was for which lube to use to put the new one in to prevent it rusting in the bushing sleeve againmofo meant for assembly, not dis.... How about a propane or Mapp torch? Even taht will help. Make sure you strike it sharply on the pin, not on the arm.
toolchaser
Well-known member
Get a jar of Anti-Seize, it last forever and is THE best stuff to prevent rusty fasteners. Swamp log skidders and crawlers survive on anti-seize
tonydanzah
Well-known member
how many miles, need to start thinking about my 04