bobbob2x

Control Arm Removal Gone Wrong Safe to Drive?

Long story short I tried to take of my lower control arm and failed at in miserably due to a lack of the right tools. Using a pickle for I ripped my boot to pieces and along with that I striped the inner part of the screw that holds the sway bar on so, which isn’t completely tightened now. When I drive the car I now hear a clunk when I drive over any bumps large or small. Also when I turn I hear a knocking noise. Form some of the research I did I herd this is due to the sway bar being lose. Is this right? Also what is causing the noise I hear over bumps and most importantly is my car safe to drive to work for the next week while I order tools and replacement parts? I would very much appreciated any help

johnnyboy5000

I brought my 02 civic to Pep Boys three years ago for a clunk sound in the turns. They said I needed new control arm bushing. I said OK, they installed them, but a couple days later the clunk came back. Pep Boys stripped the welded bolt on the sub frame. I was on a road trip when I discovered the bolt kind of hanging out of the control arm. A local mechanic told me if the bolt came out when I was driving, the car would wreck. Had a Honda dealer fix it. They knocked out the old welded bolt and used similar loose bolt to fix it. It's been three years and the fix is good. I drove about 500 miles doing about 80mph in the bad condition.

bobbob2x

what about the clunk over bumps and thanks for the replay

madAd

Should be safe for a little while, as long as you tightened everything back up, the sway bar being loose won't cause anything to wreck. I replaced my sway bar links with Moog links, they actually have a spot on the base of the stud to put a real wrench on while you loosen the nut. Ended up having to cut the old ones off with a fiber wheel and a sawzall. If you're buying a new control arm from Honda it comes with the balljoint and boot already installed for $113 from Majestic Honda, just did this myself 'cause mine got bent in an accident. That's with bushings included too. Otherwise, I think a balljoint by itself is about $50.

madAd

I forgot to emphasize this, make absolutely sure that the ball-joint is tightened all the way and the circlip is through the castle-nut. With the front wheels off of the ground, frame on jack-stands, use a large pry-bar under the tire and pry upward between ground and tire, watch the balljoint and make sure it doesn't move up and down. If ball-joint is O.K. it should be safe, I've seen a couple of cars in the last few weeks that the ball-joint broke on, not pretty.

bobbob2x

The ball joint is fully in I believe and the nut is on tight and the pin is full in. Although the sway bar is loose as **** and I hope it’s the cause of all the noise I keep hearing as my car stops, starts and slows down, and when I turn. I can’t get the bolt off or on and I’m going to have to cut it as soon as I can get a replacement. Its so loose I think there’s 1/8 of were the bolt needs to be tightened. I think the piece might snap soon. Will those cause major issue when it does? I have the replacement bushings, and a new ball joint ordered.

Others things I forgot to do possibly tighten the lugs on the other sides when I didn't do work on it. Today on my why home my wheel came off. Dam I hate my life