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Hello, new to the forums and larger DIY car jobs after repeatedly turning to the useful DIY index guide on this website. So to make it short, my 2005 Honda Civic LX sedan is at 113,000+ miles and really needs to get the passenger-side front lower control arm replaced. I took it to a Honda dealership for a free alignment check after I smacked the passenger side wheel flat against a curb to avoid hitting a runaway dog at night. That's what I get for loving animals .

Anyway, the Honda tech tells me I still have the original factory LCAs but I need new compliance bushings, and that it'll run me about $450+. It had been off kilter for a few months in terms of driving experience, and after personal examination, I could verify the rubber bushing was starting to go. So naturally I look for cheaper alternatives, and found out by reading the threads here that its easier and financially sensible to just replace the whole control arms altogether. And if I'm going to do one side at this point, I might as well do the other side as well right? Two Moog LCAs were hence ordered.

So here is my stupidly idiotic question: I was reading the guide here:
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...e-bushing.html



When I got to the last part about reinstalling the new LCA, ("Be careful not to damage the ball joint boot when connecting the lower arm to the knuckle") I was a bit confused, and even after searching around, haven't found an answer to my question: Do I have to pop the ball joint "out" or mess with its seating on the knuckle in order to swap out the LCA? Or am I able to just leave the balljoint alone (if its still good) when doing the LCA swap project, aside from just removing/reinstalling the castle nut during the process and adding a new pin after? The guide makes it sound so simple, but I would like some verification from more experienced DIYers before taking my sh*t apart.

I know what most of you would tell me, that its better off to just swap out the balljoints in the process. I was thinking about it, but it may be out of my abilities and time schedule right now. I did take the incentive to order some Beck Arnley balljoint parts along with an impact wrench + appropriate socket kit off Amazon, so I will probably tackle the balljoint replacement soon after.

Many thanks for responses in advance.

 
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You DO NOT need to remove the ball joint out of the knuckle in order to remove the LCA. If the ball joints are good then they can stay where they are. Just be careful when you remove the LCA from the ball joint (held on by castle nut) because you could rip the boot.

I had to remove my whole hub assembly and take it to a shop to have the ball joints pressed out. I was unable to get them with a rental hand press from Autozone. Its worth a shot though since you all ready have the LCA off.

 
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By the hand press from Auto zone do you mean the ball joint removal tool, the one that looks like an arcade claw? I was thinking about renting one when doing that project since I would have an air tool by then And i already have the air compressor. In the meantime, would the trick of putting a ratchet between the lca and the balljoint then dropping the jack be enough to separate the control arm from the balljoint? Thanks for your reply.

 
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Yes that will be enough. The DIY on this forum uses that method.

Ball joint press is what I had rented. I think I could have made it work if I had removed the hub and put it in a vice. I didn't have a vice at the time or even a work bench.

http://safetst0.sauceopen.com/portal.../view/306/419/

 
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came late, but just for the sake of any other members coming here, the ball joint is the link between the LCA and the knuckle.
to change the LCA, you just need to remove the ball joint from the LCA, no need to remove from the knuckle (which requires a lot more effort and tools than removing the LCA)

 
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If you follow my ball joint DIY part ways You can easily disconnect the ball joint from the LCA. After that it's just two more bolts and the LCA is out. After that you can either take the LCA to get the bushing pressed or you can come up with a way to do it yourself at home.

 
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Wow, that is actually exactly what I was looking for, a separate balljoint DIY guide; alongside the LCA guide, I should be good (hopefully).

One question though: While I was reading your guide Blue, I came to this part which I didn't quite understand:

"10. Now you can use a hammer to drive the axle (spindle) back into the knuckle, you can use a regular hammer as long as you don't smash on it. You really shouldn't have to hit it very hard. If you cant get the axle fully out from behind you can get it when you remove the last two bolts off the knuckle."

What do you mean by driving the axle spindle back into the knuckle with a hammer?

I'm trying to figure out what order to do these jobs, because I also need to change out the brake rotors and pads for a new PowerStop kit I bought. Would this work?

1. Remove old lower control arm

2. Change Rotors

3. After installing new rotors, remove whole assembly holding balljoint in place.

4. Swap balljoints with rental tool from AutoZone

5. After reassembling everything, change out brake pads.

Sound good?

 
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Okay so UPDATE: I'm having two major issues with removing my LCAs:

1. The "Ratchet trick" of putting a ratchet in between the knuckle and the LCA doesn't work. I've tried using a ratchet, differing sizes of sockets, and even a crowbar in between, nothing makes the "pop" sound, and the balljoint is stuck in there still.

2. To remove the bolt holding the LCA bushing in that is closest to the cabin (if that makes sense), I need to take off the caliper bracket off to have clearance to fit my tools in there. Unfortunately, the two 12mm bolts holding the caliper bracket onto the rotor, also refuses to come off. The top one turns at least, the bottom bolt one is just stuck and won't even budge. The 12mm bolt on the bottom is at the point where the hexagonal angles are almost completely f**ked up due to my constant attempts at removal. I've tried cheater bar + wrench, ratchets, impact wrench with sufficient air supply, heating it up via propane torch, PB Blaster, NOTHING has been after to take this sucker off.

It's so frustrating to know that 2-3 inches of f**king crusted old metal is standing between me and getting the job done today. Any suggestions? I've sprayed the rest of the PB Blaster onto the bolts, hopefully to soak in overnight, to try again tomorrow. If nothing happens, then I'm just throwing in the towel and taking it to a shop.

 
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You might need to get an actual ball joint seperater, that's what I used.

Freeze spray might help. I had to use a combo of freeze spray, a lighter and a torqe driver hammer (thing with a bit on the end that you hit with a hammer) in order to get the damn rotor screws out. Last resort, cut a line in the bolt head with a Dremel and use an very large straight edge or hammer a smaller socket on there and wrench it off.

 
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That's a great tip...I've had good success getting broken bolts out using that same method.

Damn, how do you get that much rust/corrosion on a 2005? Have you ever used a torch to take off a bolt? It's tricky especially with a propane tank torch. I've managed to do it once but you need to get it red hot literally. I love PB blaster but anything that rusted usually penetrating oils can't touch.

If it were me heat/cold/pen oil/hammer repeat for a day or 2 and then try again, good luck!

 
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I left the car to soak in the PB Blaster tonight, and hopefully come tomorrow I will try using the propane torch again. I was paranoid about burning the brake fluid line so I never heated the bolt up till it got red hot - I will man up and try it that way early tomorrow morning. I will also try hitting the side of the LCA with a rubber mallet and maybe lightly tapping upwards on the bottom of the bolt to see if I could manually knock it out.

I'm just really hoping the vertical and horizontal facing bolts holding the LCA in are easier to remove.

 
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You need a breaker bar with a head on it that is capable of moving a bit so that you can get at it. Obviously the bolts have been heavily over torqued as most shops do. Try the ratchet trick again. Only this time after you drop the jack on the largest object that will fit in there. Put your foot on the brake rotor and push down hard. It should pop. I've heard a few instances of where this doesn't work now. Also... Make sure the two bolts that are holding the knuckle to the strut tower are still there, if they aren't the knuckle will just move instead of the ball joint breaking free.

 
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impact wrench? borrow one from some autozone or similar?

 
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Good luck getting an impact in there. Might have to get super creative with extensions lol

 
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UPDATE: Since I had to use the car as a daily driver for work, early morning I ultimately ended up just going down the street to a local brake/suspension shop which turned out to be owned by a neighbor. He gave me a good discount since I live a few houses away from his family and I was his only customer before he headed out to a golf lunch .

Since I brought the new Moog part with me, he just charged me for labor. Including a wheel alignment, it came out to $100. For 50 minutes' work, I tipped him a sawbuck for lunch on me.

Thanks for all the tips guys, I will keep them in mind when I attempt to swap the driver-side LCA out for the new Moog one I just got from RockAuto. I gave the mechanic a fair warning that should I fail that, I'll be coming by again. As for the passenger side, considering they had been driven rough and never once removed since leaving the factory, the accumulated rust/muck was too much for my own impact wrench to remove; it took the shop's industrial size air compressor + torque gun and a rubber hammer to knock that sucker loose. To make matters even tougher, the impact with the curb had slightly dented the point between the original LCA and the Balljoint, something which I wouldn't have even been able to see without a mechanic's ramp. The guy even fixed the dent in the original arm for me to keep. So all in all, fair price paid for good speedy work. When (if) I tackle the driver's side next time, I'm hoping the process will be a hell of a lot easier on me.

 
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Good deal!

Now when you do it next time you can buy new bolts and be ready with the big tools.