help! testing ball joints,I have my new lca's
05-02-11, 02:47 PM
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help! testing ball joints,I have my new lca's
Ok my car wanders at freeway speed it has 190k miles on it.
I bought a new torque wrench that measures inch pounds 1 to 600 inch pounds.
I bought new lower control arms, shocks, steering rack and sway bar bushings.
(note) I bought the bushings from tm engineering and they did not supply the grease and they do not respond to emails.
ok now my factory manual says to test the ball joints u flip the stud back and forth a few times then u turn the ball joint nut 5 times with the torque wrench,
and measure the inch pounds on the 5th turn. it should be 9 to 30 inch pounds.
ok sounds easy. I put the torque wrench on the bran new lca's ball joint and i tested it. I get 9 inch pounds just barley in spec. does that sound right?
should it be more like 30 inch pounds as its new?
I did the same on my old ball joints and got 4 inch pounds.
I did the same on the upper ball joints and got 8 inch pounds on one and 6 inch pounds on the other?
im not sure if my new torque wrench is off or 9 inch pounds is normal for new ball joints? should i change the uppers as well?
I bought a new torque wrench that measures inch pounds 1 to 600 inch pounds.
I bought new lower control arms, shocks, steering rack and sway bar bushings.
(note) I bought the bushings from tm engineering and they did not supply the grease and they do not respond to emails.
ok now my factory manual says to test the ball joints u flip the stud back and forth a few times then u turn the ball joint nut 5 times with the torque wrench,
and measure the inch pounds on the 5th turn. it should be 9 to 30 inch pounds.
ok sounds easy. I put the torque wrench on the bran new lca's ball joint and i tested it. I get 9 inch pounds just barley in spec. does that sound right?
should it be more like 30 inch pounds as its new?
I did the same on my old ball joints and got 4 inch pounds.
I did the same on the upper ball joints and got 8 inch pounds on one and 6 inch pounds on the other?
im not sure if my new torque wrench is off or 9 inch pounds is normal for new ball joints? should i change the uppers as well?
05-02-11, 04:16 PM
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Mine was the same way,
http://gallery.me.com/epelezo#100024...&bgcolor=black
That video will show you what a BAD LCA ball joint will look like. The Upper's were actually ok (as you see me say they were newish anyway). You can physically SEE the resistance. Basically if they are flopping around like the first one was with ease, it's bad, if they are STIFF feeling (taking more force to push around), then they are more than likely ok.
I went ahead and replaced ALL of the components in the front because in the end, when you're taking down the LCA you MIGHT nick the UCA boot or the tie rod boot, etc. Why not just go ahead and replace it?
I spent
$600 on Lower Control Arms (Over Nighted)
$140 on Upper Control Arms
$30 for End Links
$40 for Outer Tie Rods
So for under a 1k I have brand new front end
http://gallery.me.com/epelezo#100024...&bgcolor=black
That video will show you what a BAD LCA ball joint will look like. The Upper's were actually ok (as you see me say they were newish anyway). You can physically SEE the resistance. Basically if they are flopping around like the first one was with ease, it's bad, if they are STIFF feeling (taking more force to push around), then they are more than likely ok.
I went ahead and replaced ALL of the components in the front because in the end, when you're taking down the LCA you MIGHT nick the UCA boot or the tie rod boot, etc. Why not just go ahead and replace it?
I spent
$600 on Lower Control Arms (Over Nighted)
$140 on Upper Control Arms
$30 for End Links
$40 for Outer Tie Rods
So for under a 1k I have brand new front end
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