LCA recommendations ???

[pcb]

While doing my front passenger side bearing today, I discovered that my ball joint is worn out and rusty.

I intent to replace both lower control arms now and don't want to make the same stupid mistake I did with my no-name bearings.

Does anyone have any opinions or advice for the LCA choices at RockAuto ???

I'm not looking for "performance",... just something reliable for a daily driver.

 

[Joseanevo]

Those are very good quality brand names, i'll say go with the Mevotech or the BeckArnley

 

[pcb]

Well,... I went with the Beck/Arnley. People at the site seem to order them the most.

They should be here by Friday.

CAD $185.06 all in shipped to Canada.

 

[Installshield 2]

I've had a beck/Arnley drivers side control arm for about 8 months now...not one issue...it came with a strong plastic cup over the ball joint and stud, and has a very thick rubber boot surrounding it...comparing it to the factory unit i pulled off the car, other that the sticker, i could never tell the difference...weld beads looked identical, both were cleaned up nicely before the paint was applied...the thickness of the metal measured exactly the same...etc...i know there is a lot more to it than that...but considering the factory part is over 200, and the BE was like 70 shipped...even if i have to replace it twice as often i still saved money...

 

[pcb]

Well that's good news,... I'm really kicking myself now after putting in those no-name front bearings,... I figured bearings were all about the same but the "seal" on the no-name bearing is nothing more than a dust cap. I've probably only got a year or two on them before I've gotta do another bearing job.

My driver side control arm was fine, but I figured those things were the kinda things you replace as a set,... like rotors or something,... so I ordered both sides.

 

[Installshield 2]

I was going to do that, but at the time the passenger side was out of stock...and i had already gone through the whole make an account BS at partsgeek (price was slightly better than rock auto at the time)...they did give me a free shipping coupon for when i finally buy the passenger side, though...my driver's side was completely gone, i could nearly pop the ball joint out of its cup socket...so i had to do something quickly haha...

 

[bikingpro5]

random question, why replace the whole LCA when you can replace just the ball joints in them when they go bad? everyone always says you cant replace them but thats been proven wrong many times.

 

[pcb]

My old '85 626 had press in ball joints and they were a huge PITA. By the time the new ball joint was pressed in, the 'cup' was stretched and the ball joint just fell out. So then the mechanic welded it in place and the new ball joint got so hot the grease and plastic started bubbling out the top of it wrecking the ball joint before I even hit the road.
I even had the 'oversize' ball joint which is supposed to fit more snugly in the 'cup'.

I ended up having the ball joint tack welded three times before I finally got rid of the car,.. it kept breaking loose. I even tried to replace the whole control arm with my available parts car but the damn bolts go through the rubber bushings and inside the the bushing is a metal tube to allow the bolt to be torqued without compressing the rubber bushing. But the bolt seized inside the tube and the whole bushing would just rotate.

I hope my P5 doesn't have those metal tube things at the frame mounts or they could be rusted too. Don't ask me why Mazda couldn't just have the ball joints secured to the control arm with three little bolts???

RockAuto doesn't even sell the ball joints separately but I remember seeing them separately somewhere and for just a few dollars more, you get the entire control arm with brand new bushings ($25 for the bushings alone,.. each side).

My concern now is getting my old control arms off,.... does anyone know if they have those steel 'spacer tube' things that love to rust solid ???ie. has anyone had trouble getting the control arms off ??? I've already had the ball joint disconnected so that part is covered.

 

[bikingpro5]

you mean these nice solid metal tubes in the bushings? Yep we have them.

 

[pcb]

Oh great,... I guess I'll get the PB Blaster out now and soak them down in preparation.

At least it looks like I can get in there with a saws-all to cut the bolt if I have to. Then I've gotta replace the bolts too,... I'm sure the new control arm doesn't come with new bolts.

 

[Installshield 2]

^agreed, i never had any luck with just replacing the pressed ball joint and socket...2nd Gen probe's use nearly identical LCA's, only difference being a tab for their different sway bar endlinks...and back then, for my PGT, i couldn't find aftermarket LCA's like i can now...so it was $200+ for the Ford/Mazda LCA...so i replaced both front ball joints by a shop pressing them in...they lasted about 2 months before the end of the LCA cracked and let the pressed housing loose on the passenger side...i didn't wreck, but it scared the s*** out of me...obviously there was more wrong with the control arm than just the ball joint, but i never could tell that just by looking at it...

For $70, i'd just replace the whole thing...again, if it doesn't last 150,000 miles, not a big deal for that price compared to the OE unit...

 

[AzzA SP20]

I replaced my LCA bushings with poly urethane and pressed out and pressed in new ball joints. Removed wheel bearings by hand (no press) and pressed them back in and CV shaft at the same time.
Was a walk in the park.

So yes... can easily be done

 

[pcb]

I've read about guys having huge problems getting the old LCA bushings out,... saws, torches,... flame, smoke and stink. And getting the new ones in was a pain as well.

Another guy just wrote recently that he had to cut his CV shaft in half because it was seized in the hub then he had to buy a new one.

I consider myself EXTREMELY lucky that both my bearing were installed so easily. You live in what could easily be described as a tropical paradise and don't have the snow, salt and minus 25 * celsius in the winter.

And,... what exactly did you mean by "Removed wheel bearings by hand" ???,... you didn't push the damn things out with your thumbs did you ??? I had to use a big ass socket and about 40 hits with a 20 lb. sledge hammer to get them out. (but the oven trick worked awesome for getting the new one in).

 

[AzzA SP20]

I've read about guys having huge problems getting the old LCA bushings out,... saws, torches,... flame, smoke and stink. And getting the new ones in was a pain as well.

Another guy just wrote recently that he had to cut his CV shaft in half because it was seized in the hub then he had to buy a new one.

I consider myself EXTREMELY lucky that both my bearing were installed so easily. You live in what could easily be described as a tropical paradise and don't have the snow, salt and minus 25 * celsius in the winter.

And,... what exactly did you mean by "Removed wheel bearings by hand" ???,... you didn't push the damn things out with your thumbs did you ??? I had to use a big ass socket and about 40 hits with a 20 lb. sledge hammer to get them out. (but the oven trick worked awesome for getting the new one in).

Lol... paradise indeed

bushings were a piece of cake... best home method is to whack out or press out the centers of the bushings, hack saw blade inside bushing and cut 2 relief points (top and bottom) then cold chisel and about 3 hits and its gone.
takes about 10mins per bushing to remove.

to put new poly bushings in... just a matter of using a press for the main LCA bushing (metal sleeved) then press crush tube into it. for the other, push in both sides by hand... press in center crush tube and done.
looking at about 30-50min to remove both bushings, put new bushings in, remove Ball joint and put new ball joints in.
Ball joints is just a stright oress out and press in.

so 2 hours on the LCA and they are done. and maybe total of 3 hours for removal, re bush,and reinstallation of both LCA's (thats being generous)

and for the bearings... I meant removing without press, or rattle gun method etc... similar to you. Press plate the correct size and club.

 

[pcb]

Well my package arrived at the door at 2:07 pm and I had the passenger side installed by 5:27 pm.

So yes,... It was a walk in the park,... No installation issues,... (so to speak,... I don't get all greasy walking in a park)

Considering all my cigarette and beer breaks,... I made pretty good time.

I'm pretty damn sure that I'm too cheap to spend up to $90 for an alignment so I think I will do it myself,... all oldschool like.