Upper Control Arm Ball Joint

[i-osprey]

Has anybody ever found the ball joint for the upper control arm for sale separatel from the whole control arm?

I just bought and replaced all the bushings on the upper control arm and in the process discovered the the ball joint is shot. (it moves freely in all directions, it even pulls away when it is jacked up leading me to wonder what exactly is holding it together)

I still have the annoying popping at every turn and bump in the road that I had hoped to fix with the bushing replacements. The uppermost bushings were completely disintegrated and I thought that this was the source of my problem. Apparently it was only part of the problem.

Any advice? I would rather not buy the whole arm assembly since I have already replaced the bushings.

Thanks for the help

[patbob]

Originally Posted by i-osprey

Has anybody ever found the ball joint for the upper control arm for sale separatel from the whole control arm?

I've never seen it, but my indie climed he'd seen such things on some of the cars he'd worked on. I thought he was pulling my leg at the time, but maybe not?

I just bought and replaced all the bushings on the upper control arm and in the process discovered the the ball joint is shot. (it moves freely in all directions, it even pulls away when it is jacked up leading me to wonder what exactly is holding it together)

They are a metal cup with a plastic liner. The liner can disintegrate allowing vertical play in the joint, but the metal cup still be intact enough to keep it all together. You could probably get 1/4 inch movement based on what I've seen of the internal construction.

I still have the annoying popping at every turn and bump in the road that I had hoped to fix with the bushing replacements. The uppermost bushings were completely disintegrated and I thought that this was the source of my problem. Apparently it was only part of the problem.

Any advice? I would rather not buy the whole arm assembly since I have already replaced the bushings.

Thanks for the help

Sorry, no help for it.. the upper ball joint isn't replaceable alone, so you have to replace the whole upper arm.

[i-osprey]

There is a lot more than a 1/4 inch of movement on mine. That is what worries me.

In fact when the car is jacked up and the wheel is off there is at least 1/2 inch if not more of difference than when the wheel is on and on the ground. It compresses to normal only under the weight of the car.

[patbob]

Originally Posted by i-osprey

There is a lot more than a 1/4 inch of movement on mine. That is what worries me.

In fact when the car is jacked up and the wheel is off there is at least 1/2 inch if not more of difference than when the wheel is on and on the ground. It compresses to normal only under the weight of the car.

I cut my old ones open (What's in your balls?) after i replaced them last winter.. picture #4 is a pretty good cross section of what's inside these things.

1/2 inch of vertical play seems pretty excessive to me. Since the ball is cast steel, but the cup in the arm is softer alloy, I'd consider that joint in critical danger of failure -- there's only so much plastic to grind up in there for play, and 1/2 inch is way beyond that, meaning it's grinding metal. But that's me, who already considers any observable vertical play to be too much.

[toomany MBZ]

I understand you need a special tool or two to remove and press in.
This is why I replaced the entire UCA when the bushing failed.
Good luck.

[i-osprey]

Originally Posted by patbob

I cut my old ones open (What's in your balls?) after i replaced them last winter.. picture #4 is a pretty good cross section of what's inside these things.

1/2 inch of vertical play seems pretty excessive to me. Since the ball is cast steel, but the cup in the arm is softer alloy, I'd consider that joint in critical danger of failure -- there's only so much plastic to grind up in there for play, and 1/2 inch is way beyond that, meaning it's grinding metal. But that's me, who already considers any observable vertical play to be too much.

I completely agree. I ordered the replacement control arms this evening and I can only hope they get here soon. This is my only car.

I have another question for you. When I had the UCA partially out to replace the bushings the whole brake/hub assembly easily fell down and away from the car just from the force of gravity. Does this mean my lower ball joint is toast?

[Shawn D.]

Originally Posted by i-osprey

When I had the UCA partially out to replace the bushings the whole brake/hub assembly easily fell down and away from the car just from the force of gravity. Does this mean my lower ball joint is toast?

No, it doesn't mean it's bad. All that weight can easily move the ball joint. When you have the UCA out again, see if you can move the spindle assembly up/down by levering with a crow bar. If there's play in that situation, then the ball joint is bad. Note that the lower ball joint is a major PITA to replace and requires special tools -- thanks, Mercedes!

[winmutt]

UCA isnt so expensive. Just pay for it!

[Hatterasguy]

You can get them for like $40 online and they don't come with bushings.

[vstech]

the buy parts link above has off brand control arm for 41.00, with all but the middle bushing installed. just move your middle bushing over to the new control arm and you are ready to go. I would get the 75.00 febi arms, but that's just me.
looking at the ball joint, I don't see how it would be replaced separately... sorry.

[i-osprey]

I didn't realize that the ball joint was cast into the part until after I ordered the bushings. I did a cost analysis based upon being able to replace the ball joint if I needed to do so. It was cheaper to just buy bushings, I figured, than replace the whole arm.

This isn't the first time that being cheap has ended up costing me more money.

[winmutt]

Originally Posted by i-osprey

This isn't the first time that being cheap has ended up costing me more money.

Amen, if there is anything I have learned it is this. Still ends up biting me in the butt.