Puller mushroomed LBJ bolt - free spinning bolt!

[BandwagonPilot]

I'm changing out my CV Joints, and I had trouble getting the lower ball joint away from the rotor. I ended up using the jack to raise the rotor and the puller to finally get them apart. Well the puller ended up mushrooming the bolt a bit, which I didn't find out until after I installed the new driveaxle and was trying to put the castle bolt back on. I got a file and sanded down the mushroom until I could get the nut over the mushroom part, but the new problem I have now is that the nut/bolt are spinning inside of the bushing instead of the nut traveling on the bolt.

I don't want to use pliers to hold the threads because then I'll strip the threads above, and there isn't too much above on the casing above the lower ball joint to grab to stop it from spinning - and it's smooth so I don't want to crush it or anything. I don't know how to tighten the bolt, and it's not like I can just leave it. And I can't get the nut off either, since it's spinning freely, so I can't sand the end down any more to see if that helps. I won't be able to work on it until tomorrow, but I don't want to run into the problem with the passenger side either, is there any way to prevent this? And how can I fix it so that I can finish? Thanks for the help!

[deevergote]

Use pliers to get it apart... then replace the LBJ. Do you really want to trust the weakened bolt to hold your car together anyway?

[BandwagonPilot]

The joint itself isn't bad, just that the bolt inside spins. Do I need any special tools to get the joint out or back in? All that I have is the puller, and I don't know if that will do it.

[deevergote]

You damaged the threads on the bolt. You squished the cotter pin hole. If that cotter pin falls out, or that part of the bolt snaps, the nut can come loose. If that happens, it won't be long before the whole thing comes apart. At the very least, your car can get severely damaged. At worst, you'll crash and die. Lower ball joints from Honda are rather inexpensive ($30 or so, I believe). I don't know about you, but my life is worth more than 3/4 of a tank of gas.


To remove the joint, you have to remove the snap ring... and then, I believe, just pound it out of there. You'll have to take the whole knuckle off to do it. I forget the exact method of getting one back in (cp[mike] and 93twodoorLX know for sure, you might want to PM one of them for more accurate details) I don't want to give you wrong advice, especially regarding such an important part.

[JohnD1079]

there is nothing you can really do except replace it, oruse the pliers/vice grip to hold it, untill you get the bolt to tighten. Next time, unscrew the bolt, but leave th bolt on, and hammer at the LCA right under the Ball joint. The purpose of leaving the nut on is so you dont fuck up the threads....like you did.

[bruno8747]

You damaged the threads on the bolt. You squished the cotter pin hole. If that cotter pin falls out, or that part of the bolt snaps, the nut can come loose. If that happens, it won't be long before the whole thing comes apart. At the very least, your car can get severely damaged. At worst, you'll crash and die. Lower ball joints from Honda are rather inexpensive ($30 or so, I believe). I don't know about you, but my life is worth more than 3/4 of a tank of gas.


To remove the joint, you have to remove the snap ring... and then, I believe, just pound it out of there. You'll have to take the whole knuckle off to do it. I forget the exact method of getting one back in (cp[mike] and 93twodoorLX know for sure, you might want to PM one of them for more accurate details) I don't want to give you wrong advice, especially regarding such an important part.

Just to clarify a few things:

Honda OEM balljoints from Majestic is $15 EACH so $30 for a set.
Honda OEM balljoints DO NOT use a snap ring they are press fit into place.

Now about the nut issue, This happened to me before and here is what I came up with.

thread as much of the nut onto the stud as you can without it spinning. Then take your jack and jack up the entire knuckle. Preferably put the jack under the rotor and then jack up.

When the knuckle is up in the air, Take a wrench and slowly try to thread the nut on. The force of the jack pushing up on the knuckle will keep the ball joint from spinning.

[deevergote]

When I did things with 93twodoorLX, I believe he found them on Majestic for $24, and paid $35 at a local dealer... I could be wrong.

Also, we DID remove a snap ring from the one that was on there. I can't say for certain that it was original, though. You've had more experience with most things than me!



One way to POSSIBLY get things to work (as far as tightening or removing the nut) would be to use pliers with a hard rubber gripping surface. I've seen them before (I believe Sears has some sort of protective rubber cover for pliers). You might be able to hold it tight enough without damaging the threads. Honestly, though... the only thing I would recommend that for is to remove the nut so you can replace the joint!

[JohnD1079]

Just to clarify a few things:

Honda OEM balljoints from Majestic is $15 EACH so $30 for a set.
Honda OEM balljoints DO NOT use a snap ring they are press fit into place.

I dont wanna thread jack, put since ime ba doing this in the spring, how would you "press" them on? Just use a Some wood and a hammer, and hammer it in?

[wed3k]

hard to use a hammer against gravity...id take the spindle out at the least.

[cp[mike]]

my suggestion:


separate LBJ from the control arm. make sure both are completely GREASE FREE. then take semi rough sandpaper and put some vertical scratches on the tapered part of the LBJ. reinstall. it also helps if you put a jack underneath the lower control arm pushing UP, with somebody standing on the rotor (and thus balljoint) pushing DOWN.

doing this makes so more force is needed to get the LBJ to spin in place... hopefully enough that itll let the nut go on all the way.

if that doesnt work and its still too tight, you could try running a die over the stud, to recut the threads a little more even.

or replace it, thatll definitely work.

[JohnD1079]

hard to use a hammer against gravity...id take the spindle out at the least.

You need to use a hammer to break the spindle free from the LCA

[z31na]

air would work too if you have it available. just my .02

[BandwagonPilot]

Okay, I'm just going to replace it. I'm trying to get the old one out, is it best to just remove the whole assembly to get the ring off and the LBJ out? It does have a snap ring on it, the new ones that I bought and the one that's on there now. I don't have any special tools to get it out, and I need to know how to get it back in there after too.

[deevergote]

A snap ring puller would be your best bet to get it off. Sort of like pliers, but they'll separate the ring at the gap and you can pull it off.

I would definitely remove the assembly. I don't think you'd be able to do it without removing it, and if you could, it certainly wouldn't be easy!

To get it out, a BFH will do the trick, normally!

I BELIEVE the easiest way to get a new one in is to use a bench vise and a large socket (32mm? I forget) to act as a driver. Then just tap it in.

[BandwagonPilot]

Damn. What's the easiest way to remove the assembly? I don't want to bleed the brakes if I can avoid it, and I don't have the tools to remove the upper control arm from the bushings and put them back. I'd really like to do it myself, I was hoping not to have to call a mechanic, but that damn ball joint isn't wanting to play nice!