kap1320

So I bought my TL from a Dodge dealership in town about 6 months ago and took it straight to a little shop down the road because of a clunking noise in the front end. They checked it out and said it was the upper ball joints. So seeing how the inner edge of the tire was wearing, I just believed them and changed them out with adjustable ball joints to correct the camber, but didn't even think to look at the compliance bushings while I had the wheel off. So I kept driving it for 6 months until I finally found this site and saw how a bunch of people were talking about the compliance bushing, so I decided to take a look. Man where these things done for. Attatched are pictures, I couldn't get a great one of the damage from where the control arm was slamming into the sub-frame from the top, but it looks like someone took an angle grinder to it. The hole goes all the way through. So I am getting the the hole welded and hoping that wont lead to a catastrophic failure down the road, but if it does, I'll post pics.

Also with the old lower control arm, the lower balljoint had a sleeve that when I popped it out it stayed with the balljoint and the new control arm I bought had too small of a hole (that is marked by the arrow) for the sleved balljoint to go into, so I just bought a new balljoint, because it was bad anyway and the sleve was impossible to remove. Wondering if anyone else has delt with that.

VisualEchos

iTrader: (1)

Ewww. What's the year and mileage on your car?

kap1320

2007 with 102K miles

BreezyTL

iTrader: (8)

That happened at 102k? Wow!

BROlando

Bad ball joints at 102K miles?!?!?!?!

This car has had a very rough life. Was Ken Block using it for his videos?

Or do you assume there may have been some mis-diagnosis?

I hope you bought lower ball joints and compliance bushings from Acura or at least an Acura/Honda OEM supplier.

You need that ball joint sleeve to convert from a straight to tapered hole. Unless you bought aftermarket LCA's.

If you bought aftermarket LCA's, you'll probably be replacing the bushings again fairly soon.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

if it was indeed a Houston car, watch out for that pothole!
looks like it spent a lot of time in traffic, following too closely and getting hammered with potholes!

DMZ

Might as well have been a NYC/NJ area car !
.
.

kap1320

So, I messed up and before I checked on here I had already bought everything online, new lower control arm has a smaller hole for the ball joint, and I have tried everything to get that sleeve off the old one, bought every puller tool out there even torched it while pulling, nothing. So I took the spindle off and I'm going to try and bash out the original lower ball joint, looks like a real pain because it wont fit on my hydraulic press and ball joint tools wont fit either. If this doesn't work I was thinking new spindle and wheel hub. Never had a car that the suspension was this hard to work on. Definitely should have just taken it to the dealership.

BROlando

To remove the original lower ball joint:
-remove the spindle from the car

-dont pull on the axle
-dont pull on the axle
-before you pull on the axle, consider the above two points about not pulling on the axle.
-hold the axle up with something so it doesn't droop and pull on itself.

-put the spindle up against something solid. I used the garage foundation and a wood block.
-Smack the ball joint out with a hammer. Presses are over rated.

-Rent a ball joint press tool from vatozone, advance vatos, nada, or O'ralle! to push the new ball join in.

I would suggest using a ball joint separator for the tie rod and upper ball joint. A pickle fork is the incorrect tool.

kap1320

Yea, I had one heck of a time getting the spindle nut off, sucker was on there good and tight. I put my tie rod puller to good use, and tried it on the ball joint sleeve too. From what it looks like the only thing in the way of the ball joint coming out is the metal shim on the back of the hub that has a hole for the ABS sensor. I shouldn't have to press out the hub to do this right? Roland_bluntzs? Yea I only use pickle forks if I'm taking off something I am replacing, they always ruin everything, lol.

BROlando

No, I don't think the hub needs to come out for the ball joint to come out.

nfnsquared

OP, slap some PCI compliance bearings in there. You won't be disappointed

treal512

Yeaaa, but ride quality :/

nfnsquared

No difference in ride quality for me (with Aspec suspension).....

clegg

I have a 2007 TL also. There are no abnormal noises but when you push the car into a turn it seems to over center on the wheel. would this be the compliance bushings? Sorry to hijack, but I cannot start posts (new account).