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Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT. NOW HOW-TO
http://www.4g61t.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=31599		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  93'TSIColt [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:43 am ]
Post subject:  Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT. NOW HOW-TO
I noticed today when i had my 89 GT up in the air to do the water pump/t-belt that both my front lower ball joints have a ton of play in them.

Anyways... to replace these i dont have to replace the whole lower control arm do I? The ball joints are able to be pressed/hammered out of the control arms? I sure hope so!

I took a look at them and i could not see any c-clips or circlips holding the ball joint in. DO you have to pull/cut the boot back on the ball joint to see it? Or is it not replaceable?


Also im thinking maybe just get some used lower control arms off a wrecked 3G colt. Are the 1.5L 3G colts the same control arm/ball joint as on the turbo 89 GT that i have?

Thanks :)
Author:  89Mirageman [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
I'm pretty sure the na and turbo csm's use different lower control arms. You can buy the chinese ball joint press kit from Harbor Freight for about $50. There is a clip on the top but you may have to remove the rubber boot to see it.

Elantra arms will fit as well and they have the bolt on ball joint which is a lot nicer in my opinion. Remove two nuts and bolts and its off. It might just pay to swap the arms out for the elantra units.
Author:  fastvtgsx [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
89Mirageman is right, they are a different part number for the control arm assemblies. I was actually wondering the same thing, my balljoints don't have a noticeable clip or anything. I'm really hoping they are replaceable as I don't feel like shelling out another 150 bucks for control arms.
Author:  CaptainTonus [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
Quote:
Elantra arms will fit as well and they have the bolt on ball joint which is a lot nicer in my opinion. Remove two nuts and bolts and its off. It might just pay to swap the arms out for the elantra units.
Doesn't it mess up your camber if you use those control arms?
Author:  89Mirageman [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
^^^I've never heard that. I know Incoltnito has a set on his car that I sold him when I parted my 94 Elantra a while back. Maybe he will chime in.
Author:  Incoltnito [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
The Elantra "GLS" lower control arms bolt right up to the frame, indentically to the factory 89' GT csm control arms. The 1.5 liter csm's control arms will not bolt up just the same on our turbo cars. I have a pair of Elantra control arms installed on my mirage. It gives you some natural negative-camber when you swap them. If I remember correctly, I made a slight adjustment to the front wheel alignment afterwards, but I also replaced the outer tie-rods at that time, too.

From my experience though, and maybe it is different with 1.5L control arms, but the ball joints that you are dealing with do not have a circlip to remove. Those were permanently pressed in, and any attempt to press them out or heat them up will most likely result with bending the control arm. It's by chance maybe that they were made to be a one-unit deal. That's why I broke down and swapped them out for the Elantra control arms. 89Mirageman sent them to me, like he mentioned. I have to stress that the control arms must be taken out of the special "GLS" model. I've seen the base model Elantra at the junkyards, and those cars have identical control arms as the 4g15 csm.
Author:  89Mirageman [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
When you say identical do you mean the base model elantra has the ball joints that don't bolt on? Wish we had some pics of the two different lower control arms from csm's and the two from the elantra's. I think that would clear up a lot of confusion.
Author:  Incoltnito [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
Off the top of my head....I went to a yard once that picked the part for you. I went there before you offered those control arms to me, Chris. I asked for a control arm from one of their elantras. When he brought it back to me, I immediately noticed the rear mount on the unit was different than the mount on my turbo mirage control arm....so I told him to take it back. What he did show me though had bolt on ball joints. So that may be the case for all base model Elantras, just don't quote me on that.
Author:  ScottSpecV [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
One of mine has the same issue...with the car on a jack, I can definitely see some play.

Rock auto has a handful of ball joints for the front lower control arm, couldn't they just be pressed in?
Author:  Incoltnito [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
I picked out a set from Autozone for $36 each. That was before I realized the issue of getting the originals out. It's unfortunate because they sell ball joint replacements, which would lead you to believe they can be swapped, but it's damn near impossible to do so. If you could get them out, then it's totally possible to throw in some new ones.

I walked into a mechanic shop with factory turbo control arms in hand. Asked the guy what he thought, and he went on to tell me that he sees these things sometimes, and suggested that I buy a new control arm. He said it's a sham they sell replacements when they know it's too hard to swap them. In those cases, mechanics don't want to do it cause the risk of bending the control arm. I was baffled, cause on MOST cars you can press out the ball joints.
Author:  ScottSpecV [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 5:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
That's retarded! So where (besides Mitsubishi) can you get new control arms?
Author:  Flying Eagle [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 6:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
Check the aftermarket white box stores. I got aftermarket upper control arms for my 98 Acura EL aka Civic but there was obviously more available aftermarket for those cars.
Author:  fastvtgsx [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 8:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
Ok after reading through this post again, I'm completely confused now.

The mirage and mirage gt have different control arms.

The elantra and elantra gls have different control arms.

The elantra gls and mirage gt have the same control arms and the mirage and elantra have the same control arms??
Author:  Incoltnito [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 8:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
^^^^^ Not too confused though, because you understood that correctly. Yes to all.
Quote:
That's retarded! So where (besides Mitsubishi) can you get new control arms?
Supposedly, Mitsubishi has sold out of them/no longer have them in stock. One guy here purportedly received the very last one from them. And I have no idea where you would find a different manufacturer.
Author:  89Mirageman [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Replacing both front lower Ball Joints on 89 GT.. need info
Quote:
Ok after reading through this post again, I'm completely confused now.

The mirage and mirage gt have different control arms.

The elantra and elantra gls have different control arms.

The elantra gls and mirage gt have the same control arms and the mirage and elantra have the same control arms??
Well you're almost correct :wink: , the hyundai's have the bolt on ball joints and the csm's don't.
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